To alleviate the log-in problems students experienced while trying to access Google Apps @ NC State, OIT has changed the service’s authentication method to the native Google log-in process. The new log-in process will be very familiar to students who have used a personal Gmail or Google account.

Meanwhile, OIT is working to enhance the campus Shibboleth services. The Shibboleth system is being used widely in higher education to enable users to have a single signon for multiple Web-based services.

To authenticate to Google Apps @ NC State via the new log-in process, students must change or synchronize their password at least once after Aug. 9. Students with questions or concerns about this change should contact the NC State Help Desk at 515-HELP (4357) or via email at help@ncsu.edu.

 

OIT recently migrated the majority of student email accounts from Unity/Webmail to Google Apps @ NC State with the exception of a small population of students. Those include permanent employees who were also students or students with WolfWise accounts; late registrants for fall 2010 classes; or those who had their accounts disabled during the summer session. Students can use the SysNews User Lookup Tool to find out if they are eligible for a Google account or if one has already been created for them.

All students who are eligible to move to Google but have not moved yet are expected to be migrated towards the end of August 2010. More information will be communicated to those users as OIT confirms the exact migration dates and times.

As part of the new Google Apps services, students receive more than 7GB of storage space for their NC State email accounts, all from their university @ncsu.edu email address. In addition to Gmail, students receive Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites and Google Talk. Many of these tools are also accessible via various mobile devices.

The university chose to outsource student email services to improve technology services for students and reduce costs. For more information about NC State’s implementation of Google Apps Education Edition, visit the Google Apps @ NC State Web site.