Brief Internet outage (it wasn't just us)

You may have noticed a brief Internet outage today. I certainly did. We scrambled a bit before realizing that it wasn't on our end. Here are the details:

Network:           WiscNet
Type:              Unplanned Outage
Location:          Charter
Ticket Number:     090528-0255
Party:
Start Time:        5/28/2009 14:27 Central Daylight Time
End Time:          5/28/2009 14:43 Central Daylight Time
Description:       Routing Loop

Engineers:


Reporters:

Affected:
  BarabooSD
  BeloitCity
  BeloitColl
  BlackhawkTC
  CalumetCO
  CampbellsportSD
  JacksonCO
  MarianUniv
  MonroeSD
  MoraineParkTC
  OregonSD
  PalmyraEagleSD
  RiponColl

Notices:

Maria Accuardi @ 2009-05-28 14:57:24
  Contacted Charter and this outage was caused by a routing loop.
     They suspect one of their VLANs dropped and started flooding
     another VLAN.  Outage resolved at 1443.

Maria Accuardi @ 5/28/2009 14:57 Central Daylight Time

For more information, please call the NOC at (608)265-6761, pick 1 or email noc@wiscnet.net.  You can also visit our outages web page at:

http://my.wiscnet.net/outages/outages.php

Middle School computers to be removed June 16

Our plan is to begin removing computers from OMS on June 16 so we have room for the new ones coming in. If you are an OMS teacher, don't count on being able to use your computer after June 16. (We know office staff work longer into the summer, so we'll work around those few exceptions.)

(This assumes, of course, that we can still afford to buy computers. We'll see how the state budget gets worked out.)

Newsletters and parent emails

If you want to create an email newsletter for parents, community members, students, or anybody else, we have instructions for how to do it at http://sites.google.com/a/oregonsd.net/technology/support/creating-a-public-email-newsletter

The "parent mass mailer" will be used only for high priority, non-optional communication to parents. Why? Some parents have complained about the number of emails they get from the district, and ask to be removed, or to have us send to a different address. Our mass mailer doesn't allow us to do that because it pulls information directly from PowerSchool.

Making a new, second system, gives us lots more features, like the ability for anybody to subscribe, change their email address, and unsubscribe on their own. It also provides ways for you to get statistics on your publications, and you can include pictures, formatting, and links. It will even generate an archive of your letters and let people subscribe to an RSS feed.

Summer equipment procedures

Here are some rules/guidelines for making the end of the year and the summer go smoothly for everyone.

Summer borrowing
If you want to borrow any piece of district equipment during the summer (including a laptop computer that you regularly use) you must check it out from the building where it is housed. For example, if you want to check out a laptop that normally "lives" at OMS, check with Lynn Benisch. DON'T bring an OMS computer to the district tech office and expect to check it out. This change from centralized checkout at the district tech office is to insure that everything gets returned to the correct place.

General room cleanup
Remove all batteries from remote controls. (i.e. Projectors, TV, boom boxes.) This keeps the batteries from draining over the summer, or worse, corroding inside the unit. You may want to label the batteries or tape them to the thing they came out of so you know where they go when you come back.

Unplug all power cords from all A/V equipment in your room, including TVs.

Clean up those electrons!
Keep track of important passwords. (Voicemail, Novell, PowerSchool, etc.)

Delete old and unused files from the Video (V:), Home (H:), and “share” folders (that you own, of course). If you don’t specifically need it as part of curriculum next year, it’s just using up valuable and limited space on the network.

Thank you!

Now Hiring for Summer Help

Summer Technology Custodian (District Wide) $8.60/hr

Position duties inlcude: loading, unloading, and moving computers and other equipment, assist with performing inventory, setting up and configuring computer hardware and software in labs and classrooms, performing basic troubleshooting, and documenting work. Must be able to lift 50 lbs and have a valid WI driver's license; Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - (Internal/External)
Application Deadline: Friday May 29th 2009

See http://db.oregon.k12.wi.us/postings/viewing.php?Custodial=on&tablename=postings for full details.

Google Apps Gmail training dates announced

Whether you prefer to learn in a large group, small group, following written instructions, or watching a video, we have a Google Apps Gmail training session for you!

Written instructions for migrating from GroupWise to Oregon's Google Apps Gmail are now posted at http://sites.google.com/a/oregonsd.net/technology-integration-tool/Home/email?AuthEventSource=SSO

Training sessions for how to use Oregon's Google Apps Gmail, and moving from GroupWise, are now scheduled at all schools. The current list is posted online at http://sites.google.com/a/oregonsd.net/technology-integration-tool/Home/email?AuthEventSource=SSO

More will be added as needed. Large-group trainings are limited to times when labs are available, but we can help with smaller group as requested.

The last day to receive training on Google Apps Gmail, or to receive help migrating your mail, is June 12.

Mail sent to an oregon.k12.wi.us address will arrive in your Oregon Google Apps Gmail Inbox beginning June 18. GroupWise will go away on June 22. If you have not moved your mail and contacts from GroupWise to Google Apps Gmail by June 22, it will be deleted forever.

Getting more spam? It's not just you.

If you see an increase in spam, it's not your imagination. The following report from Postini (we are a customer) tells the story.

Threat Advisory: Spam Volume Increases in First Quarter 
 
Overall spam volume growth in the first quarter of 2009 was the strongest since early 2008. Spam volume temporarily dropped in November 2008 when the McColo web hosting service – allegedly a significant source of spam at that time – was taken offline. However, spammers have rallied since then, with spam increasing an average of 1.2% per day in the first quarter. By comparison, the growth rate of spam volume in Q1 2008 was approximately 1% per day – which, at the time, was a record high.

Data suggests that spammers are adopting new strategies to avoid another takedown of a web hosting service. The recent upward trajectory could indicate that spammers are building botnets that are more robust but send less volume – or that they haven't enabled their botnets to run at full capacity because they're wary of exposing a new ISP as a target.

In the past few weeks we've also seen the return of image spam – mostly in pharmaceutical ad images. Image spam was popular with spammers in 2007 but died out in 2008. It's unusual for spammers to re-use an "old" technique since most filters were perfected to block image spam back in 2007.

But spammers continue to prove their resilience. Whether it's bouncing back from the biggest takedown on record or finding new ways to exploit the ways we communicate for malicious purposes, they're clearly here to stay.

Source: Postini.com Threat Advisory email

Tech Showcase Monday, May 11, 5:30-6:15 PM at Rome Corner Intermediate School

As reported yesterday in the Oregon Observer, the 3rd Annual Tech Showcase will be held prior to the Board meeting on Monday, May 11, beginning at 5:30, in the RCI Commons. Please come support the work of teachers and students by viewing the projects they've been working on this year! It is free and open to the public.

Free electronics recycling this Saturday

If you have been looking for a way to get rid of an old TV or computer, you are in luck.


Dane County is sponsoring a TV and Electronics Recycling Drop Off on Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Alliant Energy Center. Items can be dropped off at an area that will be set up in the back parking lot of the Alliant Energy Center.

Full details are available on this flyer (PDF).

Note: This is for personally-owned items only, and only for residents of Dane County.