Launch day!

This evening (Monday, August 23), starting at 5pm, the University will cutover to the new Dolphin Email powered by Google system.

The project planning team just met a few minutes ago to review the process for this evening's launch.

We'll post an update here once the new system is alive and available. We estimate that the cutover will be completed by 8pm.

Wondering where you'll find your old Dolphin Email messages? Want to find out about the features of the new system? Answers to these questions and more can be found in the Dolphin Email Migration FAQ.

3 days until launch

All systems "go" for launch of the new Dolphin Email powered by Google.

On this coming Monday evening, August 23, starting at 5:00pm, over 13,000 student and alumni email accounts will go live in the new system with, essentially, a flick of a switch.
 
While mail to the old "@dolphin.csuci.edu" addresses for current students will automatically forward to the new "@myci.csuci.edu" until November 30, we encourage all students and alumni to notify their contacts to start using the new address as of Tuesday, August 24.

Mail in the old Dolphin system will still be available to those that had a Dolphin Email account prior to August 23, 2010. Need more information? Check out the Dolphin Email Migration FAQ.

Just over 1 week to go

We're racing towards the finish line now!

The new Dolphin Email powered by Google will launch on Monday, August 23. The team is putting the finishing touches on its launch preparations.

A lot of messaging has been going out in the last few weeks: emails to current students, alumni, and others impacted by this change.

We've also been dialing in our provisioning process. When it's complete, email addresses for new students and new alumni will be created 2x per day in the new Dolphin Email.

This project has had some interesting side effects on processes and systems at the University. For example, before we started this project, there was no formal definition for what an alumnus/alumna was. Once this was developed, it was implemented programmatically within our system of record (CI Records) to generate a list of alumni that the Gmail provisioning system could use.

Another side-effect was that we worked out some new processes for our identity management. This was important for all the new users (alumni) that we would have in the system. For example, if an alumni didn't know their user name to logon to myCI (our campus portal/single-sign-on), how could they obtain it? They need to have it in order to logon or to reset their myCI password. Who would provide their Dolphin Name to them, and how would the organization verify the identity of an alumnus/alumna requesting their user name?

Fortunately, these and other issues have been worked out during the course of our weekly meetings (since March), email correspondence and many informal conversations.

In any case, we're very excited about the launch, and look forward to this new service.

2 weeks and counting until new Dolphin Email!

(Editor's Note: this email was sent to students via Dolphin Email on 8/5/2010)

On Monday, August 23, 2010, the University will be migrating the Dolphin Email student email system to use Google Apps for Education and Gmail, in preparation for the fall 2010 semester. News and latest information on the project can be found at: http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail

Google Apps is being used by thousands of schools, including more than 30 institutions of higher education. Gmail, as part of Google Apps for Education, provides greater storage capacity, a secure and stable infrastructure, and a user interface that is familiar to many students.

Important Dates and Changes to Student Email:

On Monday, August 23, 2010, the new Dolphin Email powered by Google system will go live, replacing the previous system. You will be able to logon your Dolphin Email through myCI (http://myci.csuci.edu) just as you do now, but you will need to begin using your new Dolphin Email address immediately.

Your Dolphin Email address will change from "@dolphin.csuci.edu" to "@myci.csuci.edu".  So, if your old Dolphin Email address was pat.jones123@dolphin.csuci.edu, after August 23, your new Dolphin Email address will be pat.jones123@myci.csuci.edu.

Messages sent to your old Dolphin Email address will be automatically rerouted to your new Dolphin Email account. However, you’ll need to notify your contacts to begin using your new Dolphin Email address immediately.

You will continue to be able to forward your new Dolphin Email to any external/personal email account. Forwarding instructions are now available in the Dolphin Email Migration FAQ at http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail/faq.htm.

You old Dolphin Email messages & mailbox content will not be migrated into the new Dolphin Email system. Students will be able to use Google's available migration tools to move their existing messages into their new mailboxes. Please read the Dolphin Email Migration FAQ at http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail/faq.htm for instructions.

We look forward to these exciting changes and providing enhanced email features through our partnership with Google. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to visit the project web site at http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail or contact peter.mosinskis@csuci.edu.

Launch Date Change: August 23, 2010

Notice of Launch Date Change

The cutover from the existing Outlook Web Access system to Dolphin Email powered by Google has been rescheduled to take place on Monday, August 23, 2010, starting at 5:00pm  (was previously Friday, August 13, 2010).

The date is being changed in order to address recent technical issues and ensure a smooth system launch. 

Please review the previous announcement and the FAQ page for more details on the coming changes, or visit the project web site  at http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail 

 If you have any questions or comments, contact me at peter.mosinskis@csuci.edu.

Reminder - Dolphin Email migration coming in 4 weeks; new cutover date

(Editor's Note 7/29/2010: the launch date has changed to Monday, August 23, 2010 (was Friday, August 13). The message below has been updated to reflect this change.)
(Editor's Note: this reminder message was sent via Dolphin Email on 7/20/2010).

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In about 4 weeks, the University will be migrating the Dolphin Email student email system to use Google Apps for Education and Gmail, in preparation for the fall 2010 semester. News and latest information on the project can be found at: http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail

Google Apps is being used by thousands of schools, including more than 30 institutions of higher education. Gmail, as part of Google Apps for Education, provides greater storage capacity, a secure and stable infrastructure, and a user interface that is familiar to many students.

Important Dates and Changes to Student Email – New Cutover Date

The cutover from the existing Outlook Web Access system to Dolphin Email powered by Google will take place Monday, August 23, 2010 (was previously Monday, August 16). On that date, you can continue to logon your Dolphin Email through myCI as you do now, but you will need to begin using your new Dolphin Email address immediately.

Your Dolphin Email address will change from "@dolphin.csuci.edu" to "@myci.csuci.edu". So, if your old Dolphin Email address was pat.jones123@dolphin.csuci.edu, after August 23, your new Dolphin Email address will be pat.jones123@myci.csuci.edu.

Messages sent to your old Dolphin Email address will be automatically rerouted to your new Dolphin Email account. However, you’ll need to notify your contacts to begin using your new Dolphin Email address immediately.

You will continue to be able to forward your new Dolphin Email to any external/personal email account. New instructions will be provided on the Dolphin Email help pages in August.

Existing Dolphin Email will not be migrated into the new Dolphin Email system. Students will be able to use Google's available migration tools to move their existing messages into their new mailboxes. Links to these tools will be provided on the Dolphin Email help pages in August.

We look forward to these exciting changes and providing enhanced email features through our partnership with Google. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to visit our web site at http://www.csuci.edu/it/email/gmail or contact me at peter.mosinskis@csuci.edu.

Project update

Over the past few weeks, a select group of students, alumni and University staff have been testing the new Dolphin Email powered by Google system. So far, it appears to be working well.


The planning team continues to meet weekly to discuss issues related to the project. Here are some important updates:

1. One domain to rule them all: the University will have a single Dolphin Email domain, which will include both current students and alumni. Email addresses for both current students and alumni will end with "@myci.csuci.edu". This will enable students and alumni to have a seamless experience. 
2. A student directory...finally! After weighing several options, the planning team has recommended creation of an web-based, opt-out student directory, to enable students to find each other's email addresses more easily. Development of the directory is in progress, and we anticipate its launch within myCI in November 2010. 

In the next few weeks we'll be updating the Dolphin Email Migration FAQ with additional details about the upcoming changes to Dolphin Email.