DCU Apps

Google Drive

Gmail

DCU Apps Email is Google's web-based email application. It has a lot of great features you won't find in other email applications. The best way to start working with DCU Apps Email is to become familiar with some of its features. 

Email Features

1. Offline Support: Write messages without an internet connection. The next time you connect it will be sent.
2. Inbox Management: Manage your email using labels and filters to organise.
3. Powerful Search: By searching across all your emails you can find exactly what you're looking for.
4. Works with DCU Apps Calendar: Add events straight to calendar from your email.
5. Spam Filtering: No more spam with Googles cutting edge filtering.

Google Calendar

Organising your schedule shouldn't be a burden. With DCU Apps Calendar, it's easy to keep track of life's important events all in one place. For more information on DCU Apps Calendar visit here.

Calendar Features

1. Share Your Schedule: Share your calendar with others and view schedules that others have shared with you.
2. Get Your Calendar On The Go: Access your Calendar on your smart phone.
3. Inbox Management: Manage your email using labels and filters to organise.
4. Never Forget Another Event Again: Customisable reminders help you stay on schedule.
5. Send Invitations and Track RSVPs: Invite other people to events on your calendar.
6. Work Offline: Know where you're supposed to be even when you don't have internet access.

Tips and suggestions can be found on the below link:

  Guides 

DCU Apps is a fantastic set of modern applications which is continually updated and upgraded helping DCU to keep pace in a fast changing IT world. These modern business tools will form an important part of the President's vision for a '21st Century Digital Campus' where state-of-the-art IT is part of the DCU fabric. Some benefits for DCU at a glance:

1. Reliability: 99.9% monthly uptime percentage: Google Apps SLA.
2. Common Platform: Staff and students of DCU (and the linked colleges) using one common set of applications.
3. Web Based Access: All applications available from any web browser - no need to install additional software.
4. Cost Savings: The services are provided by Google at no cost to educational institutions.
5. Ease of Use: Google employs vast teams of usability experts who continually update and improve the products.
6. Mobility: DCU Apps are easily configured and synchronised to all your mobile devices allowing 24 X 7 access.

Q:   What is Gmail?

Answer:

Gmail is Google’s email program. Gmail provides features such as integrated chat, labels, filters, and search. If you are new to Gmail see one or more of Google's getting started guides below

1. Gmail Overview
2. Gmail Tutorial
3. Gmail quick start

Q:   Where do I log into my DCU Apps Gmail account?

Answer:

Students can login directly here: Student Login

Staff can login directly here: Staff Login

Login with your DCU email address (e.g. joe.bloggs@dcu.ie) and your DCU registration/network/Loop password.

Q:   Who do I contact for support?

Answer:

If you have any problems or issues while using or accessing your DCU Apps a/c please contact Information Systems Services for support.

Q:   I am very concerned about the security and privacy of my information, should I be?

Answer:

These are very valid and common concerns for users of Google Apps but rest assured Google have a number of resources available to address these issues.

1. Security and Privacy FAQ
2. Privacy Center

Q:   What if I already have a personal Gmail account?

Answer:

DCU Apps is a separate account that allows you to send and receive Gmail (Google email) using your @mail.dcu.ie email address for students and @dcu.ie for staff. Your DCU Apps account provides the benefits of Gmail in an ad-free environment.

Q:   Are themes available in my DCU Apps Gmail account?

Answer:

Yes .. More Information is available here.

There are 2 things to be aware of

1. They are only available in the latest browsers. See the information link above for details.
2. Themes are considered a pre-release feature. And Google says of these features
   "These features should be considered in testing for Google Apps, and we are unfortunately unable to offer support for these specific features."
   So we have enabled themes but they are unsupported by Google in the DCU Apps environment. This means if you have problems with themes or if they do not work as expected there is nothing we can do.

Q:   Why can't I log into my DCU Apps account through the Google site?

Answer:

DCU Apps is DCU's installation of the Google Apps for Education software suite, which Google offers to educational institutions and non-profit organisations. Due to account customisation and security requirements, users must log in through DCU's authentication system.

Q:   How will I control spam?

Answer:

Your new DCU Gmail account will be protected from spam by Google’s antispam software. There will be a spam label below to inbox to check if mail has been incorrectly marked as spam. You will no longer receive the spam reports from the DCU spam system.

Further information from Google

Q:   Can I use other email programs to access my DCU Apps email?

Answer:

 How we access our email has a significant implication for how exposed we are to the phishing threat. Gmail which is accessed through the Gmail app or a web browser provides users with the benefits from Google's best in class spam protection and mitigation techniques. Email clients are no longer supported, such as the following

• Outlook
• Thunderbird
• Mac Mail
• Windows Mail
• Third party mobile apps

The predominant method of infection in the recent attacks has been identified as weak email client security. To help mitigate future attacks on DCU accounts it is necessary to implement restrictions on email client access to DCU staff email. 

Q:   Why is it that my DCU Apps account doesn’t have the same applications as my personal Gmail account?

Answer:

Your DCU Apps account is part of a software suite called Google Apps for Education, which Google offers to educational institutions and non-profit organisations. Google decides which services to include in the Google Apps for Education software suite.

Q:    What if I want to use a Google program that is not offered through DCU Apps?

Answer:

If you wish to use a Google program that is not included in DCU Apps, such as Google Groups, you can use your personal Gmail account. If you do not have a personal Gmail account, you can sign up for one at www.gmail.com.

Q:    Sharing sensitive information by email?

Answer:

Unencrypted email is not a secure way to transfer sensitive information regardless of the email solution or where that email solution may be hosted ('in the cloud' or 'on premises'). Advice in this regard is not changing as a result of a move to an email solution provided by Google.

Encryption should be used to protect sensitive data sent by email. The DCU Data Handling Guidelines should be referred to for guidance as to what data should be encrypted.

Instructions on how to encrypt data to be sent by email is contained on the ISS Encryption page.

Q:   What happens to my DCU Apps a/c when I retire?

Answer:

All staff retain their DCU Apps a/c when they retire and have access to the entire suite of apps for education including Google Drive for which they have unlimited storage.

Q:   What happens to my DCU Apps a/c when I graduate?

Answer:

All students retain their DCU Apps email account when they graduate.

Q:   What is DCU's agreements with Google?

Answer:

On foot of advice from DCU's legal advisors, DCU has entered into agreements with Google Inc to provide the services we refer to as 'DCU Apps'. These services are provided by Google Inc. Certain Google services are covered under the 'Google Apps for Education Agreement'. These services are referred to as 'Core Google Services'. The Core Google Services are Calendar, Contacts, Drive, E-mail, Groups for Business, Sites, Talk and, Video.

Services that do not form part of the Core Google Services are referred to as 'Google Consumer Apps'. General 'Google Terms of Service' apply to these products. Examples include, but are not limited to, YouTube, Google+ and Google Maps. Google's Privacy Policy forms part of Google's Terms of Service.

Google Apps Acceptable Use Policy applies to all Google services.

All members of the DCU community are encouraged to review the terms of service and applicable policies of all Google services they intend to use. DCU routinely receives advice from the University's legal advisors in relation to Google agreements.

DCU Staff Shared Google Drives are shared spaces where your teams can easily store, search, and access their files anywhere, from any device.

DCU Staff Shared Drives files belong to the team instead of an individual. Even if members leave, the files stay exactly where they are so your team can continue to share information and work.

Note when creating a DCU Staff Shared Drive assign the highest access level (such as full access) to all team members.

What can you do with a DCU Staff Shared Drive?

You can create a DCU Staff Shared Drives for your projects or team to share information and work.

For more information on Google Shared Drive please visit the G Suite Learning Centre