RWTHcontacts – What’s New?
Source: Freepik
Is the order of your affiliations in RWTHcontacts incorrect? Or is your primary organization not listed correctly?
Since May 26, 2025, you can easily change some of your data yourself.
Don’t worry, you can now access part of the person directory (PVZ) even without the “Administration Organization” role!
Re-Certified: Reliable IT Support
Source: Freepik
Whether you have questions, problems or concerns about the IT services of the IT Center – the IT-ServiceDesk of the Service & Communication department is always there to help and advise you. For us, quality means that you can rely on us at all times – for fast, friendly and reliable help. That’s why we have our work regularly reviewed by independent bodies as part of audits and are certified in accordance with the international standard DIN EN ISO 9001:2015. This ensures that our processes meet the highest standards – now and in the future.
Safety and Health at Work
Source: Martin Braun
April 28, 2025, marked World Day for Safety and Health at Work – a global day of action that reminds millions of people every year of the importance of safe and healthy working conditions. This day was established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and has become an important platform for awareness-raising, dialogue and political impetus. We at the IT Center would also like to use this day to draw attention to current developments, opportunities and challenges in the field of occupational health and safety – and also to focus on our own health promotion services.
RWTH, May We Introduce: git.nrw
Source: git.nrw
A new service is now available to employees and students in pilot operation: git.nrw!
The associated git.nrw project was launched to provide a central platform to facilitate the exchange of code and ideas between developers, students, and teachers. The aim of the project is to provide a shared central GitLab instance for all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia to facilitate cross-institutional work.
The technical requirements have now been met to gradually open up the instance. RWTH is one of the first universities in North Rhine-Westphalia to be allowed to use the platform. Other universities will be connected step by step.
Find out what the git.nrw service can do and how you can use it for your everyday tasks in the blog post.
Changed opening hours on May 28, 2025
Source: Freepik
On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the IT-ServiceDesk will only be available during limited opening hours due to an internal event.
How to Set up a Secure Home Network
Source: Freepik
More and more devices in our everyday lives are connected to the internet – from home offices and online banking to smart thermostats and surveillance cameras. And all these digital helpers access a common system: the home network. It forms the heart of our digital infrastructure at home. In this article, we explain what a home network is, what risks it poses, and how you can effectively protect it from attacks.
Coscine User Survey 2025 – Take part now!
Source: Own illustration
Once again this year, we would like to invite you to take part in the Coscine Survey 2025. From April 28 to May 30, 2025, you will have the opportunity to share your experiences, wishes, and suggestions with us.
Coscine supports you in organizing and storing research data – and thrives on active exchange with everyone who uses the platform. Your feedback is crucial for further developing Coscine and tailoring it even better to your needs. Read the rest of this entry »
The Results of the 2024 IT Center Satisfaction Survey Are In!
Source: Own illustration
In October and November 2024, we conducted our 13th IT Center Satisfaction Survey, in which all members of the RWTH Aachen University community, including students and staff, were able to evaluate the services and support offered by the IT Center. In the survey, we also asked you for suggestions for improvement, which have already been reviewed and analyzed by our various teams and groups over the past few months.
DNS at RWTH Aachen University Part 1:
History & Function of the DNS
Source: Freepik
The Domain Name System (DNS) makes the Internet usable by translating readable names such as rwth-aachen.de into IP addresses. It originated from simple lists of names and developed into a globally distributed, hierarchical system. Today, it fulfils many more tasks – for example in the areas of e-mail, IT security and network management. The DNS also plays a central role at RWTH Aachen University and is protected by modern technologies such as DNS firewalls. This article provides an overview of the origin, structure and current significance of the DNS.
Noise in the Workplace – The Underestimated Stress Factor
Source: Own illustration
Stress in everyday working or studying life has many faces. We usually think of overflowing inboxes, tight deadlines, or technical problems that make the day difficult. What is often forgotten is that the environment in which we work or study also has a major impact on our concentration and well-being. One of the most overlooked factors is noise.
Whether in the office, at home, or in the library, constant background noise challenges our brains and reduces productivity. On International Noise Awareness Day on April 30, it is therefore particularly worthwhile to take a closer look. In this article, we explain the effects of noise on our ability to work and how the acoustic environment can be improved with a few tricks.
