Davis-Etcheverry Computing Facility 
                     Spring 2001 Newsletter #1
		          Feb 20, 2001

This issue of the DECF Newsletter is on the web at:
http://www.decf.berkeley.edu/news/sp01-01.html

Instructions to unsubscribe are at end of email.

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Table of Contents
   1.  Introduction

   2.  Notes & Reminders.

   3.  5101 NT cluster upgrades.
       - Scanner, Acrobat, Digital camera.

   4.  System upgrades    

   5.  Planned system upgrades

   6.  Info for System administrators:

   7.  Staff hours & how to un-subscribe

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1. Introduction

What does DECF do?  DECF provides computing to the 4 departments of ME,
IEOR, CE, and NE.  This includes email service, class and general
compute service, web service, ftp service, finger, IP name service,
overall network security, and other computing-related needs common to
the labs and departments.  DECF also aids to resolve network-related
problems.

The DECF newsletter is published at least once every semester.  These
mailings will highlight major system upgrades, changes, and
announcements.  The newsletter is sent to all DECF users.  You may
receive multiple emails if you have several different accounts with
DECF.  Information on how to unsubscribe is included at the end of this
email.

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2.  Notes & Reminders.

5101 Color Printer:
     The 5101 color printer was off-line due to a bad fuser.  It is now
     back on-line.  Faculty and staff can print to it using any 5101 lab
     machines.  
     
Matlab:
     Several users have reported that matlab does not work on the NT
     cluster.  We will be re-installing Matlab on these machines this
     week.

Locked workstations:
     Please remember that you cannot lock a workstation in the 5101 lab for
     longer than 15 minutes.  Your session may be killed if someone
     needs to use the workstation.  Anyone needing to use a locked
     workstation should send mail to consult@newton.

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3. 5101 NT cluster upgrades.

Two new PC's:
    Two new PC's (866MHz PIII with 256MB RAM) have been added to the NT
    cluster!  Here's a partial list of software that are installed:

	      Adobe Acrobat 4.0
	      Adobe Photoshop 6.0
	      Eudora 5.0
	      Microsoft Office 2000
	      Netscape 6.0

Acrobat 4.0:
    Need to convert your Microsoft Word documents to PDF file for your
    class?  Want to create web PDF fill-in forms?  Use Adobe Acrobat
    4.0!  They're installed on the two new PC's (by the wall) in 5101
    lab.

 
Scanner:
    A new Color Scanner has replaced the old scanner.  The Umax 3400
    scanner (600x1200 dpi) allows you to scan, copy, email, or OCR, at
    the touch of a button.  It comes with the following software:

	Adobe PhotoDeluxe
	ScanSoft OmniPage LE
	NewSoft Presto! PageManager 
	UMAX VistaShuttle

Digital camera:
    Need to take some pictures for your class?  Beginning April 1st, you
    can check out a digital camera from DECF!  Reservation forms and 
    information on who can use the camera will be posted by next week at:
    at:  http://www.decf.berkeley.edu/forms/camera.html

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4. System upgrades

New ME web server:
    The webserver for ME and DECF has been upgraded.  As part of the
    upgrade, we're enforcing their official names.

    For Mechanical Engineering, it's
	      http://www.me.berkeley.edu
      	      http://me.berkeley.edu

    For DECF, it's
	      http://www.decf.berkeley.edu
	      http://decf.berkeley.edu

SSH:
    SSH has been upgraded to 2.4.0 on newton, decf, and all 5101 lab
    workstations.  This new version offers secure ftp (sftp).  DECF
    highly recommends upgrading your SSH client to this latest version.
    Clients are available at:
	http://www.decf.berkeley.edu/help/security/ssh/

Netscape Navigator 4.75
    Netscape has been upgraded from 3.0 to 4.75 on the 14 Sun
    workstations in 5101 lab.  You will now be able to configure your
    Netscape to pop mail from newton.

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5. Planned system upgrades

1171:
     The 1171 classroom lab will be upgraded this semester.  There will
     be 20 Sun Rays connected to an E250 server.  Faculty members, if
     you're interested in using the lab for your class next semester,
     please send an email to nlin@newton.berkeley.edu.  More information
     about the lab will be sent when the lab is completed.

Nobelium retired April 1st.
     Nobelium.me will be retired April 1st to make way for the new
     Sun Ray cluster in 1171.  If you have any files on nobelium,
     please move them to newton or decf.

New DECF website:
    A new DECF website will be unveiled this semester.  The new website
    will offer improved search capabilities, updated/improved help
    pages, and easier navigation. 

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6.  News & info for system administrators:

SSH
    Break-ins reported last semester were usually due to a lax security
    policy on the server/workstation.  The easiest way to
    start securing your machine is to disable telnet, ftp, rcp,
    rexec, etc, and allow only SSH connections.  SSH (secure shell)
    encrypts your session so your passwords are not sniffed.

    You can download SSH from
    http://www.decf.berkeley.edu/help/security/ssh/

    Instructions as well as precompiled version for Linux are
    available on the webpage.

Redhat 7.0
    Want to upgrade your Linux server to Redhat 7.0?  You can check
    out the Redhat distribution CD from DECF.  Just come by 5101-D
    Etcheverry between 10-12 AM Monday - Friday.

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7.  Staff hours & how to un-subscribe

5101 lab staff hours are posted on DECF's website at:
      http://www.decf.berkeley.edu/labasst.sp01.html

You can also send email to consult@newton.berkeley.edu 

To unsubscribe to this newsletter, send an email to
majordomo@newton.berkeley.edu, with the following in the message body:
   unsubscribe decf-news 

To re-subscribe, send an email to majordomo@newton.berkeley.edu, with
the following in the message body:
    subscribe decf-news

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