Updated: v1.0 @ Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:23:01 SAST
During the Tuesday, November 5th maintenance window, maintenance work affecting a number of services will occur, starting at 5:30 PM and being completed before midnight. The following work is planned:
- IP Telephones: software will be updated on all Avaya IP telephones. Each phone will reboot and install the new software, a process which will take between 10 minutes and an hour (depending on server load). This work had been planned for the maintenance window on Tuesday, October 29th, but could not be undertaken then.
- TerminalFour: software on the server hosting TerminalFour will be updated. We expect an outage of two hours during which time it will not be possible to change content managed by TerminalFour (already published web pages will still be accessible).
- Server software updates: software on the servers which provide the following services will be updated, resulting in outages of up to 15 minutes per server.
- DNS
- DHCP
- NTP
- RT
- Web proxies
- Registration system
- Incoming e-mail
- Outgoing e-mail
- IMAP e-mail mailboxes
- Webmail
- Mailing lists
- SMS
- Provisioning (web proxy autodiscovery)
- Wi-Fi and VPN authentication
- CHERTL Evaluation Assistant
- Network graphs
- Network monitoring
- Terminal Four content management system
- RU Single Sign-On system
- Main web server (www.ru.ac.za, etc)
- University administration and meal booking systems
- SEALS Library consortium services
- Network printing services (iPrint/PaperCut)
- File servers/home directories (gnu, serval)
- Distribution routers: software will be updated on the distribution routers for the midcampus sector (the area enclosed by Prince Alfred St, Rhodes Ave and Lucas Ave as far as Beit House and Botha House). All network services (including Wi-Fi and IP telephones) may be disrupted in those areas for up to 30 minutes.
- Wireless links: software on point-to-point wireless link devices will be updated. This will cause network outages (including IP telephones and Wi-Fi access) of up to 20 minutes in the following buildings:
- 1 and 3 On Luke
- 36 Somerset St
- 6a Croft St
- 7 Croft St
- 70 African St
- Community, Duna, Fingo Village and Hill St Libraries
- Joza Youth Hub
- Mandalay on High
- New Holland
- The Provost
- VC's Lodge
- Wi-Fi: software will be updated on Wi-Fi access points in the buildings listed below. Wi-Fi services will be unavailable for 20 minutes.
- 33 South St
- Allen Flats
- Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Founders Lodge
- Highway Africa
- Legal Aid
- Maintenance stores
- Old Laundry
- Stockenstrom Place
- Struben Building
- VPN service: software on the router which provides VPN services will be updated. An outage of ten minutes is expected.
- Firewalls: software will be updated on the firewalls which connect the Internet to the campus, SEALS and public networks. As the firewalls operate as a redundant pair, no noticeable outage is expected during this maintenance.
While we try to publish a list of all service-affecting work here in advance, the list should not be considered exhaustive and other low impact work may also be undertaken during the maintenance window.
This maintenance work is being undertaken in the ITSC-approved scheduled maintenance window.