Further to our message of a few weeks ago, IT Services want to let you know that in preparation for the decommissioning of the University of Manchester’s old Cisco and Shrew Soft Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, there will be a series of trial periods during which the service will be unavailable.

If you have made a Cisco or Shrew Soft VPN connection prior to the start of a trial period, you will lose that connection once the trial period commences.

The trial periods will take place

• from 9am to 5pm on Thursday 20th June (8 hours)
• from 9am on Thursday 27th June until 9am on Thursday 28th June (24 hours)

The current plan is to switch off the Cisco and Shrew Soft VPN service for good, later this year.

In November 2017, we implemented a new VPN service called GlobalProtect (or OpenVPN for some versions of Linux) and we intend to decommission the old Cisco and Shrew Soft VPN services.

If you need to use a VPN to access services on campus, you must use GlobalProtect. GlobalProtect is installed by default on University managed computers, but you can find instructions on how to install GlobalProtect or OpenVPN on your own computers, on the IT Services website:

• IT Services: VPN

Do you access Library electronic resources (e-books, e-journals and databases)?

VPN is no longer required for off-campus access to library resources.

If your only use for VPN is to access electronic library resources as a student, you do not need to use GlobalProtect or any other University VPN.

All electronic library resources can be accessed using the Library Access browser extension, Library Search, or by direct login on the publisher’s website. Find out more:

• How to access Library electronic resources
• Further information on the Library Website
• For phones and tablets, use the BrowZine app

If you have any questions about using GlobalProtect VPN, please contact our IT Support Centre.

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