Google Applications FAQ
Please note that these FAQs will be updated as questions are raised.
Last update: 11th June 2009
Note: any How To guides, tips and tricks and Quick Reference Guides for specific Google Apps tools (Gmail, Chat and Calendar) can be found on the Training and Tutorials page.
General Questions
What is Google Applications?
Answer
Google Applications is a free collaboration and communication suite of applications for educational institutions. It allows the University to provide web based tools such as Email, Calendar and Instant Messaging with University branding. It is being used by millions of students around the world.
Why is the University implementing Google Applications?
Answer
The University strives to continuously improve services to students and Google Applications enables us to provide you with:
• A bigger mailbox (7GB)
• Larger upload sizes for file attachments
• Integration of several functions such as email, calendar and instant messaging
How do I sign up for Google Applications?
Answer
Students were sent an invited to sign up for a Google Applications account commencing 16 March. You will have received an invitation to sign up in your current webmail inbox called Invitation to Sign up to Google Applications. Please look out for it and follow the instructions in the email. It is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
If you have missed the invitation, just use the Google Apps sign up button on the webmail login page - it is as easy as that. We ask you to read about Google Apps on this page first, to ensure you understand what you need to do and what Google Apps is about.
The signup process will route all your incoming emails to your new Google Apps account. We ask you that you please do not attempt to login to Google Apps unless you have signed up.
You need to agree to the Google Terms and Conditions after you have signed up. Please do not abort the signup process midway until you have done so, as you will not have full access to the account and your mail.
The initial rollout is targeted to the majority of @student.adelaide.edu.au account holders including undergraduate, honours and masters by coursework students. The feasibility of rolling this out further for research students and staff will be reviewed in the very near future. Dual role students will be contacted to assess if you can sign up based on your role.
What Google Applications features will be available?
Answer
The University will provide Gmail, Calendar and Instant Messaging features to most @student.adelaide.edu.au account holders as part of the Google Applications implementation. Web based access to email allows for easy access from any computer with internet access and a web browser. In addition, students will have access to Google's Calendar feature, which integrates fully with the new student Gmail platform. The instant messaging feature will be of benefit to students by enabling chats and voice and video communications with fellow students.
Transition to Google Apps Questions
When will Google Applications be available to me?
Answer
Google Applications (Gmail, Calendar and Instant Messaging) will be available to most @student.adelaide.edu.au from March 16 2009. You will have received an email in your current webmail account inviting you to sign up. If you have missed the invitation, you can use the sign up button on the webmail login page.
What is the implementation process?
Answer
Students were invited to sign up to Google Apps based on the last digit of the user ID, divided in 10 groups and all invitations were sent by March 20th. This staged migration was the method chosen to minimise impact on existing services and ensure that signup is successful for all students.
When the invites were sent, ITS placed a signup button on the current webmail login page, if you have missed the invitation, you are a @student.adelaide.edu.au account holder you are encouraged to sign up.
Will my email address change?
Answer
No. Your email address will still be firstname.surname@student.adelaide.edu.
Will all of my saved email messages be available in my new account?
Answer
You will have the opportunity to request to have your saved email messages be transferred to your new student email (Gmail) account. Your address book can also be transferred to your new Gmail account. Instructions will be provided to you as part of the sign up process.
Please note that email migration is conducted from Monday to Friday as there is a manual verification process. If you have signed up on a weekend, your migration request will be actioned on Monday.
How will I know if my contacts or emails have been transferred?
Answer
A confirmation of the migration request will be sent to your student email Gmail account with a link to a web page enabling you to check the progress of your request. When the upload to Google has been completed, you will receive confirmation of completion of the process in our Gmail account. Emails will be labelled migrated and this is now you wil know that your saved emails have been transferred. Please remember that email migration may take up to 5 days depending on the size of your mailbox and the demand. If you believe there is a problem or you are missing emails, you may call the Helpdesk on 8303 3300 after 5 days.
I received an email that the webmail account will be archived, what does this mean?
Answer
Students who have signed up to Google Apps will receive a communication from 24th May that the webmail account will be archived. Since your mail services are provided by Google Apps, there is no longer a need to retain webmail. You will receive 14 days notice that your webmail account will be archived, after which it will be backed up to tape and removed from the University storage environment. If you have not yet requested email migration, you have 14 days to do so from receipt of the archiving notification. You will be reminded 7 days prior to your webmail account being archived.
I am not very good with computers, can someone help me sign up?
Answer
Yes. There will be guided sign up facilities throughout the University of Adelaide campus. More information will be made available on the www.adelaide.edu.au/student/email page leading up to Go Live Day, with location and times of guided Google Apps sign up sessions. Keep an eye out for staff wearing You've Got Mail pink tshirts - and ask them how!
The sign up process is supposed to be easy, but are there instructions in case I get stuck?
Answer
It is really as easy as 1, 2, 3! An instruction quick reference guide for the sign up and email/contact migration process can be found here
After I've signed up, how do I access my student email (Gmail) account?
Answer
A new webmail page will be published on March 16 that has a direct link to student email (Gmail). Alternatively, you can also use http://webmail.student.adelaide.edu.au. You will be redirected to a login page, enter your username and password to log back into your Google account.
Google Apps Functional Questions
Will the University provide training and tutorials?
Answer
Yes. Training and tutorials will be made available from the University website closer to the transition to Google Applications. You will be able to view videos and user guides at your leisure.
Google Applications training and tutorial files are now online, and can be accessed on the Google Apps training page.
Will the Google Applications mail go towards my internet quota?
Answer
No. Unless you click a link in an email that takes you out to the internet, going to your student mail (Gmail) account will not count towards your internet quota.
Please be aware that if you are using the University wireless network, you may still be asked to exit through the proxy. Please be assured that this still does not count towards your internet quota, the proxy is configured to discard traffic to Google Apps for students.
What are the differences between webmail and Google Apps?
Answer
There are several differences between webmail and the Google Apps account. The most important difference is that you get integrated calendar and instant messaging functionality from the student email Gmail interface. But there are other differences, Google Apps does not work with folders but sorts emails with labels.
We have collated the differences in a table so you can compare and this will help you to understand what might change. There will be Quick Reference Guides and training videos available from this page to make sense of the changes and learn how to get the most out of your new Google Apps account.
Review the differences here
How do I find other University email addresses in Google Apps?
Answer
Addresses are presented differently in Google than in webmail. You will be able to find all your fellow students easily by commencing to type in their first name, a list will appear to allow you to select the right address. Other University email addresses such as staff or lecturers have been uploaded to the shared contact lists, so they will be visible to all students on Google Apps. As of May 20, there is no longer a need to use the UofA address book gadget.
Can we access Gmail IMAP/POP mail through the wireless network now?
The University is working on implementing a new device that will allow IMAP traffic through the proxy. This will fix the current problem of not being able to access Google Apps mail through the wireless network as it cannot be tracked for accounting purposes. This solution will be in place before the end of May.
Please note that the use of a client to access your Gmail account from laptops or workstations at home, assumes that you accept that you configure this at your own risk. From time to time, students inadvertently delete emails by changing these configurations and unfortunately, there are no restores possible should this occur.
I am using webmail from home, can I do the same with new student email (Gmail)?
Answer
Yes. If you are using a tabbed browser, you need to ensure that you have configured the browser to open a new site in a tab in the current window. You may need to add *mail.google.com to the trusted site list to ensure that all features work (chat client may give an error message if that is not set appropriately). IE7 is the preferred browser, although Google Apps will be accessible on IE6, some features will not be available.
Should you wish to configure a client such as Outlook or Thunderbird, you may use the POP/IMAP instructions on the Training page.
Please note that the use of a client to access your Gmail account from laptops or workstations at home, assumes that you accept that you configure this at your own risk. From time to time, students inadvertently delete emails by changing these configurations and unfortunately, there are no restores possible should this occur.
How do I set a forward in Google Apps?
Answer
Although we anticipate that students will love Google Apps and wouldn't want to forward, there is a function to do so in your Google Apps interface. Click settings on the top right of your screen and locate the Forwards tab. Enable a forward and enter an emaill address, don't forget to save your settings.
Other
I already have a non-Uni account with Gmail. Can I use my existing Gmail user name and password?
Answer
No. The Gmail account you will be provided with as part of the Google Applications implementation is a University account and is therefore separate from your personal Gmail account. You may be able to set up a rule to forward your university emails to your personal Gmail account. Tutorials will guide you through this process.
What about Privacy of emails?
Answer
Google takes users' privacy seriously and has implemented a range of leading edge protections to safeguard data stored on its servers. The University has agreed to accept the standard Google terms and conditions which includes reference to its privacy policy. To view the policy details, please click on the following link: http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacypolicy.html
What if I don't want to sign up for Google Apps?
Answer
If you don't want to sign up for Google Apps, you will remain on the current webmail system. Please note that mail quotas will remain unchanged and additional functionality will not be able to be provided. Please be aware that the current webmail system will be phased out in the near future.
What if I change my mind?
Answer
The Google Applications signup is final, so we ask you to sign up only if you are sure that is what you wish to do, once you click the Sign Me Up button the decision is final and you must accept the Google Terms and Conditions to gain access to the account.
If you need to think about the decision to sign up to Google Applications, you are welcome to do so.
Why is Google Apps rolled out to @student.adelaide.edu.au account holders only?
Answer
That is a great question! At this stage, the University of Adelaide is reviewing feasibility of implementing Google Apps for @adelaide.edu.au account holders (including staff, post graduate students and research students) due to the prevalence of research data and IP generated by those account holders. The suitablity of Google Apps for the students in these categories will be assessed on a case by case basis over the next few months.
I am a dual role student, and have been or am employed by the University. Can I sign up?
Answer
Dual role students are somewhat special and fall in the following categories:
- Students who may be or have been employed by the University
- Staff who may also be studying
By the implementation of Google Apps, the University has effectively separated staff and student email services and this will result in the requirement to manage two inboxes if you are a student/staff profile and you decide to sign up to Google Apps. The signup process will not offer you mail migration from existing webmail account.
As with any internet based mail service, students are expected to apply sound judgement to the use of these types of mail services for staff emails. The University will continue to send staff related email to the webmail account, and student related emails to the Google Apps account should you decide to sign up. It is your responsibility to manage these emails accordingly.
I still have questions about Google Apps, where do I go from here?
Answer
Additional information will be made available via this web page in the lead up to the transition to Google Applications, so check frequently! You may also contact Student Centre on 8303 5208.
Who is the character on the website and on the posters around campus?
Answer
The colourful and eye catching You've Got Mail marketing campaign is based on the character Reginald, or Reg for short.
How do I ask a question in regards to Google Apps?
Answer
If you have a question in regards to the implementation, functionality of Google Apps at the University for the Frequently Asked Questions list, please send an email to Ask Reg. This mailbox is monitored on a daily basis. You will receive notification when your question has been published on the FAQ page.
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