Want to clean up your Duke inbox or send a quick note to another student or professor this weekend? You might be out of luck.
As Duke University and Duke Health work to add new security to their email, Duke’s Office of Information Technology warned that users could be without access to their accounts for 48 hours starting Friday just before midnight. Microsoft, which runs the email server, said the work will be complete before Monday.
The release noted that no emails will be lost during the "significant security update." Each user's account will be updated individually at some point during the weekend, a process that should take "at most" roughly four hours. The release also explained that some may lose access for longer periods of time, but others may not at all.
Users who are logged into their account when the security fix begins may not be affected, while those who are logged out “may not be able to log back in until after the upgrade is complete.”
"We have worked with many of the major departments that maintain 24/7 operations to ensure continuity of communications through other means during the email update," said Tracy Futhey, chief information officer and vice president for information technology. "However, all managers should discuss and prepare for any needs that might require alternate communication methods within their respective departments for the update period."
Duke recently announced a collaboration with Microsoft, which will provide accelerated cloud computing services to Duke researchers.
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Managing Editor 2018-19, 2019-2020 Features & Investigations Editor
A member of the class of 2020 hailing from San Mateo, Calif., Ben is The Chronicle's Towerview Editor and Investigations Editor. Outside of the Chronicle, he is a public policy major working towards a journalism certificate, has interned at the Tampa Bay Times and NBC News and frequents Pitchforks.