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Information Technology Services

Home » Software

Requesting Software for Campus Access

The deadline for submitting new requests, software, and documentation for the fall 2008 semester lab image is April 18, 2008.

UNCG makes a wide variety of software available to students and faculty through the campus network and the ITS open access computer labs.  This software environment is created in part from requests submitted by campus faculty and staff.  This page is designed to give you some basic information about how software is selected and how you can request software to be made available in the labs or on the campus network. The software that is currently installed in the labs is detailed in the PC Lab Image Specification (PDF: requires a reader such as Adobe Reader).

Software may be made available to campus users in several ways, explained in this document:

All requests for network or computer lab installation of software must be made by filling out the on-line Software Installation Request form (You must login to 6-TECH Online to access this form. The form is located on the UNCG Forms tab.).  If you need assistance or additional information, please contact 6-TECH at (336) 256-TECH (8324) or 6-tech@uncg.edu.

Network installation

Software can be made available via the UNCG network to all those with valid UNCG computer accounts or to only particular departments or groups of departments.  You do not need to request software that is already on the network or installed in the ITS computer labs.  Currently, not all software which is available via the wired network is available via wireless.  For information on wireless access to resources, please visit 6-TECH Online and search using the keyword: wireless. The following checklist provides some basic guidelines for software installation requests. 

Before purchasing software or requesting its installation, be sure to:

After ITS determines that the software can be installed:

Network software installation requests may be made at any time.  However, software that is intended for use in the ITS computer labs must be submitted by the posted deadlines in order for ITS to ensure its proper functioning in the labs.

Installation for Use in the ITS Computer Labs

The same guidelines governing network installation also apply to the installation of software intended for ITS lab use.  However, because of academic deadlines and technical challenges specific to the computer lab environment, adherence to the deadlines posted in this document and on the Software Installation Request form (You must login to 6-TECH Online to access this form. The form is located on the UNCG Forms tab.) is very important.

Software installation requests must be made by the posted deadlines for the following items intended for use in the ITS labs:

A list of software currently installed in the ITS open access computer labs may be found here: PC Lab Image Specification (PDF: requires a reader such as Adobe Reader).

These deadlines are necessary because of the lead time required for updating the labs between semesters.  During the preceding semester an "image" (which, briefly, is the overall configuration of software, system files, settings, etc., on a computer which is turned into a single file for mass deployment) is created for each ITS lab on campus.  That image is then "ghosted" or deployed to all the computers in a given lab at one time.  The creation of this image involves the following:

Testing is a critical part of the process and therefore ITS cannot put software in the labs that has not been adequately tested with the lab image.  Every new piece of software has the potential to interfere with existing programs and destabilize the lab image.  Because of this, local installation of new software is limited to the period between semesters, and any last minute network installations cannot be guaranteed to work in the ITS open access labs.

It is often possible for individuals to load software locally in the labs "on the fly," such as before a class session, as long as the computer does not need to be rebooted to complete the installation process.  Because of security software installed on the lab computers, any changes or installed software are removed when the machine is rebooted.

Using CD/DVDs in the Labs

Textbook publishers have been including CDs to accompany their textbooks with increasing frequency.  If you wish students to be able to use CD/DVDs that come with textbooks in the ITS computer labs, you are urged to try them out in the labs yourself and/or provide a copy of the CD in question to ITS before the software request deadline so we may determine whether or not the CD will work correctly on the lab machines and/or on the campus network.

Using these CDs in a network or lab environment may be problematic for a number of reasons, such as:

Although many CDs simply contain data files and may be loaded and run by individual users, some CDs require the computer to be rebooted after they are installed and thus must be included in the lab image and adhere to the guidelines for lab installation requests.  As previously noted, the security software on the lab computers removes any software installed or changes made when the computer is rebooted.

Web-based Applications in the Labs

Software that operates through a web browser is becoming increasingly popular whether it runs from a remote website or from a CD or DVD.  While it might seem that such software should be platform independent (i.e., works on either Macs or PCs), in reality there are often many limitations on what a local workstation can run.

The most common concern for web-based applications is that they often require browser plug-ins or "helper applications" that are not already installed on the local computer, or, they may require the same plug-in as another application, but may need a different version or configuration.

Therefore it is critical that you review the documentation or website instructions for any web-based software you intend to use in the ITS computer labs and request the installation of any plug-ins required by the software, and which are not already installed on the lab computers, on the Software Installation Request form (You must login to 6-TECH Online to access this form. The form is located on the UNCG Forms tab.).

Software Licensing and Purchasing

ITS purchases only "general use" types of software that are used by departments across campus for network or local computer lab installation. Budget restrictions limit what software can be purchased, thus preventing ITS from purchasing software for specific individuals or programs. Software that is used for a department’s classes must be purchased by that department.

All software applications submitted to ITS for deployment on campus must be properly licensed by the requestor or the requestor’s department.  Licensing documentation and proof of license ownership must accompany all software installation requests. The department requesting the software installation is responsible for purchasing an adequate number of licenses based on the number of people who will be using it or on the number of lab machines on which it will be installed. Please be certain to investigate licensing before requesting software to be installed on the network or in the campus labs.

The following are the most common types of software licenses:

It is not necessary to purchase licenses for software that is already in the labs unless you are requesting wider access to a limited-use program. This would be the case, for example, with software that is currently used on a limited basis by a particular department which may have purchased 5 or 10 licenses and find they need more for class use.  A list of the software currently available in the ITS computer labs may be found in the PC Lab Image Specification (PDF: requires a reader such as Adobe Reader).

Limits on Installing New Software

Unfortunately, not all software installation requests can be honored.  Some applications may present security, technical, or legal problems that make them incompatible with or inappropriate for use in the UNCG environment.  It is therefore critical that evaluation copies of software be provided to ITS prior to purchase, as noted above, as software vendors may have strict restrictions on refunds and returns. Most vendors are willing to provide evaluation copies of their software for testing prior to purchase.

Any software that is submitted for installation must be supported by the vendor under the operating system currently supported by ITS (see: UNCG's Standards for Computer and Related Technology). Users are encouraged to upgrade their existing curricular programs whenever possible. ITS reserves the right to remove, after notification, software that is no longer supported under the currently supported operating system.

Even if installation is possible, not all software provided on the network or in the labs is fully supported by ITS.  Except for software included in UNCG's Standards for Computer and Related Technology, also known as the "Supported Products List," user support for requested software must be obtained from the vendor or publisher of the software.

Installation on Student Computers

Requests for software to be preinstalled on Student Laptop Initiative (SLI) computers must be made through and approved by the Academic Technology Coordinating Committee (ATCC).  Any software which is installed on the SLI image must be paid for by an increase in the cost of the laptop computers to all students, or must be properly licensed "freeware" that the ATCC determines is necessary or desirable for use by all SLI participants.  A list of the software which is currently on the SLI image may be found on the SLI web page: About the Laptops.

Customized or curricular images for specific groups of students or departments are not available through the SLI.  However, ITS will, upon request, attempt to negotiate volume license purchase agreements for curricular software and make the software available for individual purchase by both SLI participants and non-participants through the Laptop Support Center.  The ability to negotiate and make available such licenses and software will be dependent on sufficient student demand as indicated by prepayment.  Installation of such software, whether on SLI or non-SLI computers, is the responsibility of the student.  Please contact 6-TECH for assistance or information on requesting software for student purchase.

Summary

In summary, prior to requesting software installation for campus access:

  1. Investigate licensing.
    • May the software be installed in a computer lab or on a network?
    • How many licenses have you purchased?
    • Are there any concurrent use or site license restrictions?
  2. Investigate accessibility.

    Is the software accessible to people with disabilities?

  3. Provide an evaluation copy to ITS for review, prior to purchase.

  4. Fill out the on-line Software Installation Request Form (You must login to 6-TECH Online to access this form. The form is located on the UNCG Forms tab.).

  5. Deliver the following to ITS:
    • software
    • licensing documentation
    • technical documentation and all relevant installation codes
    • testing scripts and configuration details
  6. Purchase software and sufficient licenses to cover your needs and provide ITS with proof of license ownership.

  7. Be prepared to test your software when notified by ITS.

 

Information Technology Services
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
Technical Support 336.256.TECH (8324)