Keep Working

  1. Be Prepared and Be Ready

  2. Staying Informed

  3. Getting Started

  4. Accessing Core Services Remotely

  5. Take Advantage of Live Webinars

Be Prepared and Be Ready

TCU may have to restrict campus access in the event of a personal or campus-wide emergency.  This site is designed to help provide guidance on how to prepare to continue to work from a technical perspective if an event were to occur.  Here are a few quick tips to get you started:

  1. Prepare in advance so you aren’t hit with immediate needs if something occurs.
  2. Identify the services that you use and be aware of how to access them from off campus.  
  3. Make sure you have signed on to a TCU laptop on campus before you take it home to cache your TCU username and password.

Staying Informed

The TCU website, your TCU email, and TCU Alert are essential communication mechanisms used during an emergency. Be sure that you have access to the following tools:

Getting Started

It is important that you take the time to review the best practices and technology checklist below.  Being prepared is the the best way to bring about success when an unexpected emergency hits our campus.  If you have questions or need support don’t hesitate to reach out to the IT Support HelpDesk using the Getting Help button below. Keep in mind that these procedures are put in place to protect your interactions with TCU information.  

Best Practices
Tech Checklist
Tips for WFH

Accessing Core Services Remotely

Email

Email is the primary communication method used during an emergency.  It will be important that you have access to this important resource even if you can’t be on campus. Don’t forget that you can setup your email on multiple devices and even use a simple web browser to access the system.

Remote Access & VPN

While you can access most technology resources from off campus there may come a time that you need to connect to the machine in the office to access secure information or services.  In this case you will need to connect to the VPN first and then use remote desktop (or screen sharing for a Mac) to access the device.  It is a three-step process to connect to your machine in your office.

  1. Enroll in Okta MFA
    • Visit it.tcu.edu/okta to enroll
    • You will need this to be able to login to the VPN in the future.
  2. Connect to the VPN
    • Installation instructions for Mac and PC
  3. Connect Via Remote Desktop
    • Setup instructions for Mac and PC

Shares

TCU provides faculty and staff with different types of file storage options: HomeFile shares (for individuals) and CommonFile shares (for departments/groups) on the TCU network and Box accounts (for cloud-based storage).  It is important that you know how to access this data remotely.

  • HomeFile (individuals)
    • Access via the VPN/RDP (see information below)
    • Access via the web at fsftp.tcu.edu
  • Commonfile/Archfile (groups)
    • Access via the VPN/RDP (see information below)
  • Box (use the Web or Box Drive)

Zoom

Note:  If you are having trouble connecting check the Zoom Status page.

Zoom is an online video conferencing and instant messaging platform available to all TCU students, faculty, and staff.  All current TCU employees and students receive access to a Zoom Pro account simply by installing the client at tcu.zoom.us/download and logging in.

Learn to Use Zoom

Zoom Pro Access

  • Up to 300 participants and join online or by telephone
  • Access from anywhere: Mac, PC, Chromebooks, iOS, Android, and Linux

Apps for Personal Devices

At some point you may find the need to access certain resources.  Here is a list of several tools that you may need install on a personal device:

  • Get Microsoft Office
    • Visit https://it.tcu.edu/o365-facstaff/ to learn more.
    • Access to download office on personal devices for current employees and/or emeritus retirees must be requested with a business case.
  • Get Adobe Creative Cloud
    • Visit it.tcu.edu/adobe to learn more.
    • Access for current employees must be requested with a business case.
  • Get Box Drive
  • Setup the F5 VPN
    • Installation instructions for Mac and PC

MFA

Mullti-factor Authentication (MFA)

We currently use two systems that do extra verification to grant access to secure data.  This extra authentication provides additional security by requiring both something you know (your username and password) and something you have (such as a smartphone, a tablet, a phone, etc.) to verify your identity.  Learn more about both systems below:

Make sure to enroll in Okta MFA by visiting it.tcu.edu/okta

Phones

RingCentral 

RingCentral is a new system that has been replacing the legacy Avaya phones on campus.  This tool has a ton of options for managing your phone from off campus and performing remote work.  Learn more about RingCentral by visiting ringcentral.tcu.edu.

Getting Tech Help

Our calling center provides front-line support to faculty, staff, and students via phone, chat, and remote support tools.  This is the central hub of our organization and is the first place that you should contact when you are having technical difficulties.  If we are not able to resolve your issue at this level, then it will be escalated to the appropriate team for processing.

Other Important Support Information:

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