The University’s central virtual private network (VPN) service is being upgraded on 26 April which means the way you log in to it will change.
Please note: some colleges and academic departments provide a local VPN which may be used as an alternative to the centrally provided VPN service. Local VPN services will not be affected by this upgrade.
What will change?
The level of impact will depend on how you currently access the service. If you use only a centrally managed machine (CONNECT or Orchard) the upgrade will be managed by the service team so they will email you with further instructions.
The key change for everyone using the service is:
- From 26 April you will log in using your SSO username and password, instead of your Remote Access login (you will still need to use your Remote Access login for eduroam Wi-Fi access.)
Other changes that might affect you are:
- if you are not currently using Cisco software to connect to the VPN, you will need to download it before the VPN is upgraded to continue to have access (this will mainly affect Mac and Linux users)
- if you are using an older version of the Cisco AnyConnect Client, this will need to be updated to a supported version. The project is facilitating this for laptops and desktops, which means if you have an older version when you next connect to the VPN your Cisco client will be automatically updated or you will be prompted to update. Please log in to the VPN before 26 April and accept prompts to update your client so you have continued access after the upgrade.
Why is the change being introduced?
The upgraded service will deliver:
- improved security to ensure the University network is better protected
- quicker access when using the VPN due to the new split-tunnelling feature, which will ensure the VPN is only used when required (for example Microsoft Teams traffic will no longer be sent via the VPN)
- the ability to configure your own local area network (LAN) so you can do things like print directly to your home printer without disconnecting from the VPN
What do I need to do?
Please check out the IT Projects website to see what impact this change will have on you and what, if anything, you need to do.
Help
For more information, please see the IT Projects website or contact your local IT support (if in a college or academic department) or the IT Service Desk.
