noticeboard.ru.ac.za

During the Tuesday, October 6th maintenance window, maintenance work affecting a number of services will occur, starting at 5:30 PM and being completed before midnight. The following will occur:

• Wi-Fi controllers: software on the controllers managing Wi-Fi access points on campus will be updated. Wi-Fi access across campus will be unavailable for approximately ten minutes.
• Main-campus sector distribution: the distribution switches serving the main campus sector will be replaced. This will result in network outages of up-to an hour for buildings within the main campus sector (including the Library and Jacaranda, Fountain & Guthrie Labs).
• 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
  • E-mail mailboxes
  • Webmail
  • Mailing lists
  • SMS
  • Apple Software Update Server
  • Provisioning (web proxy autodiscovery, telephone provisioning)
  • Wi-Fi and VPN authentication
  • CHERTL Evaluation Assistant
  • Network graphs
  • Guest network access
  • 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)
  • Home directories (Gnu, Jackal)
  
  
• AMM access network: The IPv4 address range allocated to the AMM building will be changed. No noticeable outage is expected. However, devices that have statically configured addresses will need to be reconfigured from Wednesday.
• Network routers: software on some of the University's core and edge routers will be updated. As these routers operate in redundant pairs, no noticeable outages are expected during this maintenance.
• Rhodes DNS: security options (DNSSEC) will be turned on for Rhodes' DNS domains, including: ru.ac.za, 231.146.in-addr.arpa, 1.0.1.0.0.2.4.1.0.0.2.ip6.arpa. No service interruption is expected, but DNS underpins all other services so there's a risk if things go wrong.
• Firewalls: software on the firewalls which connect the Internet to the campus, SEALS and public networks will be updated. As the firewalls operate as a redundant pair, no noticeable outages are expected during this maintenance.

Whilst 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. More information about maintenance windows and maintenance periods.

A portion of this change failed and has been rolled back. It will need to be reattempted at a later stage.