Information Systems & Services
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DCU Apps was launched in September 2009 for Students and will become fully available for Staff over course of Summer 2013. DCU Apps is DCU's installation of Google Apps for Education, a suite of online software applications that Google offers to educational institutions and non-profit organisations. |
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Operational Excellence
Operational excellence is one of the foundations of the DCU Stategy 2012-2017. DCU Apps is a fantastic set of modern applications which is continually updated and upgraded helping DCU to keep pace in a fast changing IT world. These modern business tools will form an important part of the President's vision for a '21st Century Digitial Campus' where state-of-the-art IT is part of the DCU fabric. Some benefits for DCU at a glance:
Data Storage: Students and staff are provided 25GB of email storage and 5GB of Drive storage (similar to Dropbox).
Reliability: 99.9% monthly uptime percentage: Google Apps SLA.
Common Platform: Staff and students of DCU (and the linked colleges) using one common set of applications.
Web Based Access: All applications available from any web browser - no need to install additional software.
Cost Savings:The services are provided by Google at no cost to educational institutions.
Ease of Use: Google employs vast teams of usability experts who continually update and improve the products.
Mobility: DCU Apps are easily configured and synchronised to all your mobile devices allowing 24 X 7 access.
Are other universities using Google Apps ?
Yes. There are many other universities using these tools in Ireland and abroad. UCD have just recently installed the email service for staff.
Are the DCU Apps services secure ?Many of Google's information security team have advanced degrees and are thought leaders who are defining the industry's security practices. They take security very seriously as their business model depends on information security being paramount. In DCU Apps, all browser based information is transmitted securely using SSL. |
Is it safe to share sensitive information by email ?
Email is not a secure way to transfer sensitive information. If you wish to share files and you have intellectual property concerns for example, then email is not the correct medium. Email information is usually not encrypted as it moves across the internet. This rule of thumb applies to all email systems.
Who owns the data stored in the DCU Apps accounts ?
All data remains the property of DCU. Google holds the data in trust but is bound by the same data protection laws as if your data were stored locally in DCU. Please see the DCU data protection policy.
Will Google analyse our data ?There will be no advertising to staff as part of these services. Please see their information on security and privacy if you have any concerns in this area. Will Google ever share our data with anyone ?Google will not share your data with third parties. Even in a case where they receive data access requests for legal reasons, they will notify the organisation in question. |
What about the environment ?
There are environmental benefits to using DCU Apps which fit nicely with DCU's Environmental Sustainability Strategy. As these services are cloud based they will not contribute to our energy consumption on campus, thus helping to reach our goal of 3% reduction in energy use each year.
