Fermilab

Fermilab calendar migration

March 1, 2012 | Marcia Teckenbrock

The Core Computing Division has almost completed moving email users to the new FermiMail system. The next phase of the FermiMail project—calendar migration—is ready to begin.

FermiMail provides a single calendar service for the laboratory. Everyone with a FermiMail mailbox has a FermiMail calendar, and everyone at the laboratory can schedule meetings using a convenient web interface (email.fnal.gov) or Outlook clients available for Windows and Mac desktops. This integrated calendar has several benefits, including:

  • FermiMail users need to log in just once using their services account—one less password to remember;
  • A consolidated address book that provides a single way to find FermiMail users;
  • An easy and widely-used meeting scheduling interface using Outlook clients or the FermiMail web interface at email.fnal.gov;
  • The ability to accept, decline or counter-propose a meeting invitation in the calendar and receive email notices for each meeting;
  • Supports ActiveSync-enabled mobile devices, so your calendar and email can stay in sync on your mobile devices;
  • The calendar is integrated into FermiMail and uses the same high-availability infrastructure as email; both should be available through most outages and maintenance periods.

As part of this project, the current Meeting Maker calendar system will be shut off on May 15. Prior to that date, all meeting rooms will migrate to FermiMail and the FermiMail team will train the appropriate staff. In addition, the team will offer Meeting Maker users the option to have their individual calendars migrated into their FermiMail calendars. In coming weeks Meeting Maker users will receive email from the Service Desk with more details about how to opt-in for this migration service.

Instructions for those who wish to migrate their calendars themselves will also be available.

The Computing Sector meeting rooms and individual calendars will move first to help ensure a smooth transition for the rest of the laboratory in April.

More information can be found on the FermiMail calendar website.

—Marcia Teckenbrock, CS