Because content is generally accessed via Online IST syllabi, it may not be accessible if that server has downtime. However, all content actually runs from a separate server that should not be affected (just the access point will be affected). So, if Online IST syllabi go down, please tell students to use the following URLs to access all content, problems, and labs. These are general syllabus pages and have alternate access points to all content, problems, and labs. The direct links to these general pages are:

http://solutions.ist.psu.edu/exchange/online_ist/general/OIST_110_syllabus.html http://solutions.ist.psu.edu/exchange/online_ist/general/OIST_210_syllabus.html http://solutions.ist.psu.edu/exchange/online_ist/general/OIST_220_syllabus.html http://solutions.ist.psu.edu/exchange/online_ist/general/OIST_250_syllabus.html

It should be noted, however, that the problem and lab links on these general pages are for the recommended design. Additionally, the Problems Library and Labs Library main pages may be affected by outages. Because of these two issues, if you are using alternative problems/labs from the Online IST Problems or Labs Libraries, you should definitely direct students to print those assignments out in advance.

While content should be accessible using the alternate URLs, several other services may be down. This includes the Self and Team Evaluation Tool, which you may be using around the time of the move. Because of this, please alert students to this fact and provide them with some flexibility in due dates in case the tool is down for a short period of time.

First, and most importantly, the IST Solutions Institute will be the first group to move to the new building. Our team is scheduled to move to the new space starting December first (12/1/2003). The move could take us offline for the better part of that week and maybe a few days into the next. Please be patient as we make this historic move.

Secondly, the availability of services from the Institute will be severely limited during this time. This means that eLearning@ist.psu.edu may not be as responsive as usual, so please send questions early. Also, we will probably experience some server outages during the course of the next few weeks. Again, the School's IT group is working very hard to keep that to a minimum, but we are unsure of what effect it will have on availability.

Please take a look at the other storirs in this month's eNewsletter to find strategies for avoiding major issues. Please let us know now if there are things you think you'll need in a few weeks.