IT Sustainability Practices

Berkeley Lab celebrates Earth Month annually throughout April. In support of the Lab’s sustainability initiatives, this article covers our current efforts in the IT Division to reduce environmental impact and considerations we can all take to save on energy consumption. IT commits to a greener future in technology by taking steps to make our operations more eco-friendly, including efficient infrastructure for data centers, running a repurposed computer program, and promoting paperless services. Reading time: 10 minutes

UC Open Access Agreement with Wiley

On April 11, 2023, the University of California announced an expansion of the open access agreement with Wiley, one of the world’s largest publishers. Berkeley Lab researchers will now receive additional funding support to publish open access, making significantly more research freely available to people around the world. Reading time: 5 minutes

Off-Site Visitor WiFi Password: URL Change

The URL to retrieve the visitor WiFi password for off-site locations has changed to go.lbl.gov/lbnl-visitor-offsite (Lab login required). The old URL will stop functioning at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2023. Be sure to verify you and your colleagues have access to the new URL and update your browser bookmark. 

CrowdStrike FAQ

Support for Sophos software ends in July 2023. CrowdStrike is the Lab's new antivirus solution, designed to provide effective cybersecurity protection and incident response services. Do you have questions or concerns about making the switch? Check out the CrowdStrike FAQ page to learn more. 

Update Chrome Browsers

Google recently announced a new vulnerability targeting Chrome browsers. The latest stable Chrome versions are 112.0.5615.137/138 for Windows, 112.0.5615.137 for Mac, and 112.0.5615.165 for Linux. iOS and iPadOS are not affected.

This is a timely reminder to maintain updates for all applications on your computer. Chrome has automatic updates enabled by default and the process normally occurs in the background when the browser application is opened and closed. If a browser hasn’t been closed in a while, then updates for the browser and extensions might be pending. 

• Learn how to check for Chrome updates. 
• Review essential tips for Safer Web Browsing (February 2023).

Software Renewals for Office 365

Current end-users of Microsoft Office 365 will soon receive notifications regarding individual license renewals. If you have not yet renewed your license or do not intend to renew, please complete the Software Renewal Process form by May 12, 2023.

Download software and purchase new licenses at software.lbl.gov. If you have any questions, contact the IT Software Licensing group at licenses@lbl.gov.

Windows 8.1 and 2012 R2 End-of-Life

This is a notice for Lab staff regarding the end-of-life for Windows 8.1 and Windows 2012 R2 products. Outdated operating systems increase the security risk for the Lab and must be upgraded or replaced. Systems deemed as security risks may be blocked with no prior warning from accessing the Lab network. Reading time: 5 minutes

Google Workspace Updates, April 2023 

Recent updates to Google Workspace apps focus on enhancements to organization and user interface, including changes for Google Sites, Drive, and Docs. Staff can expect to see new features become available in the coming weeks ahead. Reading time: 5 minutes

IT Training, May 2023 

IT offers technical training courses to Berkeley Lab employees in partnership with UC Berkeley. Upcoming workshops included lessons on programming with R, data wrangling and manipulation, and a complete introduction to Python. Read descriptions of the courses then register through the Berkeley Lab portal. 

Support Digital Accessibility

The Digital Accessibility Committee (DAC) is one of two branches of the All Access Employee Resource Group. The DAC aims to champion accessibility practices in digital spaces — particularly websites, virtual events, and publications — to make Berkeley Lab more navigable and inclusive for people with disabilities.

Quarterly meetings and working groups are hosted by DAC Chair, Jeremy Snyder, Multimedia Specialist for Earth & Environmental Sciences Area Communications. If you have questions or want to get involved, contact jsnyder@lbl.gov or submit the ERG form.