1.3. Local Area Network (LAN)

 

Each AUA user is provided with an account (login name and password), which serves for network access, email and Internet access.

 

1.3.1. User Passwords

 

It is recommended that passwords be:

 

• Between 5 and 8 alphanumeric characters long;

With the exception of temporary passwords created by the Security Officer or Associate, the owner of the user ID must create passwords.

• Good choices for passwords are:
• Two or more adjoining words;
• Gibberish;
• Alphabetic characters mixed with numbers.

 

Poor choices for passwords are:

 

• Repeating character strings;
• A single dictionary word;
• Trivial. Never use:
• Any part of your name;
• Nicknames;
• Initials;
• Spouse's or child's name;
• user ID;
• Hobbies;
• Seasons of the year;
• Birthdays;
• Pets;
• Anniversary dates.

 

Other recommendations for passwords are:

 

• Passwords should never be PASSWORD or the user's login ID or user ID;
• Passwords should be difficult to guess, but easy to remember so that there is no need to write them down.
• Passwords that are written down should never be left in easily accessible locations, e.g. unlocked desk drawers, desk calendars, the back of the work station;
• When changing a password the recommendation is to not use one, which was used previously;

 

1.3.2. Faculty and staff accounts

 

Faculty and staff accounts are maintained by the AUA System Administrator or IT Specialist ([email protected]). The password is set by the owner of the account from the AUA System Administrator's terminal.

 

Faculty members can request a space on a network server for classes accessible to students or for his/her own purposes. To obtain the space it is necessary to send an e- mail request to ICTS ( Request system ) describing the professor's needs.

 

 

 

1.3.3. Students' accounts

 

Students' accounts are maintained by the System Administrator or IT Specialists (student account manager, [email protected] ). Each student joining AUA receives a login name and password, which is the same for accessing the network, mailbox and Internet.

 

Each student can have a space on the students' server for private, public, web information and classes materials. The volume is 200 MB.

 

Students retain their accounts (mailbox, access to printing) after graduating the AUA.

 

 

1.3.4. Students' printing

 

Students' printing in computer labs is under the control of a network program. A special print counter counts the number of printed pages for each student. There is a quota for free-of -charge printing (check with the AUAF ICTS Office). Extra pages are charged. At the end of the month the Network Engineer provides a list of payments due to extra page printing. Payments for extra page printing are made at the Accounting Office.

 

1.3.5. File and FTP Services

 

There are several file servers on the AUA network. Some of them are provide the access only from inside the network, others – from outside.

 

One of the file servers is a server servicing student needs. It is accessed as \\10.2.0.12 or \\ac.aua.am . Students get access to this server as soon as they get an account. Academic Server is providing each user up to 200MB disk space for personal web pages, personal private, shared public folders and classes materials. There are three folders on the Academic Server:

 

_HOME : contains personal home folders, each of which has three subfolders with different types of access: Private - the owner of the folder has full access to it. Nobody else can see the folder content.

 

There are two public access folders with full access by the owner. (Other users can only read these folders.)

 

Web - web page folder. The owner can create his/her own web page accessible from the world. (MYSQL database is not provided)

 

Public - for owner's shared files with web access from the world.

 

_CLASSES : this folder contains necessary information related to classes

 

_PUBLIC : contains software and other data necessary for students.

 

Students can print on the lab networked printer only when they are connected to this server with their usernames and passwords. A print counter program running on this server counts each student printed pages.

 

Another server accessed by \\10.1.0 .11 or \\staffserver is used for faculty/staff needs. Staff and faculty members get access to this server as soon as they get an account. Departments have shared folders on \\10.1.0.11\_Users\MIS with write and read rights. For some networked printers a print counter program is running on this server.

 

There is also a file server with read-only directories accessed as \\10.1.0.12 or \\fileserver . Installation packages and tools are in the \\10.1.0.12\_Public folder.

 

The FTP service provides shared file folders that can be accessed through the Internet, facilitating the exchange of large files instead of sending them by e-mail attachment (which can be unreliable for a low dedicated bandwidth).

 

 

The AUA FTP server allows anonymous user to download files from the "pub" (public access) folder. However, the privilege to add (upload) files to the pub folder is restricted. Faculty or staff wishing to obtain a username and

 

password for uploading files to the pub folder can contact Computer Services: mailto:[email protected] . Computer Services can also to upload files for a user. It is possible to add folders to the ftp server and to set private download privileges. You can contact Computer Services to make such an arrangement.

 

To access the ftp server you may use a web browser or ftp program.

 

The AUA FTP server can be accessed for file downloading by typing  ftp://ftp.aua.am into the address bar in Internet

 

Explorer (version 6 and higher). Make sure you check the checkbox in Internet Explorer 6.0 in the menu Tools=>Advanced=>Browse=>FTP passive mode.

 

 

File upload and download can be managed using ftp software such as the free FTP Explorer program: http://www.ftpx.com/download.html .

 

1.3. 6. Web Services

 

Students and Faculty can connect to the Academic Server from outside AUA by one of the following URLs:

 

 

a) For read-only access to a <username> personal web folder:

 

http://academic.aua.am/<username>/web

 

b) For read-only access to a <username> personal shared folder:

 

http://academic.aua.am/<username>/public

 

c) to see the full home folder list on Academic Server

 

http://academic.aua.am or http://ac.aua.am

 

 

For full access to the personal folder (for writing/changing documents) the following URL containing the username and password ftp://username:[email protected] should be used.

 

The same URL should be used to access Classes and Public folders shared by faculty and students.

 

If you use Internet Explorer you can access Academic Server with the following URLs:

 

ftp://ac.aua.am

ftp://academic.aua.am

 

ftp://academic.aua.am/_Home/<username>/web/

ftp://academic.aua.am/_Home/<username>/private/

ftp://academic.aua.am/_Home/<username>/public/

 

You will be prompted for Username and Password on "Login As" window then you will get access to the appropriate folders.

 

1.3.7. Wireless Network

 

Inside AUA Main Building and PAB (SSID Default and PAB_OpenWiFi)

 

There is a wireless access to the network within AUA campus.

 

Having a laptop or pocket PC with wireless adapters you can now connect wireless to the network within the AUA building. To prevent an unauthorized access a Network Authentication is used, which requires an authorization from the user, i.e. AUA login and password.

 

The Internet is accessed through proxy servers requiring authorization whenever a user tries to access Internet from a web browser. Proxy servers are connected to fast downlink channels providing fast Internet access. There is a possibility to access the Internet directly however that connection being slow is not recommended. Web browsers must be correspondingly set to provide access through a proxy server.

 

The login name and password for authorization is the same as for network and e- mail.

 

Users must keep their passwords confidential, so as to avoid the potential for abuse.

 

In case of problems with Internet access an e- mail request may be sent to ICTS (Request system).