Northern State University

CCA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why do I have to go through this Network Access Procedure?

A:  The University is making every effort to make your network experience productive and secure.   This will assist us in protecting the network resources and reducing excessive downtime and     cleanup costs due to virus outbreaks and vulnerabilities.  One way to help prevent virus outbreaks      is to insure that virus software and OS critical update/patches are current and maintained.

Q:  Am I required to install any software on my computer?

A:  All Microsoft Windows computers are required to install the Clean Access Agent client software to connect to the university network.  You will also be required to use the university’s version of Symantec Anti-virus software and install critical Microsoft critical OS patches and updates.

Q:  What is Clean Access Agent?

A:  Clean Access Agent is an application that will check certain security settings on your Windows PC to make sure that your system is up-to-date with required security patches and report this    status to the server.  No information about you is sent to the server.  You must use Clean Access Agent for your Microsoft Windows PC in order to authenticate and use the university network.   Current required security settings include Symantec Anti-virus definitions, OS Service Pack level, Critical OS patches and updates.

Q: When do I have to login?

A:  You will have to authenticate to the network and re-validate at least once a week.  Each     Thursday at 4:00am you will be automatically logged off the network. At this time you will be    required to re-authenticate and re-validate to regain network access.  The first time you access the network may take additional time, please be patient.

Q:  How will I know when my login session expires?

A:  The software will proactively notify you that your network connection will timeout shortly.  Also, you will know that your login has expired when your browser redirects you to the login page.  If you choose “logout” from Clean Access Agent or your browser, you expire your login session.   Other indications that your network connection has been terminated are:

  • Email may fail to send or receive.
  • Instant messaging fails or suddenly stop working.
  • File downloads may suddenly stop
  • Browser may be redirected to login page.

Q:  How do I tell if I am already logged in?

A:  The best way is to try to go to an internet site.  In most cases, if you are ABLE to access a site such as www.google.com, you are online and logged in.

Q:  How do I tell if I am Quarantined/Unauthenticated?

A:  The best way is to try to go to an internet site.  In most cases, if you are UNABLE to access an external site, such as www.google.com, you are Unauthenticated or might be Quarantined (the    Clean Access Agent should indicate this status).

Copyright 2005
William Woods University