iRattler, FAMU wireless network and FAMMail fused together to reinforce the university’s security

Florida A&M’s Division of Enterprise Information Technology (EIT) created a single sign-in solution allowing students access to iRattler, FAMU wireless network and FAMMail by using their FamNet ID—formerly their FamMail username and password.

“The Division of Enterprise Information Technology made the decision to implement the FamNet ID unified access system/single sign-on solution, campus wide over a year ago,” said Robert Seniors, vice president of information technology. “This decision was made in an effort to strengthen the university’s security posture.”

Seniors stated that over the past week the EIT department has worked extended hours in an effort to minimize the impact of this change on the user community.

“The division sent out two EIT advisory notices as well as created a splash page to alert users of the change and provide log in instructions,” said Seniors. “The EIT staff has personally visited administrative and faculty offices as well as student labs to help the user community with any difficulties they may have experienced initially.”

Some students have felt the impact of the change to the FamNet ID.

“The concept makes sense,” said Chevone Driver, 19, a first-year elementary education student from West Palm Beach. “The only inconvenience for me is I don’t know my FamMail password.”

Tiffany DeVaughn, 19, a first-year cardio pulmonary science student from Houston agrees with Driver. DeVaughn feels the way students were notified of the change could have been done more effectively.

“I didn’t find out about the change until I tried to log in to iRattler,” said DeVaughn. “Using the FamMail password made the transition for me more difficult because I don’t use my FamMail so I didn’t know my password.”

“The only difficulty I had was having to get a FAMMail account to use iRattler,” said Alonzo Newton, 20, second-year biology student from Winter Haven. “[FAMU] Should have used the password from the iRattler account because everyone has to use their iRattler account, but not their FamMail account.”

Florida A&M’s Division of Enterprise Information Technology (EIT) created a single sign-in solution allowing students access to iRattler, FAMU wireless network and FAMMail by using their FamNet ID—formerly their FAMMail username and password.

“The Division of Enterprise Information Technology made the decision to implement the FamNet ID unified access system/single sign-on solution, campus wide over a year ago,” said Robert Seniors, vice president of information technology. “This decision was made in an effort to strengthen the university’s security posture.”

Seniors stated that over the past week the EIT department has worked extended hours in an effort to minimize the impact of this change on the user community.

“The division sent out two EIT advisory notices as well as created a splash page to alert users of the change and provide log in instructions,” said Seniors. “The EIT staff has personally visited administrative and faculty offices as well as student labs to help the user community with any difficulties they may have experienced initially.”

Some students have felt the impact of the change to the FamNet ID.

“The concept makes sense,” said Chevone Driver, 19, a first-year elementary education student from West Palm Beach. “The only inconvenience for me is I don’t know my FAMMail password.”

Tiffany DeVaughn, 19, a first-year cardio pulmonary science student from Houston agrees with Driver. DeVaughn feels the way students were notified of the change could have been done more effectively.

“I didn’t find out about the change until I tried to log in to iRattler,” said DeVaughn. “Using the FAMMail password made the transition for me more difficult because I don’t use my FAMMail so I didn’t know my password.”

“The only difficulty I had was having to get a FAMMail account to use iRattler,” said Alonzo Newton, 20, second-year biology student from Winter Haven. “[FAMU] Should have used the password from the iRattler account because everyone has to use their iRattler account but not their FAMMail account.”

Seniors explained why EIT division chose to use the FAMMail username and password.

“The FAMMail username and password was chosen for the single sign-in solution because the FAMMail system serves as a central directory for all users,” said Seniors. “EIT would also like to encourage more students to use their FAMMail account as this is the official form of communication at the university. Using the iRattler system credentials was simply not an option.”

Seniors also explained how the change to the FamNet ID was beneficial to students and faculty.

“The ability to use one username and password to access all systems makes password management easier for the users as well as simplifies administration and increases efficiency at the helpdesk,” said Seniors. “EIT is committed to keeping the FAMU community on the cutting edge of technology by providing the best technology solutions.”