Month: March 2025

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your home—your computer needs a refresh too! Clearing out old files, updating software and decluttering your desktop can improve performance, enhance security and free up valuable space. Follow the tips below to clean up your digital devices and start the season more organized!

Utilize CCIT storage options

Upload any work-related files you want to keep to University-managed storage solutions available to you. Clemson offers 10GB of personal file storage space, plus cloud storage options through Box, Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive.

Organize your files

Declutter your desktop, sort files into folders and rename files logically so you can quickly locate what you need.

Free up space on your computer

A cluttered hard drive can slow down your system. Delete unwanted files, empty your recycle bin, clear your browser cache and delete temporary downloads to free up storage space on your computer.

Update software

Keeping your programs up-to-date ensures your computer stays secure and runs smoothly. Software updates often include important security patches that protect your system from vulnerabilities. Make sure your operating system and applications are set to update automatically or check for updates regularly.

Remove unused software

Unused programs take up storage and can slow down your device. Uninstall any applications you no longer use, freeing up space and improving your computer’s performance.

Taking the time to clean up and organize your digital space can boost efficiency, protect your data and extend the life of your device. Start your spring cleaning today and enjoy a faster, more secure computer! Contact the CCIT Support Center if you need assistance with any of these spring cleaning tech tips.

March 10 – March 16

Welcome to CCIT This Week, where we give you a rundown of news, tips, upcoming maintenance and more. This page will be updated throughout the week. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) for information and timely updates. Check outage and maintenance information on the CCIT Status Page.

News

The CCIT Support Center offers real-world experiences and skills for students! Clemson University students, faculty and staff rely on technology every day, and the Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) Support Center is often their first stop when issues arise. Students working in the Support Center develop professional skills while still studying full-time, which differentiates them from others when they prepare for the job market after graduation.

The Clemson VPN login process has been changed. On Friday, February 14, CCIT upgraded the virtual private network (VPN), changing the login process. When connecting to the VPN, rather than seeing a pop-up that requires you to enter your Clemson credentials plus the word “push,” you will now be directed to the standard Clemson login page and Duo prompt.

Events

The next Research Computing and Data live workshop is a two-part series on advanced deep learning in Pytorch! Join the RCD team on March 25 and 27 at 2 p.m. for these live sessions on advanced PyTorch development topics including model fine-tuning, using multiple GPUs during training, experiment tracking, and more. Registration is required; open to all Palmetto users. Participants must have basic familiarity with Python programming and a good grasp of Pytorch fundamentals.

The popular GIS Fundamentals Workshop Series continues! These workshops have been streamlined to cover six critical topics that guarantee coverage of all the GIS fundamentals. The next workshop topic will be “Intermediate Spatial Analysis” on Friday, March 14. These hybrid workshops are free and open to all Clemson students, faculty, and staff; no previous experience is necessary! Sessions will be delivered both online and in person every other Friday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Note: Attendance at the first two workshops is mandatory to participate in the remaining sessions.

Get ready to get creative at Makerday XVIII! Makerday is Clemson’s largest show-and-tell event, promoting creativity, innovation, and design. It allows students, clubs and faculty to show off the things they’ve made this semester, as well as interact with stations to make buttons, stickers, t-shirts and more. Drop-in to Makerday on Tuesday, April 15 between 3 to 6 p.m. in the Watt Family Innovation Center atrium.

March Tech Tip

Follow these tech tips to help you stay safe during Spring Break! Spring Break is right around the corner and itineraries may be well underway. Now more than ever, staying safe on trips extends far beyond applying enough sunscreen, staying hydrated and moving in groups. In fact, technology can play a key role in keeping you safe, especially when so many of our plans involve our smartphones and different applications.

Spring Break is right around the corner and itineraries may be well underway. Now more than ever, staying safe on trips extends far beyond applying enough sunscreen, staying hydrated and moving in groups. In fact, technology can play a key role in keeping you safe, especially when so many of our plans involve our smartphones and different applications. 

Here are some quick reminders to ensure you can stay tech safe this Spring Break too: 

1. Use Clemson VPN when connecting to “unsecured” wifi networks. This will keep others from potentially accessing what you are browsing, especially with transactions. 
2. Seek out eduroam networks if traveling near another campus community. These are more secure and you will automatically connect to them if you use those devices on Clemson’s eduroam. There are over 33,000 eduroam connections worldwide! 
3. Do not plug your cellphone charger directly into a USB port at the airport or on transportation. Always use a charger block and an outlet.
4. Passwords protect all of your devices. Do not use passwords that are easily breakable either. 1234 is a good way to have your information 123-gone. While sharing is caring in most scenarios, keep those passwords to yourself.  
5. Disable Bluetooth when not in use. It may be tempting to keep it on all the time, but this is one way to prevent unwanted device pairings/connections. 
6. Do not fall for phishing scams or too-good-to-be-true deals for rentals of any kind. Ensure you are using a secure, legitimate service website. Cybercriminals know that Spring Break happens in March, too. 
7. Avoid sharing your exact location on social media. Be mindful that people may be able to locate you and while it may be tempting to share exactly where you are and the cool stuff you are doing on your trip, consider how it impacts your safety and the safety of others around you. 

We wish all of our Tigers a happy, healthy, and safe Spring Break. Take care of yourselves and know that we are here to support you if needed. To see the adjusted Spring Break CCIT Support Center hours, visit this page.