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What is happening?ÌýWindows Virtual Desktop (WVD), a Microsoft Azure-based system for virtualizing operating systems and applications, is now available for students to use for lab computers and software.

What is Windows Virtual Desktop used for?ÌýWindows Virtual Desktop is a Microsoft cloud-based solution that gives users remote access to desktops and applications. WVD can be used as an alternative to, or augmentation of, physical computer labs.

How do users access Windows Virtual Desktop?ÌýStudents that have been given access to a department’s virtual lab canÌýÌýby logging in toÌý.Ìý

How do I set up a Windows Virtual Desktop environment?ÌýIT support staff can enable Windows Virtual Desktop for their department or faculty by submitting a request toÌýrt@uwaterloo.ca. Visit theÌýWindows Virtual Desktop service pageÌýfor more information.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

What is happening? The University’s inbound mail record will be updated to route email sent to uwaterloo.ca addresses through the Cisco Cloud servers.

• Current mail delivery path: Internet (i.e., external individual/organization) > Mailservices > Cisco Cloud servers > Office 365/Exchange
• Planned mail delivery path: Internet > Cisco Cloud servers > Office 365/Exchange/Mailservices

When will this change take place? Saturday, May 15 between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.

What is the impact? No end-user impact is expected.

Note: If desired, individuals may test unique mail delivery configurations following the above maintenance window.

Questions or concerns? Please submit to the IST Service Desk, helpdesk@uwaterloo.ca.

What is happening?Ìý

• The ability to use @edu.uwaterloo.ca for authentication toÌýUniversity systems/applicationsÌýwill no longer be supported.
• @eduuwaterloo.onmicrosoft.com accounts will be disabled, removing access to old @edu OneDrive accounts.Ìý

When will this change take place?ÌýWednesday, April 28, 2021.

What is the impact?ÌýAfter this date, the only acceptable login for University systems supporting single sign-on will be the individual’s username (up to 8 characters) followed byÌý@uwaterloo.ca.ÌýData associated with old @edu.uwaterloo.ca accounts will not be deleted. Accounts will be locked but can be temporarily unlocked to retrieve data, if necessary.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.ca.Ìý

What is happening?ÌýExchange servers are being removed from service for maintenance/updates. Individual servers will be taken out of service between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. each night throughout the maintenance period.Ìý

When is this happening?ÌýSunday,ÌýApril 25ÌýtoÌýThursday,ÌýApril 29Ìýbetween 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. each night.

Why is this happening?ÌýToÌýpatch a known vulnerability in Exchange 2016.

Who will it impact?ÌýUsers that are actively connected to a server when it is removed for maintenance may be prompted to enter their username and password. Outlook may also alert users about being redirected to autodiscover.uwaterloo.ca. This is normal behaviour, and the user should click 'Allow' when this happens. No other impact is anticipated as the remaining servers will continue to carry out email and calendar functions.ÌýThis maintenance will not impact mailboxes that are in Office 365.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

Resolved (April 20, 8:42 a.m.): Wireless calls, SMS and data services are now restored for the majority of Rogers and Fido customers. A small number of services with other carriers are continuing to come back online. The service outage was caused by a software update of network equipment that led to intermittent congestion and service impacts for customers across the country.

Questions or concerns? Please contact the IST Service Desk, helpdesk@uwaterloo.ca or ext. 44357.

Update (April 19, 3:38 p.m.):ÌýThe Rogers network teams are working diligently to resolve the outage but the issues are still ongoing.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

What is happening?ÌýSome Rogers and Fido wireless customers are experiencing an intermittent service interruption for wireless voice and data services. Rogers is working on restoring these services.

What is the impact?ÌýRogers and Fido customers may be unable to access cellular data and wireless services on their mobile devices. Incoming, outgoing calls, and text messages are impacted nationally.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

What is happening?ÌýVirtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and license servers will be restarted to apply updates.

When is this happening?ÌýSunday, April 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

What is the impact? Remoteapps and licensed app VDI environments will be unavailable during the maintenance window. Users of the following applications might experience short outages while the servers are rebooting:

• SPSS
• SAS
• Quest
• MATLAB
• COMSOL Multiphysics
• ArcGIS

Work should be saved frequently to avoid data loss.

Additional resources:

• VDI:Ìý/information-systems-technology/services/virtual-desktop-infrastructure-vdi
• Licensed servers:Ìý/information-systems-technology/services/scientific-computing-software-support

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact the IST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

What is happening?ÌýThe University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ has signed an agreement withÌý.ÌýPiazza was adopted independently by instructors before and during the pandemic; procuring this software centrally will allow instructors to continue using this tool for teaching and learning.Ìý

When is this happening?ÌýThe new agreement will allow for uninterrupted use of Piazza to the end of the Winter 2021 term and beyond, expiring on April 28, 2022. At the end of 2021, IST and partners will conduct another review to determine whether Piazza is the most suitable Q&A tool and to investigate if it should be permanently added to the University’s educational technology suite.

What is Piazza?ÌýPiazza is a Q&A platform for students and instructors. Students can interact with each other to work towards solutions for problems while instructors can ‘endorse’ or ‘up-vote’ the best proposed answer. In this aspect, Piazza differs from a traditional discussion forum such as in LEARN, which may be more suitable for structured class discussions.

Questions or concerns? For licensing-related questions, please contact Pam Fluttert, fluttert@uwaterloo.ca. For Piazza help and support,please contactÌýteam@piazza.com.Ìý

What is happening?ÌýThe Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways site is now available for all À¶Ý®ÊÓƵÌýfaculty, staff, and students.

What is MicrosoftÌý365Learning Pathways?Microsoft 365 Learning PathwaysÌýis an on-demand, self-service solution designed to provide learning resources and videos for common MicrosoftÌý(Office) 365Ìýapplications and services including Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and more!ÌýIt also provides quick links to other IT support resources, including the IST Service Desk and Knowledge Base.

How do I access the learning pathways site?ÌýBookmark theÌý, or look for links to the appropriate training resources from theÌýOffice 365 websiteÌýandÌýIST Service Catalogue.

This site can be customized to address the MS Office 365 learning needs of our campus community. Please let us know of additional content that would be helpful. Check the site for changes as the content evolves to meet our needs.Ìý

Questions or concerns? Please contact theÌýIST Service Desk, helpdesk@uwaterloo.ca or ext. 44357.Ìý

What is happening?ÌýThe IST Service Desk will beÌýpiloting Social Intents as a replacement for the existing service desk live chat tool.

Why is this happening?ÌýThe end-of-life date for the existing live chat tool, PHP Live, is August 1, 2021. More information about migrating from PHP Live to Social Intents will be provided to PHP Live users once the pilot is complete.

When  is  this  happening? TheÌýIST Service DeskÌýwillÌýbeÌýpilotingÌýSocial Intents fromÌýAprilÌý5,Ìý2021Ìýto April 30, 2021.

What will change for users?ÌýOn April 5, links toÌýtheÌýIST Service DeskÌýliveÌýchat on the IST websiteÌýwill be redirected to go toÌýthe Social IntentsÌýchat widget.

• Users who contact the IST Service Desk viaÌýliveÌýchat willÌýsee a different chat interface.

• Users willÌýbe prompted toÌýprovide their name, email, andÌýa descriptionÌýof their issue before being connectedÌýto aÌýlive chat agent.

To learn more about Social Intents, visit theÌý.
Ìý

Questions or concerns? Please contact MattÌýHarford, mharford@uwaterloo.ca.

Resolved (March 25, 1:57 p.m.):ÌýUsers should be able to send and receive Microsoft Teams chat messages again.ÌýÌý

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact theÌýIST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.

What is happening?ÌýUsers may be unable to send and receive Microsoft Teams chat messages. Microsoft is investigating the issue; updates will be provided when available.

Questions or concerns?ÌýPlease contact theÌýIST Service Desk,Ìýhelpdesk@uwaterloo.caÌýor ext. 44357.