Supporting Flexible Work
Supporting Flexible Work
Supporting Flexible Work
Information Resources & Technology is making several changes to the way we manage technology in the coming year as part of a larger program to better support flexible work models.
The goal of this program is to equip employees with computers that will stay up-to-date with security and software patches — no matter where the computer is located — and improve the reliability and accessibility of key systems, including email.
Scheduled Changes
- Upgrade older versions of Office to Microsoft 365: Winter 2022/Spring 2023
- Move to Exchange Online: Spring 2023
- Move from Trellix/McAfee to Defender: Spring/Summer 2023
Future Changes
As part of this program, we will also be updating our approach to data encryption and storage, including removing Symantec from our environment, and moving home directories to a cloud storage solution. We are still in the process of finalizing our roll out strategy for these changes, and we will release more details as they become available.
Microsoft 365
Why are we upgrading to Microsoft 365?
With Microsoft 365, you will always have the latest versions of Office applications on your computer. That means you will automatically get the latest features and security updates as they are rolled out.
Microsoft 365 also provides a more seamless experience for Exchange Online, a cloud-based email solution that we will be transitioning to this spring.
When are we upgrading to Microsoft 365?
We are currently deploying Microsoft 365 to Rowan-managed Windows computers, and we expect to have all computers upgraded to Microsoft 365 by the end of February.
If you don’t want to wait, you can opt-in to Microsoft 365 now. The installation will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete and can be done from on- or off-campus.
Exchange Online
Why are we moving to Exchange Online?
Exchange Online is a cloud-based email solution that offers increased storage capacity of 100 GB per mailbox, an upgraded Outlook for web experience and better reliability and accessibility.
When are we moving to Exchange Online?
We are moving to Exchange Online in spring 2023. We will provide a more definitive timeline for this transition in the beginning of 2023.
Defender
Why are we moving to Defender?
Defender is the built-in antivirus solution for Windows and integrates seamlessly with the operating system.
After we move your computer to Defender, you should see improved speed and performance on your computer, as it uses fewer resources than Trellix (formerly McAfee).
When are we moving to Defender?
As of December 2022, we are testing Defender with a small group of employees. We plan to start a wider roll out of the antivirus software in 2023.
