Communications and Operations
Michael Ruhrdanz, Director
Communications and Operations is the administrative section of Information Services that provides UNL and its state-wide interests with an advanced, reliable, high-performance network; monitors and manages systems; provides Internet and Research Computing services; and serves the telecommunications needs of the university community and beyond. Services are provided by three units within Communications and Operations.
Communications
Rick Haugerud, Assistant Director
Communications provides the University community with effective, efficient and leading-edge telecommunications services and facilities at a cost consistent with value received. This includes telephone service, long distance, cellular services, voice messaging/voice mail, audio and video conferencing, radio pagers, two-way radio services, FAX services/systems, automatic call distribution facilities, cable and wire facilities.
Communications is responsible for managing the Internet Service Providers (ISP's) licensed by the University.
The UNL Telephone Operator facility is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through our operators, the University community receives local directory assistance, after-hour service calls, emergency services and teleconference services. Operators are also the voice of the University for callers that need assistance but do not know which office they need to contact.
Centrex Services is a help desk operation providing support for repair requests, service problems, installation or change of service, training on equipment and services, and more. Centrex Services is staffed between the hours of 7:30am—5:30pm, Monday through Friday. You can contact the Centrex Services by telephone, at (402) 472-3434, E-mail or in person at 211 Nebraska Hall. After-hours service is available by leaving a message in a mailbox for service the next business morning, or immediate assistance can be requested by pressing 0 and having the University operator page the analyst on call.
Systems
Dave Spanel, Coordinator
The Systems group is responsible for the operation of all Information Services' central computers and E-mail systems.
All centralized electronic mail and directory services are installed, operated, and maintained by the Systems group. Free electronic mail accounts are provided to faculty and staff on Lotus Notes. Undergraduate students may obtain free accounts on BIGRED. Graduate students may obtain free accounts on UNLSERVE.
The Systems staff provide monitoring and management of network and systems functions and services such as DNS, bootp, etc. They also provide support for distributed physical data management for backup/restore, archive, and security functions.
Research computing services are available for faculty and staff looking for more capabilities than can be found through the typical desktop computer.
Networking
Dale Finkelson, Coordinator
The Networking group is responsible for:
- Network design, installation and maintenance,
- Evaluation and implementation of protocols and standards for integration with current structure, and
- On-going research for tactical future directions.
Networking and Operations Center
Amy Metzger, Manager
Information Services' Networking and Operations Center combines some of the functions of the networking and systems groups into an extended-hour center to maintain the NUnet backbone and the central services provided to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Network and system monitoring and troubleshooting as well as central management of mail, directory, news, listserv, webserver, and other administrative services provide the reliable service that UNL faculty, staff, and students have come to expect.
Operations personnel will post a message to the IS-Alert Listserv website when there is an outage (planned or unplanned) or reduced quality of operation on any of the most common services and systems within UNL. If you are experiencing Internet, network, or E-mail access trouble, please check the IS-Alert page for information on the service or system in question.
The Operations Center is located in Room 29, of the Walter Scott Engineering Center. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Operators may be reached by E-mail or telephone, at (402) 472-5653.
