The hardware which failed has now been replaced and normal service resumed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Hardware failure update
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Author: ecls
//9 December: Hardware failure
//Users are currently unable to access any Digimap Collection. At 17.40 on Monday 8 December, one of Digimap’s service machines suffered a disk failure. In order to fix the problem it has been necessary to order replacement parts for the machine. Our current estimate for restoring full access to Digimap is late this afternoon at the earliest.
When we have a more definite timescale for resolving the problem, we will post the information here, and on the Digimap login page.
Win a prize worth £1750!!
//Are you using Ordnance Survey data in an innovative way? If so, enter the competition and you could win a prize!
EDINA and Ordnance Survey are pleased to announce a competition to find the most innovative use of Ordnance Survey data. To enter the competition you need to submit a summary of your work which describes what you were trying to achieve, what Ordnance Survey data you used (and how), what makes the work and the use of the data innovative, and how the data could be improved to make the work easier, or to have made more possible.
Full competition details
Full details of the competition can be found here. Please ensure you read this document carefully before submitting your application.
Grand Prize
The winner will receive £250 of Amazon vouchers to distribute amongst project colleagues plus travel, accommodation and conference fees for one or more researchers, up to a total value of £1,500, to a conference of your choice. There are second and third prizes of £250 and £100 in Amazon vouchers.
Closing date
The closing date for entries is midnight on Saturday 31st January 2009. Entries may be submitted by email or on paper.
Questions
All questions regarding the competition should be addressed to Ordnance Survey directly, on universityenquiries@ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Good luck!
Usage Figures for Site Representatives
//Site Representatives for Digimap’s Ordnance Survey Collection may have noticed that the usage statistics for October 2008 are not yet available via the Site Representative’s Support Area.
We are in the process of re-engineering the way we calculate and present usage statistics. Since this process is not yet complete, figures for October 2008 onwards are not yet available. The facility for extracting usage statistics remains available so that site representatives can continue to download figures for previous months.
We hope to have complete usage statistics available in time for the new year. We intend this to include data for all the Digimap Collections. Currently, data is available only for the Ordnance Survey Collection. Please note that information available for some Collections will be more limited than for others, particularly Historic Digimap.
Progress updates will be posted here when available.
Confused?
If you are registered with EDINA as a Digimap Site Representative, you will have access to a specific section of Digimap’s Ordnance Survey Collection called the Site Representative’s Support Area. This will provide you with your institution’s usage data for Digimap. It is only available to site representatives.
23 Oct: MasterMap Download Update
//The MasterMap Download facility was restored at 12.30pm today. This facility is now fully functional.
If you were waiting to retrieve data which was ordered prior to the service outage, please collect it using the usual emailed link or code as soon as possible.
22 Oct: MasterMap Download
//MasterMap Download has today fallen foul of a hardware problem. This facility was temporarily unavailable and restored by late morning. Around 4pm the problem recurred and the MasterMap Download facility is again unavailable.
EDINA staff are working to rectify the problem. Further updates will be posted here and within the Digimap service when available. Apologies for the inconvenience caused.
Digimap Performance
//If you have logged in to Digimap recently you will be aware that the service, particularly the Ordnance Survey Collection, is suffering from performance issues. The biggest factor in this is the sheer number of users accessing the service during core hours.
The beginning of the autumn term is the busiest period for Digimap, while new users register and new courses get underway. This year the number of users registering for Digimap is exceptionally high, in the light of the changes to access and authentication systems which occurred in August. This means that a significant proportion of returning users are required to re-register using their new login credentials.
While significant work is underway to improve the performance of Digimap, there is no immediate solution. If you are having trouble using Digimap, please try again at a time when the service is less busy. Quieter periods are early in the mornings and later in the evenings. The busiest time is usually during weekday afternoons.
How globes are made
//Did you ever wonder how globes are made? If so, here is a YouTube film to enlighten you! Fascinating stuff…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgErv6M19yY[/youtube]
New Training Dates
//EDINA are pleased to announce the following schedule of Digimap training courses, to take place in 2008-9. Courses are open to staff members (and postgraduates for the OS MasterMap courses) in UK higher and further education institutions, and cover the Ordnance Survey Collection, Historic Digimap, Marine Digimap and Geology Digimap.
Digimap Collections Training:
- 20-22 January 2009 – Newcastle University
- 31 March – 2 April 2009 – Leeds University
- 9-11 June 2009, Exeter University
OS MasterMap for Users Training:
- 19 November 2008 – Edinburgh University
- 25 February 2009 – Open University, Milton Keynes
- 22 April 2009 – York University
More details regarding course content and learning outcomes can be found with each course listing. You will find listings and booking forms (where booking is open) for these and all other EDINA training here.
We strongly encourage site representatives to attend an OS MasterMap course if they have not done so already. Other members of staff and postgraduate students from subscribing institutions are also welcome. However it is essential that all attendees be registered users of Digimap’s Ordnance Survey Collection in order to participate in the OS MasterMap training.
All courses are subject to a sufficient level of interest. If you are uncertain about the relevance of a course for your needs, please contact EDINA for advice at edina-training@ed.ac.uk. All EDINA training courses are FREE OF CHARGE. Regretfully, however, owing to the rise in non-attendance, EDINA will make a charge of £25.00 for each day of absence from a course for which EDINA is not notified in advance. Lunch will be provided for all full-day attendees and refreshments will be available throughout the day.
Logging Out
//EDINA has identified a number of cases where one user has inadvertently registered with Digimap using another individual’s login details. We believe that this may have occurred because the first user has finished using a public access machine but has left their web browser open. This means that the browser is still logged in to the UK Federation with that user’s login credentials.
In order to log out of the UK Federation it is necessary to close ALL web browser windows. This is particularly important if the user is not required to log out of the machine they are using.
Site representatives and local support staff may wish to remind their local users of any local protocols for logging out of electronic systems.
