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UTORrecover

Data recovery - Free computer icons

Overview and Key Features:

UTORrecover is the professionally managed backup solution provided by  the Hardware Infrastructure Group (HIG) in Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) in Information Technology Services (ITS).

Services

  • Institutional Backup and Restore

Features:

  • Daily Backups with Flexible Scheduling: UTORrecover performs daily backups scheduled to run between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. Full backups are done once per month with incremental backups thereafter. Other schedules are available upon request, providing flexibility to meet different backup needs
  • Wide Compatibility with Operating Systems: UTORrecover supports a variety of operating systems including Windows, Solaris, Linux, Netware, MacOS X, and many others. This broad compatibility ensures that most systems within the University can be backed up without issue.
  • Parallel Backups: The ability to back up multiple systems and multiple disks on a single system in parallel significantly reduces the overall time required to complete backups, enhancing efficiency and minimizing downtime
  • File, Directory, Partition, and Disk-Level Backups and Restores: UTORrecover supports comprehensive backup and restore options at various levels, including file, directory, partition, and disk. This flexibility allows for tailored backup strategies to meet specific data protection requirements
  • Local Administrator Recovery Initiation: Local administrators have the capability to initiate recoveries, providing autonomy and quick access to restore data when needed. This feature is crucial for timely data recovery and minimizing disruptions

Help - Free computer icons   Getting Started:

Interested in this service? Contact us: backups@eis.utoronto.ca

Backups via UTORrecover are available to any University of Toronto department or faculty. Other than the requirement that the client system be on the University’s network, there are virtually no restrictions on the type of hardware, operating system or total amount of data to be backed up.

Question mark - Free communications icons   Get Help:

Contact: backups@eis.utoronto.ca

Network as a Service (NaaS)

Network - Free networking icons

Product overview - Free business icons   Overview and Key Features:

Networks as a Service (NaaS) allows departments to leverage the expertise of the EIS Enterprise Networking group to ensure fast, reliable local area network (LAN) connectivity. This service is designed to address skills and capacity gaps often faced by departments with limited IT staff.

NaaS handles the design, provisioning, and ongoing management of departmental networks, making costs more predictable and easier to budget—treating the network as a utility, similar to power, heating, or cooling. Pricing is based on a per-port model and includes the cost of network switches. Departments that have recently completed a network refresh may opt to subscribe to the Network Management component only.

Help - Free computer icons   Getting Started:

If you’re interested in subscribing to NaaS, have questions about the service, or would like to request a network assessment, please contact us.

DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM) Services

Web page - Free web icons   Overview and Key Features:

Occasionally, university faculties, departments, or individuals may require a new top-level domain (TLD) under the university’s official domain name, utoronto.ca. This typically occurs when launching a new web service or renaming an existing one.

TLDs are typically reserved for academic or administrative units of the University (i.e. a school, department, centre, institute or administrative organizational unit of the university).

Getting Started:

Make a request for a domain name using the online form: https://ipam.utoronto.ca/portal/  (Please note that you must be on the UofT’s network or be connected to the UTORvpn service to access the form and you will be prompted to authenticate using your UTORID and password and multi factor authentication (MFA).

Select the button “Request a Subdomain”

From there, you will be asked several questions:

  • The names of the administrative and technical contacts for the domain name.
  • The Department/Faculty/Division making the request.
  • Whether you will be running your own name server or wish ITS to do that for you.
  • Whether there will be a web site associated with the name.

Get Help:

If you have any questions related to the above information, please email the ITS Joint Operations Group: en.help@utoronto.ca

Documentation - Free business and finance icons   External IT Knowledge – DNS User Guide

Documentation - Free business and finance icons   External IT Knowledge – DHCP and IPAM User Guide

Azure Subscriptions

Overview and Key Features:

An Azure subscription provides access to Microsoft’s cloud platform enabling University of Toronto departments to deploy, manage and consume services such as virtual machines, storage, databases and networking. Each subscription acts as a logical container for billing, service usage and resource management within U of T’s Microsoft tenant.

At the University of Toronto, Azure subscriptions are provisioned by Enterprise Apps & Solutions Integration (EASI) and transferred to designated departmental owners for day-to-day operations. Departments are expected to have sufficient technical expertise to manage their Azure environments, including billing independently.

For additional support beyond initial provisioning, departments may contact Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) by submitting a request through the Enterprise Service Centre (ESC).

Key Features:

  • Azure Subscription Access: Provides U of T departments with full access to Azure cloud services under the University’s Microsoft tenant.
  • Departmental Ownership: Departments are assigned as subscription owners to manage their Azure resources, security and costs.
  • Cost Responsibility: Departments are responsible for monitoring, managing and funding their Azure resource consumption.
  • Optional Support: Support is available through EIS by opening an ESC ticket as needed.
  • Billing Integration: Departments must provide their CC and CFC information for billing and financial tracking.

Governance Compliance: All subscriptions must comply with the University of Toronto’s cloud governance, security and operational policies.

Link - Free interface icons

Getting Started:

To request a new Azure subscription at the University of Toronto:

Submit an ESC Ticket

Open a ticket through the Enterprise Service Centre (ESC) system. Include the following information:

  1. Requesting department name
  2. Primary subscription owner and alternate contact
  3. Purpose of the subscription or project description
  4. Any specific configuration requests (if applicable)

Provisioning and Handover

EASI will provision the Azure subscription and assign ownership to the requesting department’s designated contacts.

Post-Provisioning Support

Departments requiring additional Azure support may submit further ESC tickets to EIS for assistance, consultation or issue resolution.

Azure Cloud Infrastructure

Overview and Key Features:

The ITS Azure Cloud Infrastructure team, part of the Systems and Solutions Group (SSG) within Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS), provides expert guidance and hands-on support for departments and divisions looking to adopt Microsoft Azure solutions.

We offer consultation services, establish secure and scalable landing zones, and deliver Platform as a Service (PaaS) capabilities through a shared Azure subscription.

Available Services include:

  • Cloud Consultation: Architecture and planning support for Azure adoption

  • Azure Landing Zones: Design, implementation, and ongoing management

  • Azure Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS): Hosting and infrastructure services within the EIS Azure environment

Learn More:

Brochure - Free business icons    ITS Azure Cloud Service Offerings brochure

Getting Started:

Help - Free computer icons   Get Help:

 

System Management

Systems - Free industry icons

Product overview - Free business icons   Overview and Key Features:

The System Management service provides expert design, implementation, and management of Windows Server and Linux operating systems, along with associated subsystem server software, for divisional and enterprise partners. Systems can be hosted across various platforms, including the ITS Private Cloud and public cloud environments.

This service includes:

  • Configuration of system resources (storage, CPU, memory, etc.)
  • Database access
  • Firewall setup
  • OS upgrades and patching
  • Security: Collaborating with service partners and the Information Security group to identify security requirements and implement tailored solutions, including defensive measures, processes, and regular vulnerability scans.
  • Hosting and management of LAMP stacks (Linux, Apache, MariaDB, PHP/Python/Perl)
  • NET and MS SQL website hosting
  • Performance and resource monitoring
  • DevOps support and integration
  • Complex Problem Solving: Collaboratively solving complex issues with service partners and other technical groups, addressing challenges related to networks, servers, cloud services, and applications.

Help - Free computer icons   Getting Started:

Question mark - Free communications icons   Get Help:

Campus Wi-Fi

Wifi - Free communications icons Overview and Key Features:

Students, staff and faculty:

Registered students, staff and faculty have access to the wireless network, including wireless printing.

A note for U of T faculty and staff:

U of T faculty and staff with valid UTORid credentials can create up to five unique guest Wi-Fi credentials. The duration of these credentials is valid for a maximum of up to five days. To create your guest Wi-Fi credentials, visit the eVA self-serve portal at: eva.eduroam.ca.

Alumni and Visitors:

Alumni and visitors can use the wireless network if sponsored by U of T staff and faculty. These sponsored accounts are known as short term (shorter than 5 days) and long term guest accounts (greater than 5 days). See the Sponsoring a UTORid web page for further information.

Note - Free business icons Getting Started:

Device Guides:

Get Help:

System Status Page

Product overview - Free business iconsOverview and Key Features:

The ITS System Status Page provides an overview of current service status messages and scheduled maintenance for major University of Toronto systems and services. The System Status Page is maintained by the Joint Operations Group (JOG) in Information Technology Services (ITS) and welcomes contributions from IT providers across the University Community.

Service:

  • Communicates status of Mission Critical IT Applications and Systems

Features:

  • IT Administrators contribute status updates in real time

Help - Free computer icons   Getting Started:

Need to post an event or maintenance period to the University Community?

Need to be aware of events or maintenance period in the University Community?

  • Go to The System Status Page
  • Click on the “Subscribe to Updates” (Top of page)
  • If you select email notifications, we recommend using a non-UofT email address so that you will still receive notifications in the event there is an outage that prevents access to university email services.

Question mark - Free communications icons   Get Help:

For help posting to the System Status page, email the JOG: jog.help@utoronto.ca

To report a security incident. Contact the Information Security Team: security.response@utoronto.ca

Joint Operations Group (JOG)

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Overview and Key Features:

The Joint Operations Group (aka. JOG) staffed by Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions(EIS) in Information Technology Services(ITS) monitors the U of T network infrastructure. The JOG also maintains the System Status Page showing the currently availability of the enterprise services. The JOG issues bulletins on scheduled maintenance windows and informs service owners of issues when encountered.

Service - Free industry icons   Services:

  • Monitoring and reporting on U of T network infrastructure
  • Coordination of the ITS System Status page
  • ITS Maintenance communications

Question mark - Free communications icons   Get Help:

The JOG is staffed Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Contact the JOG at jog.help@utoronto.ca or by phone at 416-978-4621.
Voicemail messages left on the JOG phone line outside of regular operating hours are forwarded, via email, to a group of on call staff who will triage and respond to incidents as required.

Report a security incident to the Security Team

ITS Private Cloud / Virtualized Server Hosting

Cloud computing - Free multimedia icons   Overview and Key Features:

The ITS Private Cloud, managed by the Hardware Infrastructure Group (HIG) within Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS), offers secure, high-performance virtual hosting through VMware Enterprise Plus. This service supports a wide range of needs—from mission-critical applications to development and testing.

Key Offering:

  • Virtual hosting on-premises at the St. George Campus

Features:

  • Enterprise-grade virtualization

  • High availability and disaster recovery

  • Scalable and flexible infrastructure

  • Pay-as-you-go pricing model

  • Tier II data centre with redundant cooling, UPS, and diesel backup

  • Minimal downtime and seamless VM migration

  • Mirrored SAN storage to a remote disaster recovery site

  • Secure VPN access to hosted environments

  • Multiple storage options: HDD, SSD, and iSCSI

  • Self-service management via Cloud Portal or Command Line Interface (CLI)

Help - Free computer icons   Getting Started:

Sign up for ITS Private Cloud and receive $100.00 in credit, enough to cover two VMs with 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM, and 40GB Enterprise SSD storage for a full month. Experience the power and flexibility of the ITS Private Cloud risk-free!

Any usage beyond the credit will be billed at the standard rate, and any unused credit will expire 30 days after activation. Disaster recovery replication is included in the standard monthly hosting fee, providing peace of mind and business continuity at no extra cost.

Interested? Contact us : virtual.hosting@utoronto.ca

Question mark - Free communications icons   Get Help:

 Support Contact: vss@eis.utoronto.ca