This page will provide information and assistance with software you can use to work from home.
The Office of Information Technology is here to help with any questions or issues you may have. If you have questions or need anything related to working online, contact us at NorseIT@nku.edu. For all regular technology issues, contact the IT Help Desk via telephone or chat, or Schedule a meeting with a Client Support Specialist. IT is available by appointment to assist with technology (computers, hot spots, etc.) that cannot solved remotely.
To help stop the spread of illness, it is prudent to periodically disinfect your computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse. First make sure you have turned your computer off and disconnected it from power, including a docking station. Then, to clean and disinfect your keyboard and mouse, use alcohol wipes (or a 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and water mixture) using caution to not allow the solution to drip between the keys of the keyboard or get into the crevices of the mouse. You may follow these directions provided by Dell.
Apple's recommendation to disinfect a computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse is to squeeze excess liquid out of a disinfectant wipe, then carefully wipe the computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse of a computer that is turned off and disconnected from electricity.
Do not spray disinfectant on your computer.
OneDrive is NKU's preferred secure cloud storage solution, similar to Dropbox and Google Drive. All NKU employees have free unlimited storage on OneDrive. You can update and share your files from any device with OneDrive, and even work on Office documents with others at the same time. OneDrive is connected to Office 365, meaning you can easily share files with other NKU employees by searching in the directory. VPN is not needed to access OneDrive.
Access OneDrive with NKU Webmail
OneDrive is also available for Apple and Android devices.
Below is a quick video on getting started with OneDrive.
To Download
Employees have access to Microsoft Office 365 to download on personally owned computers (both Windows and Apple) and mobile devices.
Microsoft Teams can be used to chat with others who are online. It can also be used for video meetings, group project collaboration, video chat, and file sharing. This tool is available for use by all faculty, staff, and students. Teams is FERPA and HIPAA compliant.
Accessing Voicemail Remotely
To have your voicemails emailed to your NKU email address, contact the IT Help Desk.
Updating your Voicemail Message from your Phone
Updating your Voicemail Message from Home
Call Forwarding
Setting up call forwarding means that all calls to your office phone will be sent to another phone of your choosing. This allows users to receive their work phone calls remotely.
To set up call forwarding, identify your phone below and view the instructions.
8800 Series
9951 Series
3905 Series
Most NKU resources are available without having to use VPN. However, some resources require the use of VPN for access. These include:
NKU offers a convenient solution for accessing NKU software and drives wherever you are from any device - a virtual desktop.
If you use VMware, remember that you are accessing an NKU virtual desktop, not your personal workstation. All files not saved using cloud storage (e.g. OneDrive) or to the J: or K: drives will be lost when you disconnect.
VPN is not required to access NKU's virtual desktops.
When working remotely, it is important to keep security and privacy at the forefront of our operations. Be vigilant for phishing and scams as they will ramp up their efforts to take advantage of a panicked and newly remote work force.
Please review relevant policies for regulatory requirements for classifying, handling, and protecting sensitive and personally identifiable information (PII).
Use NKU-provided collaboration and file sharing services like Canvas, Zoom, Webex, Teams, Microsoft OneDrive, and NKU Departmental shares. Do not use other collaboration and file sharing services like Teamviewer, Google Drive, DropBox, or BOX, especially when handling sensitive data.
The computer you use when working remotely must be a secure computer that has an updated and supported operating system and software. If you need a secure device, please contact the IT Help Desk to request one (Note: we cannot guarantee we will have enough for everyone).
With the approval of your manager, employees are permitted to take their computer and monitor home to ensure the use of a secure computer. Do not use unsecured computers such as those found in public libraries or those running outdated operating systems.
Email security is of paramount importance in the protection of faculty, staff and student data. If your job requires you to send confidential or private content via email, you should encrypt the email before you send it. If you have questions about what information is deemed confidential or private, please refer to the Information Security policy.
Use secure Internet connections, such as home Wi-Fi protected with passwords, or physically connected to the Internet router with an ethernet cable. You may use a trusted hotspot service, like those offered through your cell phone plan.
Do not use non-NKU, unprotected public Wi-Fi like that hosted at coffee shops, restaurants, or shops. Do not connect to unknown or untrusted Wi-Fi networks or hotspots. Look for the lock icon in the browser to ensure secure connections to NKU websites and online resources.
