WISER:

1
WISER Remote access to databases and
datasets This session will help you to set up
access to Oxford online resources from your home
computer. The session will help you to identify
which of several methods is most appropriate for
your needs. Methods will include Athens
passwords, Dial-up and the Virtual Private
Network.
Judy Reading Katherine Craddock
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• Outline of session
• This 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.

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• OxLIP
• OxLIP (Oxford Libraries Information Platform) is
  a gateway to hundreds of electronic resources
• http//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

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• Examples of Databases
• Abstract 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

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• 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 Athens username
  and password or for the University's VPN Service,
  and in some cases both.

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• Athens
• 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.
• To use the service you must register for an
  Athens personal account and set a password.

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• VPN Virtual Private Network
• The great majority of resources are limited to
  the Oxford Internet domain by IP address. This
  means that even if you can access them via Athens
  outside Oxford, when within the ox.ac.uk domain
  no login is required.
• When working off campus, it is possible to be
  allocated an Oxford address through the
  University's Virtual Private Network (VPN)
  Service.
• To use this service you must register for a
  remote access account and install and run VPN
  software on your computer.

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• How do you know what to use?
• OXLIP includes information about access to
  specific databases
• If you use VPN off campus you will have access to
  nearly all electronic resources
• However, there are a few which are available
  through Athens only eg Digimap, databases from
  ESDS (Economic and Social Data Service)
  International and specialist databases for Law
  and the Business School.
• Athens does allow access to many of our resources
  (including some full-text journals -JSTOR,
  ScienceDirect, Ingenta and Blackwell Synergy are
  Athens-compliant).
• But some resources are only available through
  VPN, including some of the full-text journals
• Some networked CD-Roms require the download of
  thin client software instructions are
  available and you can email itsupport_at_ict.ox.ac
  .uk for help

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• How do you know what to use?
• General rules of thumb
• If you do not require Athens to access any of the
  resources you use when you are on campus, you
  should be able to use them off campus with VPN
  only.
• If you do require Athens to use a particular
  resource on campus you will also need Athens off
  campus and may need VPN as well.
• If you are having difficulties getting VPN to
  work, you may find that Athens gives you access
  to most of or all the resources you need.
  Alternatively a dial-up connection might provide
  a solution.

10

• The Oxford Single Sign-On Account
• This account is the key to remote access of
  digital resources
• Everyone is assigned an Oxford single sign-on
  account when their first university card is
  issued
• Once activated, the account gives access to
  Webmail and WebLearn as well as the
  Self-Registration Interface https//register.oucs.
  ox.ac.uk/ allowing
• registration for an Athens account
• registration for a Remote Access account
• the download of software such as VPN
• registration of machines for the central
  automated backup system

11

• Demonstration Registering for and Using and
  Athens Account
• More details about the Athens account can be
  found at http//www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/athens/
• A link to the self-registration page can be found
  on the OUCS home page www.ox.ac.uk
• Once your username and password are active you
  can access all available services which use
  Athens authentication by going to
  http//www.athens.ac.uk/ and login at the "My
  Athens" button.

12

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

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VPN Server in Oxford
How does VPN Work?
Researchers Laptop
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• 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
  VPNClient
• Software can be set to remember the password, but
  dont do this unless you are the only user of the
  machine

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• 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
  self-registration page
• 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/trou
  bleshooting/vpn/