An updated version of Bear Access is being prepared for release to the Cornell community. Bear Access updates are released in June so that computers on campus can be upgraded in time for the fall semester.

The 2007 update includes new versions of selected Bear Access services and a replacement of the SALSA infrastructure.

Release Dates and System Requirements

The new release can be downloaded from the Bear Access Software page starting on Tuesday, June 12, 2007.

The fall 2007 release of Bear Access requires Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or higher or Windows XP-SP2 or higher.

Changes in the Bear Access Package of Services

• Runway
  Runway (an older Windows tool) is no longer available. Bear Access services are available through uPortal.Cornell for both Mac and Windows users.
   
• Thunderbird Mail
  Thunderbird 2.0 will be distributed. (This version supports Windows Vista.)
   
• Eudora Mail:
  Eudora will not be installed by default, but it is available. Choose the Custom Install option and then select Eudora.
  • Mac: Eudora 6.2.5 will remain the current version.
  • Windows: Eudora 6.2.1.2 will remain the current version.
  
  
• News Reader:
  Thunderbird will be upgraded to version 2.0 and will continue as the standard news reader application.
   
  
• File Transfer (FTP):
  
  • Mac: Fetch version 5.2 (for Mac OS X 10.3.9+)
  • Windows: Filezilla will be updated to version 2.2.32
    • Filezilla does not fully support file transfers with CornellC or CRNLMVS.  If you are an administrator who uses CornellC or CRNLMVS and needs access to WS_FTP, it will be available under Campus Hosts or you may wish to try the FTP client distributed with Host Explorer.
  • Users may continue to use their browser to download FTP content.
     
• Telnet/TN3270:
  • Mac: dataComet-Secure will remain the client of choice.
  • Windows: HostExplorer 2006 will be replaced with HostExplorer 2007 (only version supported under Vista).
    • Note for administrative staff using CornellC: Versions of HostExplorer after 6.2.0.11 offer additional connection options, but do not support the host-initiated uploads and downloads used by some users of CornellC.  HostExplorer 2007 and HostExplorer 6 cannot co-exist on the same machine, so you should install only one version.
    • If you are required to use either TCP3270 or HostExplorer 6.2.0.11 to connect to CornellC you will need to use the appropriate choice in the Bear Access channel on uPortal.Cornell.
    • HostExplorer 6.2.0.11 and TCP3270 will continue to be installed in the C:\Program Files\Bear Access\Winba folder structure.
       
• Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, and Firewall:
  
  • Windows XP: Symantec Client Security will be upgraded to the latest version (currently SCS 3/10.1.5.5000).
  • Windows Vista: Symantec AntiVirus Version 11 (may not have Firewall component)  (currently 10.2.0.276).
  • Mac: Norton AntiVirus will be upgraded to the latest version on Mac OS X 10.3+ (currently 10.1.1.).
    
  
  
• SideCar
  • Windows: No changes at the present time.
  • Mac OS X: The upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) does not include support for Kerberos 4 which is required by Sidecar and the SALSA infrastructure. SideCar will only be provided for Mac operating systems 10.1.4 to 10.3.9.

Upcoming changes in Bear Access

The Bear Access package of services is updated by an underlying infrastructure called SALSA. SALSA is an older product and is not supported by newer Mac operating systems (OS X 10.5, Leopard) and has problems running under Windows Vista. Cornell CIT has decided to replace SALSA with a different infrastructure called BASIL. Starting in June 2007, a Bear Access uPortal.Cornell channel will launch installed applications and provide links to download and run installers. CIT is investigating mechanisms to notify users when updates to software are available.

What does this mean to me?

• If you are a new Bear Access user
  Install Bear Access 2007 (with the new BASIL infrastructure).
  
• If you are currently running Bear Access 2006
  • You don't need to make any changes now. However, SALSA services are frozen which means you will not receive updates to applications such as Colts or security updates to applications controlled by SALSA.
  • The new infrastructure will be required in spring 2008 when SALSA is retired.
  • If you want to start using the new BASIL infrastructure, install Bear Access 2007. The two infrastructures can coexist, but software updated using the new infrastructure may not work with SALSA.