LoginIDs and MailIDs

What is the difference between my MailID and my LoginID?
Think of your MailID as similar to your postal address. It is required only for the purpose of using electronic mail. Give your MailID (or email address) to the people from whom you'd like to receive email. A typical UC Davis MailID might be jqdoe@ucdavis.edu, where "j" and "q" are the user's first and middle initials, respectively, and "doe" is his or her last name.

Your LoginID is like a code name that allows you to gain access to UC Davis computer systems. You "log in" to UC Davis systems with your LoginID and password. Mary Smith's LoginID is marysmith and her email address mesmith@ucdavis.edu. Mary logs in to UC Davis computer systems as marysmith using her secret password. Her professors send her email at mesmith@ucdavis.edu.

How do I get a MailID and a LoginID?
If you do not have a computer account, you can open one at IT Express at 182 Shields Library (bring a picture ID and student registration card or employee card), or telnet to mothra.ucdavis.edu, login as newaccount, and follow the instructions on the screen. A day later, you will have a LoginID, a MailID, a Kerberos password, and a general-use password.

What is the difference between a Kerberos password and a general-use password?
A Kerberos password provides an extra level of security for sensitive or proprietary campus systems and services. The Kerberos password is linked to the "IKRB" ServiceID (a ServiceID is associated with your computer account and describes what you are allowed to do with your LoginID). We recommend that your Kerberos password be different from your other passwords, which are less secure.

What services can I access with my LoginID?
Note that some of the services presented below require a Kerberos password. You may access:

• Your email using any program, such as Eudora, that can access a POP server.
• The central campus Sun computers (telnet to isun.ucdavis.edu). Everyone with a campus account is allocated 2 Mbytes of disk space on this system.
• The campus 14.4K modem pool at (530) 752-7925. As a student, you also have access to the new Student/Staff Modem pool (see "Modem Pool Expands" or http://itexpress.ucdavis.edu/modems.html for more information).
• The campus PC and Macintosh computer rooms (see http://lm.ucdavis.edu/rooms/ for more information).
• The UC Library Melvyl online catalog (http://melvyl.ucop.edu/).
• Web Information Retrieval with Enhanced Security. WIRES allows students, staff, and faculty access to class schedules, grades, account balance, and financial aid information. See http://www.ucdavis.edu/ucnames/wires/.
• The UC Davis news server, news.ucdavis.edu, from both on and off campus (see for off-campus access instructions).

How do I change my password?
If you know your Kerberos password, you can change it and/or your other password(s) on the Web at https://mothra.ucdavis.edu/services/ (note the "s" after "http"). If you forget your Kerberos password, you will need to go to IT Express with a picture ID in hand. The consultant will give you a five-digit password change token, good for one day, which will allow you to change your password on the Web at the site mentioned above.

Should I use uppercase or lowercase letters?
The campus Unix computer systems are case-sensitive (i.e., "Password" is not the same as "password"). When accessing the campus computers, use lowercase letters unless uppercase letters are specifically asked for. For example, any uppercase characters in your password must be typed in uppercase.

What happens if I don't use my account for a long time?
Your account will remain active, whether you use it or not, until you are no longer affiliated with UC Davis.

Doreen Meyer of Distributed Computing Analysis and Support contributed to this article.

Resources:

http://mothra.ucdavis.edu/