FAS Information Technology

FAS Network Operations offers four tiers of support for network issues:

• Tier 1 - Service Desk troubleshooting: Network Contacts and end-users can call the FAS Service Desk with basic requests such as checking the status of a particular network jack.
• Tier 2 - Network Analyst escalation for cases which cannot be resolved at the Service Desk level.
• Tier 3 - Network Engineering for advanced problems requiring high-level expertise.
• Tier 4 - Senior Network Management escalation for issues requiring decisions on a management level or requiring special projects be formulated.

IT Contacts

FAS Network Operations will work with departments to identify network-savvy staff to assign as a Network Contact within the department. This contact will be added to the network contact list which is used to disseminate news on network maintenance, upgrades, news, and outages. Network contacts can also keep track of network connections on a departmental level in order to better communicate issues to the Network Operations Center.

To assign a network contact, the interested department should contact the FAS Service Desk at 617-495-9000 or by writing to help@fas.harvard.edu with the name of the person wishing to be the contact.

Automatic Registration

FAS Network Operations has implemented automatic registration (AutoReg) to allow FAS students, staff, and faculty to register their personal computers on the FAS Network.

To register a computer, plug in to an activated jack and open any internet browser. The browser will automatically redirect to a registration page. Use your Harvard login information to allow AutoReg to identify you to your credentials.  AutoReg automatically scans your computer for basic security (such as an activated firewall) and provides instructions for devices which require modifications to meet security requirements. Once registered, the computer can be used on any roaming jack on the FAS Network.

Contact the department network contact person for assistance with registering computers and other devices such as networked printers or those requiring registration to a non-roaming jack or a static IP address.

Wireless Access

Wireless is access is currently available to approximately 75% of the Cambridge campus, including student dormitories, common areas, dining halls, as well as many lecture halls. Registration on the wireless network is achieved through Auto-Reg and assistance is also available through the Service Desk.

FAS wireless access is 54Mbs in most areas as a shared connection. Residential areas also share 54Mbs connections. Due to high-traffic during peak hours, the actual connection speed at each individual desktop may vary.

FAS IT recommends that applications with high-bandwidth requirements, and/or requirements for a higher level of security use the wired connection as their preferred method of connectivity.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

FAS Network Operations offers VPN connectivity for users who require a secure connection on or off campus. FAS Network operations strongly encourages VPN use for any staff, faculty or student that plans on doing official university work over the internet. Virtual Private Networks allow users to establish an encrypted connection to the FAS network and as a result, use systems and applications which are normally only accessible from "on campus" connections. The VPN client can be found at the following download site: downloads

Firewall Services

FAS Network Operations offers customized firewall services for administrative and research purposes. Network firewalls allow for a higher level of security by limiting the connections to a specific system or groups of systems from the outside network. Parties interested in establishing a firewall at the departmental level should use their Network Contacts to coordinate with FAS Network Operations to determine the details of any such implementation.

FAS Network Operations has established a firewall on the student network in order to block well know exploited ports in order to give a basic level of protection to student users on both wired and wireless connections. This firewall should not prevent normal traffic, but may interfere with non-academic network usage such as gaming or music sharing services.

Contact the FAS Service Desk at 617-495-9000 or by writing to help@fas.harvard.edu for assistance on any of these topics.