Staff Managed Desktop Service

What is the Staff Managed Desktop Service?

The Staff Managed Desktop Service offers a secure service on a University approved device, allowing for self-service and remote working. Having a managed service allows the university to manage thousands of devices from a central location.

  • Windows 10 -The latest secure version
  • Windows Defender - A software application that safeguards your PC from malware and viruses.
  • MS Office 365 - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, and more 
  • MS Teams – this is your cloud-based communication, storage and collaboration tool
  • OneDrive – Stores your data which can be accessed from any other managed device
  • MS Teams – this is your cloud-based communication, storage and collaboration tool
  • Outlook  - part of Microsoft 365 suite.  This is your Loughborough University email account and will be used by your department / school to contact you about important messages.
  • Cisco Jabber – Soft-phone software
  • Microsoft Teams Phone – Throughout 2023 and 2024 IT Services will be migrating all University staff from the Cisco CallManager telephone system to Microsoft Teams

Supported browsers - Google Chrome (Default) and MS Edge

  • eduroam wireless and wired network – eduroam (education roaming) – this is the main Wi-Fi and wired network available to staff and students. eduroam is a worldwide community that allows any user (researchers, teachers, students, staff) from a participating site to get network access at any institution connected to eduroam.
  • Cisco Secure Client VPN – Creates a secure connect to the Universities network from a remote location
  • Adobe Reader DC – Ability to open but not edit PDF documents.

The Software Centre allows you to install applications, software updates, and upgrade Windows (additional applications can be requested and deployed).

Instructions

  • To launch the Software Centre, click on the search icon on the botton left menu bar and type Software Centre. 

Software centre applications page

There will be different status messages against Applications, Updates or Operating Systems when they install.‌

  • Installed: Software Centre already installed this application on this computer
  • Downloading: Software Centre is downloading the software to install on this computer
  • Failed: Software Centre couldn’t install the software
  • Scheduled to install after: Shows the date and time of the device's next time to install upcoming software. Maintenance windows are defined by your IT admin
Software for staff
  • Optional for 1 week before they go Mandatory. Additional application and security changes will be deployed to ensure your device is secure and whilst we try to ensure minimal disruption, it is imperative that the service is secure
Software for staff

McAfee - Drive Encryption

What is McAfee Drive Encryption

All Staff Managed Windows 10 Laptops are automatically protected with McAfee Drive Encryption. It protects against the loss of sensitive data, especially from lost or stolen equipment as all the data on a system drive is encrypted.

Before being able to log into a managed University Windows 10 laptop, you must be assigned the correct permissions by IT Services. If you are presented with an "Unkown user" prompt when trying to login, you do not have the require permissions.

When switching on the laptop, you will be presented with the McAfee Drive Encryption screen (as pictured below) and need to login which will then load and give access to the Windows 10 operating system.

The screen shown when logging in to McAfee

McAfee Drive Encryption is deployed and managed through the University. The disk encryption process is completely transparent to the user and has little impact on the computer's performance.

How to tell if my University Windows 10 Laptop is Encrypted?

If you want to check that your University laptop is fully encrypted, then right click on the red McAfee Shield found in the Windows 10 Task Bar (Bottom Right of the Screen). Goto ‘Quick Settings’ then ‘Show Drive Encryption Status’.

Image showing how to get to the encryption status screen

The window below will appear which will display the disk volume status. If its fully encrypted the status will display ‘C: Encrypted’.

McAfee encryption status screen

If you think your Laptop is not encrypted with McAfee Drive Encryption, please contact the IT Services

IT.Services@lboro.ac.uk