NMMI FAQs


(Answer) (Category) NMMI Faq-O-Matic : (Category) Information Systems, Communications, & Technologies : (Category) Computers : (Category) Cadet Requirements and Regulations :
Why can't cadets play games on the network when we have free time?
Moderator: compserv@nmmi.edu (inherited from parent)

The campus network and access to the Internet are provided for academic work. It is not provided for the amusement of students, faculty or staff. Time management and the effective use of time to achieve goals is one of the educational outcomes at NMMI. Students who have "free" time to play games and require additional activities to fill their time should contact the Commandant, members of the Regimental staff, or faculty. We are very aware that individuals the age of our students, spend a great deal of time in "surfing", playing games on the Internet, and chatting. Such activities can be addictive and rob your academic work of needed time and effort. The emphasis at NMMI is on your academic work. Refer to the Computer Authorized Use Policy (CAUP) at: http://www.nmmi.edu/is/caup.html.
nancy@nmmi.edu

The NMMI Network is currently connected to the Internet through a 3.0Mb ATM connection. The Intranet connection on campus is fed from a multitude of connections known as the 'backbone' of the network. These legs connect every habitable building on the main campus from Lusk hall to the Physical Plant and the Golf Course. In some instances, it is not cost effective to pull fiber optic cables between buildings. These buildings are fed through the Point-to-MultiPoint wireless system. These buildings include the maintenance shed of the golf course and the Chapel. The cadets are connected from 8 points in the barracks. These closets are directly connected to the Glover Machine Room in Toles. Each of these 100mb connections is straight into the backbone router. From the backbone all outbound traffic is filtered through the Packetteer Packet Shaper to limit bandwidth and block certain restricted services, then through the WatchGuard FireBox firewall. From the firewall all traffic is 'bottlenecked' down to the Cisco router and fed out through the ATM connection to the outside world. From the cadet closets (100mb) to the Toles SSR-8 router (16Gb back plane) to the firebox (10mb) to the Cisco router and CHECs-Net (3.0Mb) there is a very limited amount of traffic that can be routed at any given time. For all the technically challenged, imagine a 10 lane Freeway being funneled down to a two lane highway. Currently NMMI can handle the traffic from the corp surfing, however playing games, chatting, messenger should be limited.

The internet connection on campus is for academic and school use only. It is not for the individual users enjoyment or recreational use. Academic use has the highest priority, followed by official business use. Misuse of the campus computer system will result in the users privileges revoked or restricted.

All traffic that returns a "Blocked by WatchGuard" will be written to a log file and is available for review by IS staff's random checks. Any unauthorized use of the network or attempt to use the network for unauthorized purposes will result in disciplinary actions.
mcdonald@nmmi.edu

[Append to This Answer]
2005-May-09 9:17am
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