TAG
Trusted Agent Handbook
Table of Contents
Trusted Agent Duties
The Trusted Agent is a proxy for the Dean/Head of Department in this program and is responsible for providing account services under three options:
Option 1 - Pre-Feed Accounts for Faculty and Staff
This option provides advance account services to eligible faculty and staff, until authoritative information to verify official University status is received from the University's Human Resources Management, Office of the Provost, or by "special feeds."
Option 2 - Temporary Account Services for Short-Term Associations to the University
Under this option, temporary account services are created for individuals who are not eligible for permanent account services, but require them because they will carry out University business for/with the University.
Option 3 - Meeting ID
This option provides very short-term wireless network access to large groups of people about which very little is known.
Individuals who fit into Option 2, but who require services beyond the program's time allotment, may not necessarily receive services through the TAG Program. These cases will be reviewed on an ad hoc basis. Such cases should be brought to the attention of the TAG Program Working Group at tag@lists.uchicago.edu. The TAG Program Policy and Procedures are located on the web located at http://tag.uchicago.edu/.
The Meeting ID is designed to allow access to the wireless network for meeting, symposium, and conference attendees. The Meeting ID grants wireless network access only and is designed for very short-term use (1-7 days).
Account Terms and Definitions
Available Account Services
- Chalk authentication
- Directory authentication
- Mail Forwarding
- Modem Pool
- NSIT Email Account
- Proxy Server
- Unix Shell
- VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- Web Services (some)
- Wireless Access
Pre-Feed TAG Participants have access to all the services in the above list. Temporary TAG Participants typically do not receive email accounts-although email accounts are available for Temporary TAG Participants if you choose. Meeting ID Participants will have access only to the wireless network.
CNetID
The CNetID (Chicago Network ID) is a unique account name on the NSIT networking systems. It is used with a password to access most NSIT services. The Trusted Agent Program provides TAG Participants with the ability to create their CNetIDs and passwords. CNetIDs are also used to access and authenticate to many services that are outside of NSIT. Participants will generally be set up automatically to access the services for which they are eligible.
The appearance of the CNetID is different for Pre-Feed (Permanent) and Temporary TAG services.
- Pre-Feed - Pre-feed TAG participants choose permanent CNetIDs. The CNetID is a three to sixteen (3-16) character alphanumeric identifier. Faculty and Staff may self-create the CNetID from the NSIT CNet web page (http://cnet.uchicago.edu). The CNetID will follow the faculty or staff member for life. It should, therefore, be chosen carefully. Name changes are not permitted.
- Temporary - These CNetIDs are unique and are selected by the recipient from a very limited set of choices. All Temporary accounts begin with "t-9 . . .," so Jane Doe might have "t-9janed" as her Temporary CNetID.
The Temporary CNetID is denoted by the "t-" (t-dash) followed by a number (that number will typically be "9") followed by six (6) alphanumeric characters. Temporary account services recipients will see choices based on their name, e.g., "t-9janed" for Jane Doe. Typically, these accounts expire after 90 days, and must be renewed every 90 days, up to a maximum of three (3) renewal periods or one full year of services. Under certain circumstances, temporary accounts may last for longer than one year.
Password
The Password is eight to sixteen (8-16) characters in length and is claimed by the TAG Participant.
The password cannot be a dictionary word or proper name from any language, and should include two character classes (numbers, letters, other characters, capitalizations). The password is claimed from the CNet web page (http://cnet.uchicago.edu/).
Q&A (Question and Answer)
The Q&A is an identifier that allows a TAG Participant to change her CNet password if she has forgotten the current password. Once the TAG Participant creates her account, she may update the Q&A from the CNet web page at any time.
Email Account
In some cases, individuals who receive Temporary TAG services need email accounts in addition to network and other sorts of access. Email is stored on NSIT cMail servers and is accessible via cMail (http://cmail.uchicago.edu), or Thunderbird. Both are available free of charge using the tools found in the Connect Pack:
http://connectivity.uchicago.edu
The University also has a for-fee Microsoft Exchange environment, which provides email, calendaring, and functionality for internet-enabled mobile devices. This service, xMail, uses Microsoft Outlook, Entourage, or a web-based xMail client for email. It is necessary to create a CNetID and password with full email privileges before purchasing an xMail account.
Email Creation
Permanent Accounts - Faculty and staff email accounts are automatically created during the CNetID creation process. Permanent (Pre-feed) email addresses typically looks like: CNetID@uchicago.edu.
Temporary Accounts - When a Trusted Agent enters the information on a new TAG Participant, the Trusted Agent chooses whether a TAG Participant requires email storage services. By default all temporary accounts receive the ability to forward email.
Temporary email addresses look like t-9xxxxx@uchicago.edu. Users may setup an email "nickname" in the directory listing that will allow the TAG Participants to select an email alias of their choosing. However, the nickname does not replace the CNetID in systems that use the CNetID for authentication.
Email Forwarding
Email forwarding is a service that permits users to forward the @uchicago.edu email to other campus email servers or to outside email providers, such as a consultant's business email address, or Gmail or AOL email account.
Pre-Feed Accounts - TAG Participants may wish to set up email forwarding if they are employed by a department, division, or school that maintains its own email server and they wish to read email from only one account. Email forwarding from the NSIT account to another account can be set up on the web. Instructions are available here:
http://nsit.uchicago.edu/services/email/
When email forwarding is in effect, email is forwarded directly to the specified external email server--no email is stored on NSIT email servers. Pre-feed participants from departments that provide email may choose to maintain two separate email accounts, the NSIT account and their departmental account. However, in order to access the departmental account using cMail, the user must forward the department account to the NSIT account. Questions about forwarding email from a departmental account to the NSIT account should be addressed to the departmental support services. For additional support on email forwarding from the NSIT account, contact the Support Line at 834-8324 ( TECH) or send email to support@uchicago.edu.
Temporary Accounts - All Temporary Account recipients may choose to establish mail forwarding if they wish. In order to establish mail forwarding, all TAG Participants must have a working email address to which the mail that is sent to their CNetID@uchicago.edu mail forwarding address can be received.
Directory Account Entry (LDAP)
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) acts as an authentication service to most of the computerized services offered by NSIT. The Directory Entry consists of work-related information such as a name, and email address. By default, the entry is populated with the user name, title, and department. The information in a user's Directory listing is maintained by each department's directory reviewer. To find the name of your departmental reviewer, contact The University of Chicago Directory office at 2-2222 or directory@uchicago.edu.
Pre-Feed Accounts - Pre-feed users will have permanent a directory entry.
Temporary Accounts - Most people will not use Directory services, but should be aware that this information is here.
Account Administration Tools
Trusted Agent Account Administrator Tool (NSITAAMS) | CNet Web Page (Account Creation)
Networking Services and Information Technologies Administrative Account Management System (NSITAAMS)
https://cnet.uchicago.edu/ams/servlet/NSITAAMS
From the AAMS screen you may perform six (6) functions:
- Lookup Account Information: Look up information for currently eligible people (people who are regular University members and come through the HRM, Provost's Office, or Registrar's Office datasystems) and/or current TAG account holders. Note that an individual's account information is visible during a query on this screen only when the account holder has already received account services through normal channels. Therefore, an individual that is found in this search is not a new TAG candidate.
-
Add Pre-feed Faculty/Staff Accounts: This option permits you to create an account for faculty and staff members. Information should be only be entered on this screen after you have checked to see if the TAG Participant is not already in the system and receiving regular account services or TAG account services.
- Add Temporary User: This option allows you to create Temporary Accounts that will permit the TAG Participant account services. You may opt to allow the Temp account holder to have network access only or network access and email.
- View What We Have Done: This field lists all the current (non-expired) TAG recipients that the Trusted Agents for one department or division have created A Trusted Agent may extend account services for a TAG recipient that was created by anyone in the Trusted Agent's department or division.
- View What Has Expired: This field displays all the expired accounts that the department's or division's Trusted Agents authorized. This field is primarily for your bookkeeping.
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View All Trusted Agents: This field displays the CNetIDs and departmental information for all the Trusted Agents. The TAG website also has a more user-friendly (and public) listing of all Trusted Agents:
http://nsit.uchicago.edu/services/tag/trustedagents/
CNet Website (Account Creation)
The tool used by users to create accounts and/or change passwords or their Q&A is the Networking Services & Information Technologies User Account Management System (NSITUAMS), often called the CNet website. It is located at:
The CNet website is used, among other things, to carry out these tasks: creating the CNetID; changing the CNetID password; and changing the question and answer pair.
Appendix
Frequently Used Phone Numbers & Email Addresses
|
Contact |
Phone Number |
Email address |
|
TAG Support Trusted Agent mailing list (Trusted Agents and TAG support staff) TAG technical group
Astrid Fingerhut |
702-4663 |
tag-team@lists.uchicago.edu tag@uchicago.edu |
|
Alumni Email Forwarding |
877.292.3945 |
|
|
NSIT Support Line |
834-8324 (4-TECH) |
|
|
Network Security |
4-CERT (4-2378) |
Last updated: 9/3/09