On Tuesday, January 11, 2011, we will be converting our primary network operating system from Novell Netware eDirectory to Microsoft Active Directory.
The transition will make two key changes to the way everyone accesses their network drives:
On-campus access to network drives (P, I, and U):
Starting the morning of January 11th, you will no longer use the Novell Network Client to connect your network drives (P, I, and U) but will use a new program that we will provide for you. All file data (and permissions to access the files and folders) will remain as it is now, and after the conversion you will continue to use your network drives as usual. There will be a program compatible for both Macintosh and Windows computers.
Access to network drives (P, I, and U) from off-campus:
We will be implementing a web-based secure VPN (virtual private network) connection to enable easier access to network drives from off-campus. The VPN access will become available on January 11, and Netstorage.depauw.edu and novellftp.depauw.edu will be retired.
How to access your network drives after January 11:
The following provides important instructions about what you need to do to prepare for the transition and how to set up your computer to log in to the network (P, I, and U) or use the VPN on/after January 11.
1. During the conversion - The night of January 10:
On Monday, January 10, 2011, beginning at 7:00 p.m. all Novell network drives (P, I, and U) will be unavailable as we begin the conversion to Microsoft Active Directory. Please power off your system prior to leaving for the day, if possible. You will be able to access the network drives on the new system after 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 by following the instructions found in the following section.
2. After the conversion - Starting on January 11:
To access the network drives (P, I, and U):
Visit the Network Help Site to download and install the new program to connect your computer to the network drives and access your files. We recommend that you save the file on your desktop.
Windows users will run the program to connect the network drives after each computer restart. We also recommend you remove the Novell client from your computer. This will improve the performance of your system. Visit Removing Novell from Windows for instructions on how to do this.
Mac users will run the file once, which will create aliases on the desktop which can then be used to connect to the network drives.
To access the network drives from off campus:
DePauw's Virtual Private Network (VPN) enables you to securely access the network from home using a web browser. Once connected to the VPN, you can connect to your network drives (P, I, U, etc.) as if you were on campus.
Find out how at Accessing the Network from Off Campus.
If you have questions:
If you experience any issues, please contact the HelpDesk at helpdesk@depauw.edu or 765-658-4294.
