IT-Newsletter August 2023

[TUM-IT-Newsletter]

Dear TUM-members,


I am happy to announce that our IT newsletter is back.


Rocket Chat Deprecation


After careful consideration and evaluation of technical requirements and
licensing constraints, as well as considering the
<https://www.rocket.chat/blog/deprecation-notice-cloud-services-mobile-and-d
esktop-apps-for-legacy-unsupported-versions>  recent deprecation notice of
Rocket Chat's legacy version, we regret to announce that we will discontinue
TUM's Rocket Chat service effective 1 October 2023.

Why is the TUM Rocket Chat service coming to an end?

Over the years, Rocket Chat has been a reliable platform for communication
and collaboration within TUM. In light of Rocket Chat's recent deprecation
notice for our current Rocket Chat version, LRZ told us that they would be
unable to further support the service. Furthermore, Rocket Chat is gradually
moving more functionality from the free and open-source version into the
enterprise version. Although we understand the need for monetarization, the
financial burden for TUM would be substantial. We could negotiate with
Rocket Chat on a reasonable agreement, but the future of our licensing model
is unclear. Hence, we have no viable option but to discontinue our platform.

What does this mean for you?

As of 1 October 2023, we will discontinue the Rocket Chat service. You will
no longer be able to access the platform or use its features for
communication within TUM. We understand this change may impact your daily
workflow and want to ensure a smooth transition to an alternative solution.

What are the alternatives?

We recommend the following alternative communication and collaboration
platforms to replace Rocket Chat that better align with our technical
requirements and licensing considerations.

1.	Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is a powerful and secure
communication platform that offers real-time chat, file sharing, video
conferencing, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps. Please note:
Microsoft Teams / Office 365 is right now not approved as an official tool
by our Personalrat. Hence the usage is voluntary only. We will inform you in
case this changes.
2.	Matrix: Matrix is an open, decentralized, and end-to-end encrypted
communication protocol that offers interoperable messaging and VoIP
services. Matrix allows seamless communication and collaboration among
different platforms and services.
3.	Zoom: Zoom is a video conferencing platform that enables seamless
virtual communication through video and audio calls, chat, and screen
sharing.

How do you get started with the alternatives?

1.	Microsoft Teams: login to  <http://campus.tum.de> TUMonline, click
on your name in the upper right corner and select Microsoft 365 Account
(located in Services (en) / Dienste (de)), and follow the instructions.
After 1-2 hours, you can download Office 365 and Teams on
<https://portal.office.com/account/?ref=MeControl#subscriptions>
https://portal.office.com/account/?ref=MeControl#subscriptions
2.	Matrix: see here
<https://wiki.ito.cit.tum.de/bin/view/Informatik/Helpdesk/MatrixChat/>
https://wiki.ito.cit.tum.de/bin/view/Informatik/Helpdesk/MatrixChat/
3.	Zoom: see here  <https://wiki.tum.de/display/zoom/>
https://wiki.tum.de/display/zoom/

We understand that changes like these can be challenging, but Microsoft
Teams, Matrix, and Zoom will provide reliable and effective communication
experiences for everyone at TUM. If you have any immediate concerns or
questions, please do not hesitate to contact our support team at
<mailto:it-support at tum.de> it-support at tum.de.


 


Confluence Migration


Due to recent changes in Atlassian's licensing model, migrating our
Confluence platform from  <http://wiki.tum.de> wiki.tum.de to BayernCollab,
hosted at LRZ, had become necessary.

Migration Period: The migration process occurred from 10 August to 14 August
2023 (including). The transition went smoothly. 

URLs: The new URL for accessing the platform is
<https://collab.dvb.bayern/> https://collab.dvb.bayern/. The familiar URL,
<http://wiki.tum.de> wiki.tum.de, will is still accessible and will remain.

Data and Links Preservation: All existing links (using the
<http://wiki.tum.de> wiki.tum.de domain) and your data will remain intact
following the migration. There is no need to update any links.

Issues: If you face any problems, please open up a ticket at the LRZ
helpdesk so we can investigate the matter.

 


Grammarly


We are happy to announce that we licensed Grammarly for TUM members.

Grammar and Spelling Correction: At its core, Grammarly offers real-time
grammar and spelling correction. It identifies and rectifies punctuation
mistakes, misspelled words, and sentence structure issues. This feature is
precious for producing error-free documents and ensuring clarity in writing.

Style and Tone Analysis: Grammarly goes beyond basic grammar correction by
analyzing the style and tone of the content. It assists writers in
maintaining a consistent tone throughout their work, whether formal, casual,
professional, or creative. This analysis contributes to ideas' coherence and
appropriate expression in different writing contexts.

Application Across Professions: Grammarly finds applications across diverse
professional fields, including academics, business communication,
journalism, and content creation. It aids professionals in producing
polished and well-structured content that adheres to specific writing
conventions.

Link: You can get started on  <https://www.grammarly.com/edu>
https://www.grammarly.com/edu

More Information:  <https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/TUMsoftware/Grammarly>
https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/TUMsoftware/Grammarly

 


TUM-PC security settings changes


To further enhance the security of all TUM-PCs, we will implement a series
of security settings changes effective 1 September. The changes include:

*	Implementing
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/security/credentials-prote
ction-and-management/configuring-additional-lsa-protection> additional LSA
protection.
*	Turning off
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/desktop/legacy/
cc144212(v=vs.85)> autoplay.
*	Enabling the attack surface reduction rules in audit mode.

These measures are part of our ongoing commitment to fortify our systems and
protect against potential threats.


Technical Details


For a comprehensive overview of all the changes, please refer to the group
policy object "TUZEITMPO-Security Settings September 2023" (GUID:
4E23FB21-F5B8-4E83-926E-F4EE311CAE8D).

We will migrate the settings into the GPO "TU00000PO-Default." Consequently,
the GPO "TUZEITMPO-Security Settings September 2023" will be removed from
the system on November 1st, 2023.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with our IT
support team.

Kind regards,

TUM-IT Management

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