Anyone who uses e-mail or the Internet, receives a paycheck, issues grades or even hires someone, whether they know it, is using one key department at UNM - the Computer and Information Resources and Technology Department.
The department, more commonly known among computer users as CIRT, is looking at its current computer systems and capabilities and is using state-of-the-art technology to make on-campus computers more manageable and user-friendly.
"We are certain that our current capabilities can handle just about any increase in need that we will see," said Bill Adkins, the department's interim associate vice president. "However, we are in the process of preparing to add another pod to the renovated SUB, which will increase the number of computers available from the old SUB by 50 percent."
CIRT manages six computer pods around campus that are designed to satisfy a variety of UNM's computing needs, from general and specialized use to advanced and high-speed computing. Each pod is equipped with hardware and is staffed by student consultants.
All pods are open to UNM students, faculty and staff.
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Two of these pods are used primarily as classrooms, but are also open to the public when staffing is available.
In addition to the new SUB pod, the most innovative program CIRT has installed recently is the UNM portal dial-up and e-mail access. This program, along with a necessary NetID - which can be created at any pod on campus - will allow users to send and receive e-mail from the University's domain, research UNM's databases and access the Internet from anywhere
"The portal program was first implemented last spring to be tested," said Linda Miller, CIRT associate director. "A portal provides the framework for each person to bring all the things that are important to them through one single interface. It should be available campus-wide within the academic year."
Portal users also will have a default page that they can customize.
"You will no longer have to remember the Web pages for the parking department and the library and any other business you commonly use," Miller said. "You can tailor your portal to remember anything you want, and along with the freedom to change it as you wish, ultimately it will personalize the experience and eliminate the guess work."
It is also the department's responsibility to maintain UNM's Internet service. System hackers, fluctuating demand by users and large downloads all work against system administrators.
"We encounter hacker-related problems on a weekly basis," said Catherine Luther of CIRT publications. "We struggle mightily to combat those and other problems created by people using network intensive applications."
Luther said CIRT reserves the right to regulate and manage UNM's computer capabilities to ensure that everyone is able to perform the basic tasks such as checking e-mail and performing work-related functions.
"If we see too much of a network being used, or too much of our energy being occupied by any certain person or area, we lower their available use to try to accommodate everybody," Luther said.
In an attempt to solve everyday computer questions, CIRT publishes print and online literature to help users solve different computing problems. These include manuals, tutorials, guides and task-specific documents.
Most of these publications are free and available in all the computer pods.
Miller said the most helpful publication produced is Login, an extensive guide to computing services at UNM.
CIRT also offers several computer training avenues to enhance knowledge of the increasing technology involved with computers, including instructional videotapes and CIRT presentations and development classes.
In its attempt to safeguard information, CIRT performs regular backups of data from all files and folders in every UNIX account. Files are backed up every day and the information is kept in its system for 13 months. All CIRT managed pods also have anti-virus software.
"We need to realize that the computer network here at UNM is basically a big neighborhood," said Miller. "What one person does affects everyone else. We need to work together to make our computer system as problem-free as possible."
