Difference between revisions of "Test Area"

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{{labs toc}}__NOTOC__
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__NOTOC__
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==Teaching Labs==
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Self Service advertisements in Microsoft's SCCM allow us to provide users on Microsoft Windows PCs with the ability to install software at their own convenience.  In nearly all cases, these installs will be completely automated and so will require no user input or interaction aside from starting the software install.  This guide is intended to walk a user through the steps of locating and running Self Service advertisements on their machine with the Software Center.
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As a part of its commitment to education and research, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering supports and maintains 16 teaching labs for both undergraduate and graduate-level courses.  Located within Engineering Building II on NC State University's Centennial Campus, each lab is designed for a particular topic or purpose, ranging from basic circuits or simulation to areas of research such as robotics or networking.  Additionally, the department provides the very best in powerful computers, professional software, and modern electronics and equipment to meet the demands of courses and research that utilize the labs.
 
  
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For additional information on the individual labs, see [[Teaching Labs| ECE Teaching Labs]].
 
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<br><br>
 
  
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==Unity Computer Labs==
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'''NOTES:'''
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The [http://oit.ncsu.edu/ Office of Information Technology (OIT)] &ndash; NC State University's central IT operations and management organization &ndash; supports and maintains nine public computer labs across the university's main campus.  These Unity Computer Labs are open to all students, faculty, and staff with active Unity accounts, and several operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Each Unity lab provides Microsoft Windows and Apple workstations, as well as public printers provided by [http://www7.acs.ncsu.edu/materialsmgmt/wolfcopy/default.asp Wolfcopy]. 
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* Administrator access is '''not''' required to run Self Service advertised installs.
 +
* Many of these installs have been set to run completely silent in order to reduce unnecessary interruption of your work.  Please note, you will likely receive no alert or notification when an install finishes. Please be sure to confirm that your install has finished before logging out or restarting your machine.
 +
* Advertised installs can be performed while off-campus.  However, downloads and installs will be the most reliable when your machine is connected to the on-campus network.
 +
* If your machine does not have the SCCM applets described on this page, or never lists or provides notifications of advertisements, there may be an issue with the SCCM client on your machine.  Contact your department or college computer support department for assistance, and be sure to provide the name of your machine.
 +
* All screen images on this page are from Windows 7, but text and options should be the same for Windows 8 and Windows XP.
 +
* At this time, Windows 7 is the only version of Windows that is fully supported for Self Service advertisements.  Windows 8 should be fully supported in early 2013. We cannot guarantee that all advertised programs will work properly with Windows XP.
  
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For more information, including schedules and lab locations, see [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/connections_labs/unity_computer_labs/index.html Unity Computing Labs].  All users of the university's computing resources must abide by the [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/rules_regs.html network and computer user policies] and the [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/rulesregs/labs Unity Computer Lab Rules].
 
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<br><br>
 
  
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==EOS Computer Labs==
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==<span style="color:blue">Starting the SCCM Software Center==
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Access to Eos labs is restricted to the College of Engineering. Students must be enrolled in at least one engineering course to use EOS workstations. Unlike EOS labs, [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/connections_labs/unity_computer_labs/index.html Unity labs] in the library and around campus can be used by all students at the University, regardless of the department or College. [http://www.itecs.ncsu.edu/ ITECS] is responsible for the labs and operators in Daniels Hall and Engineering Building II, and all workstations in the EOS labs. [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/tools/wolfcopy/printing.html WolfCopy] is responsible for maintenance and support of lab printers.
 
  
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===Locations===
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* To open the Software Center, open the Start Menu, and go to All Programs > Microsoft System Center 2012 > Configuration Manager, then click on Software Center.
 +
* After the Software Center finishes loading, you should see the list of applications that have been advertised to your machine.  An example view of the Software Center is provided in ''Figure 1'' below.
  
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'''Main Campus''': 204 Daniels, 2408 Broughton, 106 Park Shops<BR>
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<table align="center">  
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'''Centennial Campus''': 1008 & 3003 EB1, EB2 (Coming Spring 2006), 300 EGRC
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<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer1.jpg|thumb|500px|'''Figure 1 - Software Center''']]</TD></TR>
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</table>
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A complete list of EOS labs and their hours of operation can be found on the [http://www.eos.ncsu.edu/labs EOS labs] page. The labs are staffed and/or maintained by EOS operators
 
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<br><br>
 
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==Collaboratories==
 
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Modeled after the Office of Information Technology's Flyspace project and the Learning Commons Group Study Areas in D.H. Hill Library, Engineering Collaboratories are specially configured rooms or areas of EOS labs where students and faculty can meet to work on projects together. Designed with technology to support collaborative work and interaction, these learning spaces typically have one or two EOS workstations connected to a 42-inch plasma monitor, with network connections for individual laptops.
 
  
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For more on Engineering Collaboratories, visit the web site at [http://www.eos.ncsu.edu/collabs/ Engineering Collaboratories]. The room is open for walk-in usage starting in Spring 2009; however, reservations will take priority.
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* Whether or not a program is advertised to your machine is the decision of your college or department computer support. Some softwares may not be available due to licensing restrictions or other reasons. You should contact your support personnel if you have questions or a request for a particular software to be advertised.
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<br><br>
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* Please also note that you are not required to install a software that is advertised to your machine.  Just as some softwares may not be advertised for varying reasons, others may be advertised that you do not need.
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==Kiosks==
 
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Unity kiosks, provided by the Office of Information Technology, allow you convenient access to Webmail, campus directories, the University home page, and event schedules. These stations offer an alternative to Unity labs when you simply want to check email or look up academic information from the NC State Web site.
 
  
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For more information, including listings of all available kiosks on campus, see [http://www.ncsu.edu/it/essentials/connections_labs/campus_kiosks/ Unity Kiosks on Campus].
 
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<br><br>
 
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==Accessibility==
 
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North Carolina State University is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all students. This commitment takes a proactive approach to providing accessibility to its information resources, including Web pages and online content.
 
  
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To accommodate access to information technology resources for a student with a disability, the office of Disability Student Services (DSS) offers a range of assistive technologies and devices. Assistive technologies are a software and/ or hardware devices that accommodate functional limitations or increase functional capabilities of a person with a disability. Examples of assistive technologies used to accommodate access to computers and information resources are highlighted below.
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==<span style="color:blue">Searching for Advertisements==
 +
 
 +
===Search and the Top Section===
 +
 
 +
* The new Software Center contains a very useful Search field in the top right.  The search will look for matches in the Name, Publisher, and Description fields, and in any Keywords set for an advertised package.
 +
** To use it, simply type in the Search field.  You can type in a software or manufacturer name, or even a version number.
 +
** The search is not case-sensitive.  So "microsoft" will work the same as "Microsoft".
 +
* The search bar is highlighted in ''Figure 2'' below, which shows the top section of the Software Center.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer2.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 2 - Top Section - Provides a search field''']]</TD></TR>
 +
</table>
 +
 
 +
* We '''strongly''' recommend that you make use of the Search to locate advertisements you wish to run.
 +
* The other options and tabs in this top section can be safely ignored at this time.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===The Software List===
 +
 
 +
* The middle section of the Software Center lists the available advertisements on your machine.  If you have utilized the Search field, it will display any advertisements that match your search.
 +
* ''Figure 3'' below shows an example of the software list.
 +
** Note that a Mozilla Firefox advertisement has been selected in this image.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer3.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 3 - Middle Section - The list of available software''']]</TD></TR>
 +
</table>
 +
 
 +
* The "Name" and "Status" columns are the most important in this section.
 +
** All advertisement names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.  Any other details are for internal use.
 +
** The status for an advertisement will change when downloading, installing, and after completion.  A finished advertisement should show either "Installed" if successful, or "Failed" if not.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==<span style="color:blue">Understanding and Running an Advertisement==
 +
 
 +
===Advertisement Details===
 +
 
 +
* The bottom section provides additional information about the advertisement you have selected.
 +
* ''Figure 4'' below provides a view of this section.
 +
** Note that this view is displaying information about the Mozilla Firefox advertisement selected in Figure 3.
 +
 
 +
<table align="center">
 +
<TR><TD>[[Image:SC_offer4.jpg|thumb|600px|'''Figure 4 - Bottom Section - Details about the selected advertisement''']]</TD></TR>
 +
</table>
 +
 
 +
* The important information to look for is:
 +
*# '''Package Name:'''  Again, all package names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.
 +
*# '''Status:'''  Will start as ''Available'', and will update as an advertisement is downloading, installing, and when finished.
 +
*#* When an advertisement is installing, you will see ''Installing''.
 +
*#* If an advertisement succeeds, it will change to ''Installed''.
 +
*#* If it fails, it will change to ''Failed''.  You will then be able to click on it to get additional details about the failure.
 +
*# ''Requirements Section''
 +
*#* '''Restart required:'''  Unfortunately, this field is unreliable.  Most advertisements should not require a restart.  If one does, you *should* receive a notification of a required restart in your taskbar.
 +
*#* '''Download size:'''  This is the size of the downloaded install files.  It is not the amount of space required to install the program.  Contact your college or departmental IT support if you are unsure if you have enough disk space.
 +
*#* '''Estimated time:'''  The time required to install the program.  This does not include the time required to download the install files.  Older advertisements do not properly fill out this field.  You can safely assume 1 hour for most installations.
 +
*# '''Description:'''  Additional details about the installation will go here, if provided by the administrator who creates the advertisement.  Please note, not all advertisements will have any information here.
 +
*# '''INSTALL:'''  Click this button to run the advertisement.  Your machine will begin downloading the installation files and will immediately start the installation once the download is finished.
 +
*#* If an install succeeds, this button will change to either '''REINSTALL''' or '''UNINSTALL'''.  Please do not
 +
*#* If an install fails, this will change to '''RETRY'''.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===Running an Advertised Install===
 +
 
 +
* Again, please note that you do not have to be an Administrator on the machine to run an advertised install.  ''However'', once installed, a software may require administrator privileges in order to use certain features.
 +
* Advertised installs can be performed from off-campus as well.  However, downloading the installation files may take longer while off-campus, so please allow for extra time.
 +
* Select a software from the list and click '''INSTALL''' in the bottom right.  Your computer will begin downloading the install media and will immediately begin the installation once the download is finished.
 +
* '''Do not''' log out or restart your machine while an advertised install is running.
 +
* If an install prompts you to restart as part of the process, please note that after Windows restarts, you must log back in for the advertised install to continue.
 +
* Again, '''please note''' that most installs may be completely silent.  We recommend that you keep the Software Center open and periodically check the status of your selected install. 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==<span style="color:blue">Additional details and troubleshooting==
 +
 
 +
* If the Software Center shows no advertisements available, your machine may not yet have checked in and received its assignments.  To resolve this, wait 10-15 minutes and then check again. 
 +
* If necessary, you can manually force your machine to check in (requires administrator privileges).  To do so, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Configuration Manager, click on the Actions Tab, and initiate the "Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle" action.
 +
* The Software Center sometimes does not properly load the list of advertisements if you are running it while connected by Remote Desktop Connection.  If you encounter issues while connected remotely, restart the machine and connect again, or wait until you are locally at the machine.
 +
* If a program fails to download or install, check the amount of free disk space on your C drive. It is good practice to keep at least 10-15% free disk space for Microsoft Windows.
 +
* If a silent install appears to have failed, restart your computer.  If it is still missing, attempt the install one more time.  If after that it still fails, click on the Failed status and note the error code.  Then notify your computer support for assistance and provide them that error code along with any other useful information.
 +
* If you receive an error message either from the install or during the download process, or a software appears to have installed properly but is missing features or licensing information, contact your department or college computer support for assistance.

Latest revision as of 16:46, 19 December 2012

Self Service advertisements in Microsoft's SCCM allow us to provide users on Microsoft Windows PCs with the ability to install software at their own convenience. In nearly all cases, these installs will be completely automated and so will require no user input or interaction aside from starting the software install. This guide is intended to walk a user through the steps of locating and running Self Service advertisements on their machine with the Software Center.


NOTES:

  • Administrator access is not required to run Self Service advertised installs.
  • Many of these installs have been set to run completely silent in order to reduce unnecessary interruption of your work. Please note, you will likely receive no alert or notification when an install finishes. Please be sure to confirm that your install has finished before logging out or restarting your machine.
  • Advertised installs can be performed while off-campus. However, downloads and installs will be the most reliable when your machine is connected to the on-campus network.
  • If your machine does not have the SCCM applets described on this page, or never lists or provides notifications of advertisements, there may be an issue with the SCCM client on your machine. Contact your department or college computer support department for assistance, and be sure to provide the name of your machine.
  • All screen images on this page are from Windows 7, but text and options should be the same for Windows 8 and Windows XP.
  • At this time, Windows 7 is the only version of Windows that is fully supported for Self Service advertisements. Windows 8 should be fully supported in early 2013. We cannot guarantee that all advertised programs will work properly with Windows XP.


Starting the SCCM Software Center

  • To open the Software Center, open the Start Menu, and go to All Programs > Microsoft System Center 2012 > Configuration Manager, then click on Software Center.
  • After the Software Center finishes loading, you should see the list of applications that have been advertised to your machine. An example view of the Software Center is provided in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1 - Software Center
  • Whether or not a program is advertised to your machine is the decision of your college or department computer support. Some softwares may not be available due to licensing restrictions or other reasons. You should contact your support personnel if you have questions or a request for a particular software to be advertised.
  • Please also note that you are not required to install a software that is advertised to your machine. Just as some softwares may not be advertised for varying reasons, others may be advertised that you do not need.


Searching for Advertisements

Search and the Top Section

  • The new Software Center contains a very useful Search field in the top right. The search will look for matches in the Name, Publisher, and Description fields, and in any Keywords set for an advertised package.
    • To use it, simply type in the Search field. You can type in a software or manufacturer name, or even a version number.
    • The search is not case-sensitive. So "microsoft" will work the same as "Microsoft".
  • The search bar is highlighted in Figure 2 below, which shows the top section of the Software Center.
Figure 2 - Top Section - Provides a search field
  • We strongly recommend that you make use of the Search to locate advertisements you wish to run.
  • The other options and tabs in this top section can be safely ignored at this time.


The Software List

  • The middle section of the Software Center lists the available advertisements on your machine. If you have utilized the Search field, it will display any advertisements that match your search.
  • Figure 3 below shows an example of the software list.
    • Note that a Mozilla Firefox advertisement has been selected in this image.
Figure 3 - Middle Section - The list of available software
  • The "Name" and "Status" columns are the most important in this section.
    • All advertisement names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version. Any other details are for internal use.
    • The status for an advertisement will change when downloading, installing, and after completion. A finished advertisement should show either "Installed" if successful, or "Failed" if not.


Understanding and Running an Advertisement

  • The bottom section provides additional information about the advertisement you have selected.
  • Figure 4 below provides a view of this section.
    • Note that this view is displaying information about the Mozilla Firefox advertisement selected in Figure 3.
Figure 4 - Bottom Section - Details about the selected advertisement
  • The important information to look for is:
    1. Package Name: Again, all package names should include the software name, the manufacturer of the software, and the software version.
    2. Status: Will start as Available, and will update as an advertisement is downloading, installing, and when finished.
      • When an advertisement is installing, you will see Installing.
      • If an advertisement succeeds, it will change to Installed.
      • If it fails, it will change to Failed. You will then be able to click on it to get additional details about the failure.
    3. Requirements Section
      • Restart required: Unfortunately, this field is unreliable. Most advertisements should not require a restart. If one does, you *should* receive a notification of a required restart in your taskbar.
      • Download size: This is the size of the downloaded install files. It is not the amount of space required to install the program. Contact your college or departmental IT support if you are unsure if you have enough disk space.
      • Estimated time: The time required to install the program. This does not include the time required to download the install files. Older advertisements do not properly fill out this field. You can safely assume 1 hour for most installations.
    4. Description: Additional details about the installation will go here, if provided by the administrator who creates the advertisement. Please note, not all advertisements will have any information here.
    5. INSTALL: Click this button to run the advertisement. Your machine will begin downloading the installation files and will immediately start the installation once the download is finished.
      • If an install succeeds, this button will change to either REINSTALL or UNINSTALL. Please do not
      • If an install fails, this will change to RETRY.


Running an Advertised Install

  • Again, please note that you do not have to be an Administrator on the machine to run an advertised install. However, once installed, a software may require administrator privileges in order to use certain features.
  • Advertised installs can be performed from off-campus as well. However, downloading the installation files may take longer while off-campus, so please allow for extra time.
  • Select a software from the list and click INSTALL in the bottom right. Your computer will begin downloading the install media and will immediately begin the installation once the download is finished.
  • Do not log out or restart your machine while an advertised install is running.
  • If an install prompts you to restart as part of the process, please note that after Windows restarts, you must log back in for the advertised install to continue.
  • Again, please note that most installs may be completely silent. We recommend that you keep the Software Center open and periodically check the status of your selected install.


Additional details and troubleshooting

  • If the Software Center shows no advertisements available, your machine may not yet have checked in and received its assignments. To resolve this, wait 10-15 minutes and then check again.
  • If necessary, you can manually force your machine to check in (requires administrator privileges). To do so, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Configuration Manager, click on the Actions Tab, and initiate the "Machine Policy Retrieval and Evaluation Cycle" action.
  • The Software Center sometimes does not properly load the list of advertisements if you are running it while connected by Remote Desktop Connection. If you encounter issues while connected remotely, restart the machine and connect again, or wait until you are locally at the machine.
  • If a program fails to download or install, check the amount of free disk space on your C drive. It is good practice to keep at least 10-15% free disk space for Microsoft Windows.
  • If a silent install appears to have failed, restart your computer. If it is still missing, attempt the install one more time. If after that it still fails, click on the Failed status and note the error code. Then notify your computer support for assistance and provide them that error code along with any other useful information.
  • If you receive an error message either from the install or during the download process, or a software appears to have installed properly but is missing features or licensing information, contact your department or college computer support for assistance.
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