Tools and Software

Software and tools for remote work

In addition to the remote work options for using Microsoft 365 applications, the university's virtual private network (VPN) or a remote desktop and applications, there are many collaborative productivity tools to allow you to work with colleagues, teachers and fellow students when you are away from campus.

These tools allow you to have virtual meetings, online chats, soft phones, and connect remotely to your files and CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus resources. Take a look at some of these options and please contact the OIT Service Desk if you need additional assistance getting started:

Zoom Video Conferencing

Meet and collaborate virtually using Zoom by logging in with your university credentials. All faculty, staff and students are licensed for meetings up to 500 participants.

Get started with Zoom instructional videos.

You can even use Zoom on the go with the Zoom app for mobile devices! Please know that the university's Zoom encryption is configured for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) compliance; however, be sure to use caution with sensitive information.

For more Zoom settings and HIPAA safety information, review the April 7 university communication

Best practices to prevent Zoombombing

Uninvited participants harassing students, faculty and staff during classes and meetings has been on the rise recently. It is very important to follow Zoom’s security best practices. One of the most basic rules is to never share Zoom meeting links on social media, the internet, or any public place. More information about Zoombombing is available from the School of Education and Human Development's Learning Design and Technology webpage.

Following are guidelines to protect your meetings and classes. Presented in recommended priority from the CU Learning Design & Technology (LDT) program's bitguides webpage and reprinted with permission:

1.) Don’t post Zoom URLs in public spaces. Not twitter, not forums, not open. Share only with meeting attendees.

2.) Use Advanced Settings to ensure that "Who can share?" is set to Host Only.

3.) Don’t use a Personal Meeting ID for Zoom meetings. These are easy to find and hack. The default Zoom Meeting IDs are randomized, and difficult to find and hack.

4.) Use Require Meeting Password to be doubly careful. Include the password with the Zoom URL when sending invitations.

5.) Use the Waiting Room feature to control who enters your Zoom.

6.) Use Advanced Settings to Disable file transfer. *See new Zoom setting note below.

7.) Lock the meeting after it starts. Look under Participants at the bottom of the Zoom window. You can lock the door here.

8.) When announcing a meeting in Canvas, post authentication details (meeting url and meeting ID) using announcements or Canvas email. For other general meetings, use the Outlook calendar invite or your campus email.

9.) Be sure to familiarize yourself with settings in Zoom that can be used during a live meeting such as muting the participant and stopping their video.

10.) If needed, kick someone out of the meeting by positioning your mouse over the user's name and clicking Remove.

11.) If your meeting is brigaded by a group of people, you will likely need to end the meeting, regroup, create a new meeting id, and share the new meeting info privately with your invited attendees.

* As of Friday, April 3, Zoom has disabled file sharing. Following is their statement:

Our team is currently aware of issues with users sharing files in meetings as well as sending files in Zoom chat through a third party cloud storage service provider. As soon as we have further updates, we will add additional information on status.zoom.us.

Multi-Factor Authentication with Duo

Duo is a multi-factor authentication (MFA) tool required when connecting to campus resources from remote locations. Using Duo means that an identity thief cannot use a stolen password to access our systems or your personal information without a second proof of your identity. MFA has become one of the best ways to ensure the only person logging into your account is YOU!

Registration and installation of Duo will need to be completed prior to accessing the university network from off-campus. The Duo app will turn your mobile phone, iPad, tablet or landline into a multi-factor authenticator. OIT highly recommends that you install Duo on your mobile phone for the most complete options to authenticate.

Get Started

Step #1: Install the Duo app on your preferred device.

OIT highly recommends doing this on your smartphone.
Downloadable pdf instructions for installing and registering for Duo are available here.

Step #2: Register for Duo from your laptop or desktop computer at: https://passport.ucdenver.edu/CUSecure.php.

After you have installed the Duo app on your mobile device, the Duo Authentication “Start setup” message will appear.

More information about installing and registering with Duo is available on the OIT Remote Access webpage. If you need technical assistance installing and registering for Duo Security, please contact the OIT Service Desk.

Microsoft Teams for Collaboration and Meetings

Want to work on a project with your colleagues, instructors or other students? Teams, which is part of the Office 365 suite of applications, is a tool for collaborating, communicating, document sharing, and is also approved for use with partners outside the university.

Install Teams from the Microsoft Office site
Visit the OIT Teams webpage to learn more about getting started
View additional links to Microsoft Teams training material here

OneDrive for Business

OneDrive for Business is an integral part of Office 365 and provides a place in the cloud where you can store, share, and sync your work files. OneDrive can be used to:

Store files in a centralized, secure, easy-to-access online location (our university accounts allow each of us to have 1 TB of online storage)
Update those files from any device
Collaborate with others simultaneously through file sharing

Learn how to use OneDrive with these instructional videos from Microsoft.

Accessing your Office Phone

When you are away from the office, there are a couple options for accessing your calls and voicemail:

Voicemail via email
- Desk phones send voicemail to email to let you know that you have received a call. Please contact the OIT Service Desk to access this feature.
Cisco Jabber
- Cisco Jabber can send calls meant for your office phone directly to your laptop or personal computer
- Please contact the OIT Service Desk to access this feature and provide the following information for one or more users:
  - Current office phone number
  - University username
  - Desk phone current location
  - If more than one phone line must be accessible, please specify in advance
- Once your account has been updated to work with Jabber, install the software on your computer using the installation guide for your device:
  - Cisco Jabber for Windows
  - Cisco Jabber for Mac

Computer Options for Working from Home

There are several options for using a work computer from your home. Below, please find more information about:

Taking your work computer home
Remote in to your office computer
Purchasing a computer to work from home

You have been told to work from home, you don’t have additional resources to remote in with and so you have decided to take your computer from work, home. Now what?

Make sure you have done the following:

1. Gain school/department approval

2. Give department tracking information of the personnel, location and equipment tags/names to your supervisor

3. Schedule the pick-up with your critical personnel (information about restricted access to campus and contacts for each campus are available here - Chancellor message for Denver; Chancellor message for Anschutz Medical Campus)

4. BEFORE disconnecting the computer:

a. Download and install the Global Protect VPN app.

b. You must have the following at home in order to connect:

Internet Service
Ethernet cable with adequate length to connect to the modem OR
USB wireless network adaptor that can be plugged into the computer tower and will connect with the modem
As a reminder, you also will need to install the Duo Security app to use the VPN. This step can be done from home.

5. When disconnecting the computer:

a. Save any opened documents and turn off the machine

b. Disconnect, mouse, keyboard, monitors, ethernet cable, other peripherals/devices

You have been told to work from home, you hear that others remote into their office computer and you want to do that too.

Instructions:

1. Set up the PC you want to connect to so it allows remote connections Start>Settings>System>Remote Desktop and turn on Enable Remote Desktop.

2. Make note of the name of this PC under How to connect to this PC (in some instances, the computer’s IP address is needed).

3. Make note of the IP address of this PC.

a. Click the Start icon and select Settings.

b. Click the Network & Internet icon.

c. To view the IP address of a wired connection, select Ethernet on the left menu pane and select your network connection, your IP address will appear next to "IPv4 Address".

d. To view the IP address of a wireless connection, select WiFi on the left menu pane and click View your network properties, your IP address will appear next to "IPv4 Address".

4. Log into the Remote Desktop Application at remote.ucdenver.edu OR

5. Log into the VPN

6. Connect to the PC you set up to allow connection

a. On your local Windows 10 PC: In the search box on the taskbar, type Remote Desktop Connection, and select Remote Desktop Connection.

b. In Remote Desktop Connection, type the name (or IP address) of the PC you want to connect to (from Step 2), and then select Connect.

Visual instructions available here: Remote into Your Office Computer.

OIT and Financial Services have worked together to provide some tips and reminders related to purchasing remote working and computing equipment.

As these are not normal business operations, we understand that there are several options available to meet the departments’ needs for computers at employees’ personal residence. Below are some options to consider:

1. Employees may take their work desktop and devices to home. More information about what to do, including downloading and installing the VPN service before disconnecting the computer from their workstation, is available above in the section titled Taking Your Work Computer Home.

2. Purchase a computer via a procurement card if you have a university PCard. This will entail the following:

School/department approval
Department creates tracking of the purchases and location
Recommendations for purchasing a new computer are available from the CU Boulder Software and Hardware List

3. Purchase a computer using your personal credit card and then submitting for reimbursement by the department. This will entail the following:

School/department approval
Department creates tracking of the purchases and location
Recommendations for purchasing a new computer are available from the CU Boulder Software and Hardware List

4. Purchase a computer via the CU Marketplace. The computer must be delivered to the university work location. CU Marketplace is not configured to deliver to personal residences at this time. This will entail the following:

School/department approval
Department creates tracking of the personnel, location and equipment tags/names
Schedule the pick-up with your critical personnel (information about restricted access to campus and contacts for each campus are available here - Chancellor message for Denver; Chancellor message for Anschutz Medical Campus)

If you've purchased a new computer for work, you can open the box at home and get started right away. Once we have returned to campus to work, you can contact your school or department IT resource to have the computer imaged and joined to the university domain. With your new computer, you are able to access Microsoft 365 products, connect with the VPN or connect using a virtual desktop as noted above in the Accessing University Resources Off-Campus section at the top of this remote work webpage.

Please contact the OIT Service Desk if you have any questions.

Additional university resources

The following resources are available from colleges, schools and departments to help you navigate remote work:

OIT Website

The OIT website has additional information about services offered by the department. Be sure to check the software webpage for software and applications available for free or at a discounted rate to faculty, staff and students. It's also a good place to check for updates such as this one from Adobe: The company has given greater access to Adobe Creative Cloud desktop apps to facilitate remote learning. Visit their webpage for more information and details about resources!

Cyber Security and COVID-19

There has been a significant increase in cyber scams during the COVID-19 health crisis including fraudulent phone calls and phishing emails. The University of Colorado’s Office of Information Security team has provided some details about what to look for and how to keep our assets secure.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a statement on March 6 regarding defending against COVID-19 cyber scams. Please read these brief precautions to protect yourself against phishing scams.

HIPAA and COVID-19

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a U.S. law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients’ medical records and other health information provided to health plans, billing/coding companies, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. University staff working remotely continue to be responsible for protecting and securing all information including HIPAA protected health information (PH) in the same manner as if you were working on-site.
Detailed information about how to protect the privacy and security of HIPAA information and tools approved for telehealth during this public health emergency are available on the Office of Regulatory Compliance HIPAA & Coronavirus FAQ webpage.

Faculty

Visit the Remote Teaching website for resources created collaboratively by the Office of Digital Education, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Thinq Studio, and the Office of Inclusive Excellence in STEM.
Note for Anschutz Medical Campus faculty and designated student workers: The Panopto lecture recording system is available to record classes and lectures through your faculty Canvas profile and makes those recordings available to students for viewing through their student Canvas profile. Contact UCD-OIT-Panopto@ucdenver.edu for assistance.

Students

Visit the Remote Learning website for all the tools needed to help you succeed as a remote learner including preparing to learn remotely, accessing course content with Canvas and Zoom, additional campus services available to you, and more.

More Resources

Additional material to assist with the changes we are experiencing as we work and learn remotely are available throughout our university community. Quick links to some of these sites are:

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in collaboration with the College of Engineering, Design and Computing https://clas.ucdenver.edu/working-remotely/
School of Education and Human Development: https://guides.cu.studio
CU Denver & Anschutz Medical Campus Equity Office: https://equity.ucdenver.edu/
Anschutz Medical Campus Police Department: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/police
CU Denver and Auraria Campus Police Department: https://www1.ucdenver.edu/police/police

For the most up-to-date information and resources regarding COVID-19 and our campuses, visit:

CU Denver Coronavirus Updates and Resources: https://www.ucdenver.edu/coronavirus
CU Anschutz Medical Campus Coronavirus Updates and Resource: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/coronavirus

University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus

Denver | Anschutz

Locations

Tools

Schools and Colleges

CU Denver

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Office of Information Technology

Remote Working

Software and tools for remote work

Zoom Video Conferencing

For more Zoom settings and HIPAA safety information, review the April 7 university communication

Best practices to prevent Zoombombing

Multi-Factor Authentication with Duo

Microsoft Teams for Collaboration and Meetings

OneDrive for Business

Accessing your Office Phone

Computer Options for Working from Home

Additional university resources

Have questions?

Office of Information Technology

CU Denver

Lawrence Street Center

CU Anschutz

Education II North

Remote Working

Software and tools for remote work

Zoom Video Conferencing

For more Zoom settings and HIPAA safety information, review the April 7 university communication

Best practices to prevent Zoombombing

Prevent Zoombombing

Zoom Settings Update

Multi-Factor Authentication with Duo

Microsoft Teams for Collaboration and Meetings

OneDrive for Business

Accessing your Office Phone

Computer Options for Working from Home

Taking your work computer home

Remote into your work computer

Purchasing a computer to work from home

Additional university resources

Have questions?

Office of Information Technology

CU Denver

Lawrence Street Center

CU Anschutz

Education II North

CMS Login