Introduction This article is intended to assist users who are attempting to open comma separated value (CSV) files automatically into Microsoft excel or similar spreadsheet programs formatted correctly.    Applicability The intended audience of this article is users who are encountering difficulties with their PC system opening CSV files automatically formatted into Microsoft excel or similar spreadsheet programs.   Procedure Open the Control Panel Select the Region settings Select Additional Settings For the List Separator setting, use the drop-down box to select the comma Click OK on the Customize Format window Click OK on the Region window   Comma separated value (CSV) files should now open automatically formatted into excel or similar spreadsheet program.   Keywords: csv, comma., separated, value, excel, spreadsheet, open, error, automatic, pc, settings, computer, laptop, bear tracks, instructor, final, grades, upload, download, roster, class, format, formatted, formatting, grade, approver

Introduction To manage institutional costs incurred from procured equipment, which is difficult or unable to be properly supported, a base set of standards for server and related equipment purchases is outlined here. These standards are in place to ensure the best value is delivered to the groups procuring such equipment as well as insuring the University avoids liability from incompletely informed purchases.   Applicability Server equipment to be purchased for use within the University. Includes Administration, Operations, and Research equipment.   Server Physical Requirements for procurement by the University of Alberta   Exceptions to procurement standards will only be considered for data collection or control computers deployed within research lab environments or infrastructure situations where a computer needs to be in close proximity to operating equipment and these procurement standards are in conflict with needs.  Exceptions need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  Contact ist@ualberta.ca to start any discussion or exception request.   Servers are to be housed in central University Data Center environments to reduce energy footprint associated with small inefficient hosting spaces scattered around campus and improve the overall quality of the hosting environment.  Again, exceptions will only be considered for data collection or control computers associated with research or infrastructure needs. Servers are to be procured in rack mount chassis format. Desktop-style chassis are to be avoided or have rack-mount conversion kits with them at minimum if no suitable pure rackmount options are available.  Desktop chassis are overall space, energy, and cooling inefficient compared to rackmount designs in general. Physical chassis should be selected for the reasonable lifespan of the equipment and not oversized for unplanned future possibilities.   Servers should include remote management capabilities (Examples include iDRAC in Dell servers, ILO on IBM and HP servers, Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), or similar Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) such as OpenBMC).  Remote management reduces time to resolve issues, reduces costs of operation and maintenance, and provides the ability to incorporate automation into management activities. Further, hosting locations for servers are based on the most appropriate site based on current site load, server needs, etc.  There may be a requirement for travel off North Campus to manage a server if there are no remote management capabilities in the system. Servers MUST support power input voltages of 240V.  240V power supplies are more efficient and this lowers the cooling and power costs of server infrastructure. University data center environments will not support 120V-only servers. Servers should have redundant power supplies to ensure continued operation during power outages or maintenance.  Single power supplies will be subject to higher levels of disruption as maintenance work is performed on infrastructure. Servers should be redundantly network connected to DC infrastructure for service stability and availability during maintenance activities.  Servers should leverage Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) to provide this high availability access to network infrastructure or engage IST DNDCS team to discuss alternative options. Sizing and design exercises for servers should be undertaken well before procurement.  While it is often believed that several smaller servers may be cheaper, in the long run the total cost of ownership can be lower with fewer, larger servers.  Design exercises must take application needs along with ongoing operational costs, hardware lifecycle, data lifecycle, etc. into account to deliver the best value for the task to be accomplished.  IST teams are available to have these discussions when needed. Server connectivity can be accomplished via ethernet interfaces at default speeds of either 1, 10, 25, or 40 Gbps with a typical suggested speed of 10Gbps.  1 and 10 Gbps connections can be supported via Copper while 10,25,40 Gbps options can be provisioned via Fiber Optics.  Research applications involving clusters, HPC, or groups of components can use alternatives to Ethernet for interconnectivity inside their systems (i.e. InfiniBand, etc.) but discussions with IST Networking and Data Center staff need to be held prior to procurement to ensure hosting requirements are available and in place.   High Performance Computing (HPC) equipment of any form should not be procured without sign-off from IST Research Support team and IST Digital Networks and Data Center Services (DNDCS) to ensure that the power, cooling, and network needs for such systems have been appropriately addressed prior to procurement.  Verify that the computing resources and infrastructure you are acquiring are not from vendors or manufacturers that are prohibited (e.g., Huawei) which can lead to the University being blocked for Canadian and US federal funding opportunities, etc.   Keywords: Server Purchase Buy Procure Standard

Introduction A Travel and Training Form is to be filled out if you are: attending a conference attending a training course or if you are travelling via airplane and/or staying overnight to attend a work related function. This form must be filled out and approved before any commitments to the conferences/training take place. This article will provide instructions for accessing and completing the Travel and Training Form as well as how the approval process works.   Applicability This article was written for IST Staff. *Note that the Travel and Training Form is only for the approval of your request.  Payment for registrations, hotels, and flights is outside the scope of this procedure but some general information on next steps can be found below.   Procedure   Accessing the Travel and Training Form *PLEASE NOTE:The staff member attending training or traveling must fill the form out themselves. Within Freshservice, go to the blue plus sign on the top right side and select “Request a service”.  On the left, select IST - Human Resources, then select Travel and Training Request form.   Completing the Form 1. When filling out the form, you will be required to provide the following information. Traveler's Name What you are attending (Conference, training course, etc) Vendor Name (Conference Host) Start & End Dates Whether or not this occurs during work hours Location Approximate costs in CAD  (This doesn’t need to be exact – but provides an estimate of the total cost) The reason you are attending the event and why this is beneficial to you The type of training (On/Off campus) How the event will be paid for 2. Click the "Submit" button at the top right corner to submit the form.       What happens next  After you have submitted the form, an email will be sent out to the appropriate supervisor to approve your travel and training form. The request is approved by the Supervisor of the Requested For person and approvals continue to cascade up the organizational chart until it reaches a member of the leadership team. If you find that your travel and training form has not been approved in a timely manner, you will need to follow up with your supervisor to ensure these approvals continue up the chain.  Once your form has been processed, you will receive an email stating whether it was approved or rejected. If it was approved you can go ahead and start making arrangements as per your request.     Registration for an Event If you require any type of registration payment, the Admin Team will complete this. Consult KB0012739 to find your respective Administrative Assistant. Please make the following information available to them: Your Travel & Training Form ticket number Speedcode, if not stated on your Travel & Training Form Once registration is complete, email a copy of the receipt to the Admin team member that assisted you if they did not make the payment directly, as it will be needed to fill out the necessary paperwork associated with payment of registration.   Booking Flights and Hotels If you require a flight or to book a hotel through the (Hotel Authorization Payment) HAP form, contact your respective administrative assistant for help.  If you are not sure which member of the Administrative team to contact, consult KB0012739. When making arrangements, please have the following information available: Booking a Flight Your Travel & training form ticket number Departure Date & Return Date Preferred Flights (Picking out the flight you want will help expedite this process) If you are traveling outside of Canada, we will also need: Date of Birth Your name as shown on your passport Booking a Hotel You are welcome to book and expense your own hotel room.  Alternatively, if the hotel you would like to stay at is on the UofA preferred hotel list, as listed on the HAP form, please have the following information available for your respective administrative assistant: Your Travel & training form ticket number Destination Arrival Date & Departure Date The hotel you would like to stay at from the UofA preferred hotel list (as listed on the HAP form) Speedcode, if not stated on your Travel & Training Form Keywords: Travel, Training, Form, Complete, Fill out, Access, Submit, conference, travel, hotel, course, approval, where is the Travel and Training form