WISER:Remote access to databases and datasetsThis session will help you to set up access to Oxford online resources from your home computer. The key methods are Athens passwords and the Virtual Private Network.

Judy Reading & Peter Higginbotham

Outline of sessionThis session will cover:

A brief overview of the range of resources which you may wish to access from home.

An outline of how to find out which method is most appropriate for which resource

Instructions for how to set up access through each of the methods described.

OxLIPOxLIP (Oxford Libraries Information Platform) is a gateway to

hundreds of electronic resourceshttp://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip/

Includes: – catalogues – abstracting & indexing services– reference works – full-text resources– statistical resource – official publications– electronic journals – quality web resources– current awareness services

Free and subscription databases Oxford resources eg OXAM (Examination papers)

Examples of DatabasesAbstract and Indexing Services: CSA (ASSIA, ERIC, LISA, Social Services Abs,

Sociological Abs, Worldwide Political Science Abs) IBSS (International Bibliography of the Social Sciences) WebSPIRS (EconLit, PAIS, PsycInfo)

Citation index: Web of Knowledge/Social Science Citation Index

Other: TDNet (Electronic journals) Catalogues Theses and Dissertations Other OXLIP resources Web resources

Remote access to electronic resources

If you are a member of Oxford University and are using a PC, Mac or Unix workstation within the ox.ac.uk domain you will be able to access most electronic resources without requiring a username and/or password.

If you want to access electronic resources from outside Oxford University you will need to register either for a personal username and password or for the University's VPN Service, and in some cases both.

Oxam from off campus

Justis – from on-campus

Justis – from off campus

Athens/SSO The Athens authentication service allows the use of a

single username and password to access all electronic resources listed here http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/athens/resources.xml from any network connected computer.

Until recently to use the service you had to register for an Athens personal account and set a password (still possible via https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk)

Now Oxford is in the process of migrating to the use of the Single Sign-on (SSO) username and password instead of the Athens password

You will be able to access the same range of services

VPN: Virtual Private Network The great majority of resources are limited to the Oxford

Internet domain by IP address. This means that when within the ox.ac.uk domain no login is required.

When working off campus, you can be allocated an Oxford IP address through the University's Virtual Private Network (VPN) Service. This makes your computer part of our virtual campus.

To use this service you must register for a remote access account and install and run VPN software on your computer.

Many of these resources can also be accessedthrough your Athens/SSO username and password.

How do you know what to use?VPN or Athens

Athens only Not yet through SSO

VPN only

Most resources

Digimap

ESDS (Economic and Social Data Service) databases

International and specialist databases for Law and the Business School.

Westlaw

Taylor & Francis

E-books

Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Europa World of Learning

Some full-text journals

OXAM

For complete coverage use both!

PROs CONs

VPN Most comprehensive

Also needed to access campus wireless network (OWL)

Requires extra software and special password

Only appropriate for owned machine

Athens/SSO No extra software required

Uses existing SSO password

Smaller coverage

The Oxford Single Sign-On Account

This account is the key to remote access of digital resources

You already use your SSO account for Webmail, Weblearn, OUCS Course booking etc.

You can also now use it instead of the Athens username and password.

Using the Athens/SSO Account

Look for the Alternative Login on Athens login screens:

• Search for ‘Oxford’ and click Go• Click on University of Oxford entry in list• Click on Go underneath the Go to the

University of Oxford login page (the ‘Remember’ option is ticked by default and will shorten the process next time)

• Login with your Oxford Single Sign-On details

Demonstration: Setting up VPN More details on VPN can be found at

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/remote/ You need to both register for a remote access account and

download and install the VPN client software Available for Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and Vista,

Mac OSX 10.2-4 (and all Intel Macs), Linux and Solaris 

You can do both of the above through the Self-Registration Interface https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk/

Start the VPN software whenever you need access to Oxford electronic resources

Demonstration: Using VPN On Windows, click the Start button and look in the All

Programs list for Cisco Systems VPN Client On Mac OSX the Applications folder will contain VPN Client Click Connect then enter your Remote Access username and

password Software can be set to remember the password, but don’t do

this unless you are the only user of the machine

The Most Common VPN Problems Error Message: The remote peer is no longer responding

Indicates a firewall blocking VPN traffic. Required settings are: UDP Port 500, 4500 and 10000 open for send/receiveIP protocol 50 (ESP) allowed

Error Message: User authentication failed username/password provided are not what the server expects.

Password can be reset via the OUCS self-registration pagehttps://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk

password has changed since VPN client remembered it. VPN will forget the password via Connection Entries Modify Erase User Password

For other problems try the online trouble-shooter: www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/helpcentre/troubleshooting/vpn/

Help

• You can ask your local Library or IT staff for help

• Ask at the OUCS Help Centre or see http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/help

• Problems with accessing e-resources can be sent to eresources@ouls.ox.ac.uk