Requirement for users to get GI VPN access

Before you are allowed access to our firewalled/secure area ("Prism" or CIRM"), you have to complete 3 items and provide the completed certificates or forms:

1: You must take and complete the NIH Public Security Refresher Course online. You must complete the course in a single continuous sitting:

https://irtsectraining.nih.gov/public.aspx

Click on the "Enter Public Training Portal" near the bottom of the page. The course is titled "2022 Information Security, Insider Threats, Privacy Awareness, Records Management and Emergency Preparedness Refresher". At the end you will be able to save the completion certificate that should have your name on it.

2: You need to sign the Genomics Institute VPN User Agreement (digital signature OK), located here for download:

Media:GI_VPN_Policy.pdf

3: Please read and sign the last page of the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy agreement (digital signature OK), located here for download. By signing the document you agree that you have read and understand the policies described therein and that you agree to abide by those policies:

Media:NIH_GDS_Policy.pdf

When you have the three documents described above ready, please complete this form: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/a76dbd90ba0240ab9ea9d39b390586ce.

There are two parts in this process.

1. For the user, please fill in ALL required fields and attach all three required documents described above.

2. For the Sponsor/PI - you will receive an email from Smartsheet. Please fill in all required fields and submit.

We will receive your completed request and we will create your account and go over the details via a short zoom meeting with you.

You will need access to the "eduroam" wireless network prior to your zoom appointment if you are on campus. Other UCSC wireless networks such as "cruznet" will not work with our VPN software, so please make sure your laptop works with eduroam before coming to your appointment. Instructions on how to get on eduroam are detailed here:

https://its.ucsc.edu/wireless/eduroam.html

When using the VPN software off-campus, it will usually work unless the wireless network you are on has restrictions preventing it from functioning. Some other universities have such restrictions (notably UCSF), but most other wireless network and home wireless networks should work fine.

Before your appointment, please make sure you install the appropriate OpenVPN software on your laptop:

A laptop running OS X, Windows or Ubuntu

For Macs, please download and install Tunnelblick from https://tunnelblick.net/downloads.html. Select the Latest Stable version.

For Windows, please download and install OpenVPN Client from https://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/downloads.html. Select openvpn-install-x.x.x-xxxx.exe

For Ubuntu, please install network-manager-openvpn by typing:

sudo apt-get install network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome

Please do NOT worry about how to configure the software at this point. We will help you to set it up at your appointment.

We will correspond with you via email on when the appointment will be. The zoom meeting can take up to 30 minutes per person depending on whether or not any issues come up during the software setup. If you show up for your appointment without one (or more) of the above outlined requirements, we will have to reschedule your appointment for a time when you can arrive after completing the above requirements.

PLEASE NOTE: Because of the overhead required in setting up VPN access, please only request access if you have an immediate need to work on data that exists behind the firewall. We have had a decent number of people request access and go through the setup but then never use it. In other words, please do not request access because "one day you might need it", but because you do actually need it!

ALSO NOTE: VPN accounts expire after one year from the date of first gaining access. To renew for another year you will need your PI/sponsor to send us a note asking for renewal.