Q. Will I be able to continue taking pictures with my phone or camera on station and transfer photos to my USAP laptop?
A. Yes – but only for work purposes (equipment, parts, maintenance, reporting, etc.). Use of the device will still be blocked until it is authorized. Submit a request via the SharePoint site to request authorization of your phone and/or SD card for business purposes.

Q. I have been using my own personal external hard drive for my archived work files, can I continue to use it?
A. No – personal drives should not be used to store USAP data. Request an ASC issued external hard drive via your local IT&C Service Desk Portal, Removable Media and/or Storage Device Use Request. Hard drives previously procured by your department can be authorized.

Q. Will I lose my data?
A. Your data will not be lost. IT will work with each user to transition their data to internal network storage, a new external drive or authorize and encrypt an existing drive.

Q. Do I need to give up my personal drive to the NSF?
A. No, but you do need to remove USAP data from your personal drive and utilize either internal network storage or an ASC issued external hard drive. Your personal drive will not be authorized for use.

Q. I have more than one device that I need to report. How do I do that?
A. If you have more than one drive that needs to be authorized, please submit a request for each. Each drive will need to have its own record for authorization to track its unique ID.

Q. In the past, I have been able to save music on my external drive and listen to music on my USAP laptop/desktop. Will I still be able to do that?
A. No. Personal hard drives will not be authorized to connect to a USAP workstation.

Q. What happens once a drive is encrypted?
A. All authorized hard drives and thumb drives for ASC personnel will be encrypted with BitLocker Drive Encryption. Once approved and encrypted, you will be prompted to enter your password to access the drive. The drive will be accessible on any current version of Windows computer.

Q. What will happen if I receive a new laptop?
A. The encryption is not machine based so you will be able to use your drive no matter what computer you log into.

Q. Will an Outlook PST file still work on an encrypted drive?
A. Yes, PST files do still work on an encrypted drive.

Q. Will I still be able to use CD/DVDs?
A. Users will still be able to read CD/DVDs however writing to them will be disabled by default. If you need to burn information to a disc, please submit a request via your local IT&C Service Desk Portal, Removable Media and/or Storage Device Use Request.

Q. Our department has multiple hard drives and thumb drives that we use for various purposes, will we be able to use them?
A. You will need to submit a request to authorize each device. However, ASC strongly recommends that the use of removable hard drives be eliminated in all possible cases. Consider using internal network storage and/or consolidating to as few drives as possible and only for scenarios in which internal network storage cannot be used.

Q. Can I transfer data from an instrument / camera back to a laptop using a hard drive / memory card / etc.?
A. This will be possible on non-USAP computers connected to Science or Guest networks. This will be blocked on USAP workstations by default, but possible following the request process or with ASC provided removable media.

Q. Can I share photos from my phone by plugging it in to a computer?
A. This will be possible on non-USAP computers connected to Science or Guest networks. This will be blocked on USAP workstations by default, but possible following the request process with a legitimate business need.

Q. Can I bring previously collected data for context of new data collection and/or sharing preliminary data and/or figures between collaborating scientists?
A. You may load data on non-USAP computers connected to the Science or Guest networks. Personal devices will not be allowed on the USAP business operations network by default, however may be authorized for read-only access following the request process with a legitimate business need (you would be able to retrieve data from the drive, but not write any data to the drive). If data must be transferred between a non-USAP device and a USAP workstation, removable media may be used following the request process or with ASC provided removable media.

Q. How will I be able to move large data back from the continent to CONUS (e.g. large astro projects, LDB, seismic data, geophysics surveys, drone data, etc.?)
A. Moving data stored on your non-USAP computers connected to Science or Guest networks will not be impacted. Moving data stored on USAP workstations is possible following the request process to authorize a removable drive.

Q. Would there be any issue with PI laptops being plugged into AV system in Crary or the Galley for science talks?
A. AV systems that do not include computers/workstations, any laptop can be plugged into them to present. If the AV system is operated by a USAP workstation, the request process to use removable media must be followed in order to read material from the media.

Q. For file transfers of planning documents with ASC science planning folks, will it all have to happen via email or are there other solutions?
A. There will be no change to email or electronic file sharing services. Individuals will be able to use removable media on non-USAP computers connected to Science or Guest networks without issue. Removable media will be blocked on USAP workstations, but can be used following the request process or with ASC provided removable media.

Q. How will printing at McMurdo work? Especially if they have to transfer a file to print?
A. There will be no impact when printing from a USAP workstation. When printing from a non-USAP workstation you will need to map to the closest printer on the science or guest network. Please contact the local IT&C service desk for support. For printers that have a USB connection for media, users will still be able to print from media.

Q. How will the NSF Science Rep be able to transfer files between the USAP workstation and NSF laptop?
A. There will be no change to email or electronic file sharing services. If removable media is necessary the NSF employee will need to obtain an NSF-approved removable media device. NSF approved media devices will still need to be authorized on the USAP workstation following the same request process.