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.
• Software Centre – Allows the installation of additional applications and manage security updates (additional applications can be requested and deployed)
• Security Updates - 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
• Cisco AnyConnect VPN – Creates a secure connect to the Universities network from a remote location
• Cisco Jabber – Soft-phone software
• 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 Office 365 - Access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, Outlook and Access
• Adobe Reader DC – Ability to open but not edit PDF documents
• Web Browsers - Google Chrome (Default) and MS Edge

The Software Centre allows you to install applications, software updates, and upgrade Windows.

• To launch the Software Centre, click on Start and type Software Centre. 

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

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.

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’.

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