UMCal Update

Vista client released

Oracle has released a certified client for Windows Vista.  The client can be found on the downloads section of the UMCal Web site at www.umn.edu/umcal/download/. The installer has not been pre-configured for UMCal settings and new installs will need to configure their clients manually. Upgraded clients will not need to change their user settings.

Palm Sync

The Oracle Calendar Sync for Palm is not supported for the Windows Vista operating system.  Oracle has not provided any indication that they plan to support this software on Windows Vista. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) recommends that users use SyncML to synchronize their Palm devices with UMCal.  Information on SyncML can be found on the SyncML pages at www.umn.edu/umcal/syncml.

iPhone Support

Synthesis, the software vendor that provides SyncML clients for Palm and Windows Mobile devices, has announced that they are developing a SyncML client for the iPhone.  A copy of their announcement is provided below:

iPhone SyncML client in development

On March 6, Apple released the first beta version of its official software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone, and we immediately started developing and are giving high priority to a SyncML client. The current development is backed by a substantial amount of work we've already invested in creating a prototype during the last few months.

We're confident we'll be ready with an iPhone/iPod touch SyncML client when Apple releases the final version of its SDK along with the new iPhone OS 2.0 firmware and their iTunes-based application store, scheduled for June. When those become available, you'll be able to download and buy our SyncML client directly from your device or via iTunes.

The iPhone SyncML client will be based entirely on our modular SyncML client SDK http://www.synthesis.ch/news.php?lang=e&nkey=31. Because of that, it will be possible for iPhone developers to equip their own iPhone applications with mature, high-quality SyncML functionality with ease.

Note: At this time, Apple does not allow the distribution of software built with the beta SDK to third parties. This is unlikely to change until expected June release of iPhone OS 2.0, independently from when we'll be ready for it technically.

The UMCal Support Team
umcal@umn.edu
Office of Information Technology

At 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, Office of Information Technology (OIT) system administrators had to restart the UMCal server due to a unresponsive node. Various attempts were made to restart the individual node with no success. Unable to restart the individual node, OIT performed a restart to the entire UMCal system. This restart shut down all UMCal services including the Web application, sync services, Web services, and desktop client connections. The UMCal server was fully restored to functionality at 2:50 p.m. the same day.

The unresponsive node problem was traced back to an LDAP server that had been taken out of service for maintenance earlier in the day. It is believed that this problem also caused performance related issues experienced by users earlier in the day. Routinely, when the LDAP server is taken out of service for maintenance, another available server should take over UMCal operations automatically. OIT has opened a ticket with Oracle, UMCal's vendor, into the matter to prevent similar situations in the future.

UMCal archiving begins Beginning Feb. 1, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) will archive UMCal user data older than 18 months in order to increase system performance.

Based on recommendations by UMCal's vendor, OIT will archive user data in such a manner that will allow users to retain a minimum of 18 months worth of data in their UMCal account at all times. Data older than 18 months will be exported from UMCal and stored in a standards-based file format for a minimum of seven years.

The policy is also meant to provide a clear retention policy for units and departments.

Archiving will be performed on a regular basis as determined by system administrators, and individual users will be notified by e-mail when their accounts are ready to be archived. Eventually, users will be able to export their own data from UMCal desktop clients.

Requests for calendar archives can be sent to the UMCal Support group at umcal@umn.edu. The UMCal support team will send the user a copy of their archived calendar.

Additional information is available at www.umn.edu/umcal/archiving.