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DDS - Facilitating Remote Work & Support

Using the VPN to access on-campus resources

Cisco VPN software may be required to access some departmental-specific and/or CU resources. For example, your departmental shared drive is accessible from your laptop or home computer using the VPN. The VPN software is already installed on DDS-managed computers and can also be installed on personally-owned devices. Visit the Cisco VPN page for instructions to install and connect.

Remote Support

If you’re not on campus, DDS has tools to diagnose and resolve most issues remotely. We may leverage a variety of different technologies to communicate with and support you including phones, Microsoft Teams, and other remote support products, allowing us to see what you are seeing on your computer.

Remote Work

It is possible for you to access your Windows desktop on campus from your personally-owned laptop or desktop. If you have a Windows computer at work, you may find that it’s easier or more convenient to work from it remotely. To find out how to do this, visit our tutorials for connecting from a Windows or Mac computer: 

We do not currently have a technical solution to enable you to remotely access an on-campus Mac. Apple has not included a fully secure protocol for remotely connecting to Mac computers, unlike the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) which is included with Windows. Please note, the macOS Screen Sharing option should not be considered a secure remote access solution. This is because macOS Screen Sharing is not fully encrypted by default and it does not lock a user's screen when it is initiated, unlike RDP. Because of this, Screen Sharing allows a user's session to be visible and able to be hijacked by anyone with physical access to the remote computer.

In case you aren’t already aware, your personally owned iPhone or Android phone can also access many CU resources including MyCUInfo, email and websites. We are happy to assist with this as needed.

Request Support

Regardless of where you’re working, you can always use our Dedicated Desktop Support Portal or contacting the ITSC at 303-735-4357 or oithelp@colorado.edu to engage us.  (Please Note: We expect the IT Service Center (ITSC) to be handling a higher than average call volume as many staff and faculty transition to working remotely. The most efficient way to engage us is by using the portal website.)