New to the FBRI - Start Here!

Welcome to the FBRI!  This article is intended to help you get started with setting up your accounts, getting familiar with this Help Site, and introducing you to some of our services.   Whether you are faculty, staff, students, volunteers, or collaborators, this site contains resources to help you get started.  

Please review the entire article as it contains important steps and information.  Please also provide any feedback you may have and report any broken or incorrect links.  

Welcome to the Team!

NOTE: It can be helpful to right-click on the links below and open them in a new tab or Window so you don't 'lose' this page.  
For the purpose of this article, 'Virginia Tech' refers to the main Blacksburg campus and the services it provides. 'FBRI' refers to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and services and systems provided by it.  
Not all services and tools listed are available to volunteers and collaborators, so all sections below may not apply. 

EMERGENCY CONTACTS AND ALERTS: 
Please make sure you are aware of our security and emergency contact information and sign up for system alerts if you have not yet done so through Virginia Tech. 

1. FBRI emergency Contact Information.
2. View and Subscribe to Emergency Alerts (FBRI / VTC, VT, Carilion Clinic).

EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINT: 
1. FBRI Fire Drill and Evacuation Assembly Point.

PARKING AND CAMPUS MAP:
Please visit our Campus and Facilities page for information on the campus, parking, transportation, and more.  

IT POLICIES:
Virginia Tech and the FBRI have policies for the access and use of information technology and related services.  Review the following policies and ensure you are familiar with the guidelines and expectations therein:

1. FBRI Computer Resources Acceptable Use Policy
2. Univeristy IT Related Policies
3. Virginia Tech Acceptable Use Policy

USER ACCOUNTS AND PASSWORDS:

1. Why do I have two user accounts and what are they for? 
2. Establishing or resetting your FBRI password.
3. Getting started with 2 factor authentication (2FA) for your Virginia Tech PID.
4. Changing your Virginia Tech PID password.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Update your contact information in the FBRI directories and address book. 

EMAIL:

REQUIRED: VISIT THIS PAGE to learn to detect and avoid email phishing attempts!

The FBRI also provide ENCRYPTED EMAIL SERVICES for sending sensitive and private data. 

1. Students, collaborators, volunteers and COVID-19 testing lab staff won't typically receive a separate, additional FBRI mailbox. Instead, we create an email address in our address book that is forwarded to your @vt.edu or other external account.  If you have a need for a mailbox, or your lab requires one, just let us know through this help site!
2. As a member of the FBRI Faculty and Staff, you will have two email addresses.  You will need to check both accounts or follow step 6 below: 
   1. Assigned by Virginia Tech: PID@vt.edu
   2. Assigned by FBRI: PID@vtc.vt.edu
3. Accessing your FBRI email.
4. Accessing your Virginia Tech email. 
5. Why do I have two email address? 
6. How to forward your @vt.edu mail to @vtc.vt.edu (RECOMMENDED).
7. Join the HS&T Social Events and Activities mailing list / Google Group to receive a weekly digest of events, activities, and opportunities taking place on the Roanoke campus.  
8. To set up your FBRI email on your mobile device, search this help site for Android or iOS and you will be presented with articles for configuring mail using the native mail app on your device as well as how to install the mobile version of Outlook and configure it.  (The choice and preference is yours.)

HELP CENTER:
You are already here!  This FBRI Help Center is intended to assist you with interacting with all services and departments within the FBRI.  Please register and create an account then explore this site and return to it often.  Use your FBRI email address to register.  (NOTE: Because many of our users are external to the FBRI, the password for this help site is separate / unique and not tied to your FBRI credentials.  You must create and use a separate password when registering.)  

1. Navigating and using the FBRI Help Site. 
2. Registering and creating an account for the FBRI Help Site.
3. Recovering a forgotten password for the FBRI Help Site. 

PHONE AND VOICE MAIL:

If you have been assigned a desk phone at the FBRI you also have a voice mailbox.  Your initial password for voicemail will be emailed to your @vtc.vt.edu email address. 

1. Basic phone and voice mail operations. 
2. Setting up your Virginia Tech voice mail. 

VIDEO AND VOICE CONFERENCES:  The FBRI utilizes the Virginia Tech site license for the Zoom video and voice conferencing platform.  If you need assistance with a meeting or conference, or would like a brief Zoom training session, Start a conversation with us and we will be happy to assist!

1. Using Zoom video and calling conference services.
2. Comprehensive Zoom documentation. 

WIRELESS / WiFi:
The FBRI offers wireless networking to all faculty, staff, and students.  The primary wireless network is VTCRI-Wireless. 

1. Connect your Windows PC to the wireless network.
2. Connect your Mac (OSX) to the wireless network. 
3. Connect your iOS device to the wireless network. 
4. Connect your Android device to the wireless network. 

PRINTING:
The FBRI offers several printers in common areas that allow for print, copy, FAX, scan to email, and print to USB.  These are typically Konica Minolta BizHub C368 printers and will be pre-installed on most research institute-provided computers.  Each printer should be labeled with it's network name.  

1. Windows: Add a printer
2. Mac OSX: Add a printer
3. Overview of the Konica Minolta BizHub c368
4. Print, Scan, Email, Print to/from USB, FAX 

We also have a 44" plotter / poster printer.  You can request more information on using this device by Starting a Conversation.  

REMOTE ACCESS:
The FBRI offers all faculty, staff, and students the ability to connect and work remotely through our secure VPN. 

1. Connect to the FBRI Virtual Private Network (VPN) - Windows
2. Connect to the FBRI Virtual Private Network (VPN) - Mac OS X

BUILDING ACCESS:
The FBRI controls building access through a combination of cards / badges, and 2-factor fingerprint scanning for access to secured areas.  [How to properly use the fingerprint / biometric readers.]

If you are a new member of the FBRI, your hiring manager or lab supervisor will submit a request for your network, proximity card, and building access.  Biometric (fingerprint) recording will take place after you have met training and facility requirements.  

EMPLOYEES: Visit Human Resources in the first floor Admin Suite to collect your proximity card.  

STUDENTS AND NON-EMPLOYEES: You will receive your proximity card from your lab or Institute affiliation.  Please make arrangements with them to provide access to the building on your first day.

PLEASE NOTE: All network and building access request(s) should be submitted by a PI, supervisor, Lab Manager, or assigned delegate.  Access to the vivarium will be granted through the Vivarium Director.  

COMPUTERS AND DEVICES:
If you have a need to order office or lab computers and or components, visit this page to view our standards.  
Start a Conversation with us and we will provide a quote. We will not execute the purchase until approved to do so by you or your lab.  We offer PCs and laptops (Dell), Macs and MacBooks, and flexible configurations of monitors, docking stations, and accessories including "Scientific Workstations" with and without GPUs.  

IT RESOURCES: 

1. IT Resources Overview

2. Common Research Tools

3. Storage and Data Protection

DATA AND STORAGE:
The FBRI offers these primary network storage locations: 

1. Home Directories: Your private place on the network.
2. Lab Shares: Shared storage for your Lab.
3. Project Shares: Shared storage for projects, typically created as an individual folder / directory for each project.
4. Admin Shares: Departmental shares and organization-wide shares.
5. Encrypted File System

PLEASE NOTE: Data stored on the network is backed up and protected.  FBRI does not backup or protect data stored locally on workstations.  

All network access request(s) should be submitted by a PI, supervisor, Lab Manager, or assigned delegate.  Please do not submit a request for your own access as it will not be approved.

PROTECTING YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER: It is important to protect your personal computer, and the networks you attach to, so please install anti-virus / anti-malware on any non-FBRI assets  if you don't already have a package installed. 

1.  Anti-virus malware protection recommendations.

CONFERENCE ROOM AND AUDIO VISUAL SUPPORT: The FBRI offers many conference rooms, huddle spaces, and classrooms available for your use a member of our team.  We also provide full Audio Visual Support for any of these spaces.  To request AV support, please Start a conversation.

1. Global conference and meeting space list and documentation.
2. How to request a room reservation.