Cisco AnyConnect and GlobalProtect are Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that provide secure, off-campus access to resources located on the University of Iowa campus.
Examples of resources located on the UI campus:
- Library resources
- Websites restricted to the range of IP addresses reserved for on-campus use
- Remote desktop
The Cisco AnyConnect and GlobalProtect software are subject to export controls. All faculty, staff, and students planning a trip abroad are advised to investigate your options with either the PI for your research project, System Admin, or the Division of Sponsored Program before embarking on your journey. Learn more about export controls.
Cisco AnyConnect VPN is intended for use with non-managed (personal) computers. Connections to the Cisco AnyConnect VPN will require Two-Step Login authentication. Log into the VPN with Cisco AnyConnect and enter “push” in the “Second Password:” field to receive a push notification to the Duo Mobile app on your phone or another device (or review alternative authentication methods).
GlobalProtect VPN is intended for use with managed (departmental) computers. GlobalProtect VPN is "always on" and will connect the device automatically when off campus.
For assistance, contact the ITS Help Desk at 319-384-HELP [4357] or its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu.
Troubleshooting
New tools for cybersecurity go live
VPN to require Two-Step Login as of May 16
Current Status
Maintenance
Past 90 Days
Alert History
This issue is resolved.
Campus network issues are impacting connectivity and access to University services. ITS staff are investigating.
On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, GlobalProtect will be installed on UI-managed machines. The list of machines includes those who have Cisco AnyConnect but do not yet have GlobalProtect installed (~6,000). Impacted users will be notified via email. The expected impact is that users will see a GlobalProtect-branded pop-up box in the right-hand corner of their machine asking for a username (HawkID) and password. There is no expected downtime.
GlobalProtect is replacing Cisco AnyConnect for UI-managed machines. The GlobalProtect VPN application provides an improved user experience. Unlike Cisco AnyConnect, after you log in to GlobalProtect the first time, you never need to log in again, and you do not need to disconnect or reconnect. It just works when you are off campus! Another benefit of using GlobalProtect is that it allows us to update machines easier and quicker to make them more secure. Find additional information on the VPN support site.
There will be a backend routing update to the Global Protect VPN (Academic Campus Only) to troubleshoot/fix a Skype for Business location issue for off-campus users that use the Global Protect VPN. There will be no outage for the VPN.
This has been resolved.
We are receiving contacts that access to the VPN is either slow or unresponsive. Access to services that require VPN are affected. The ITS Help Desk has limited access to the phone system. Please contact the Help Desk via email at its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu or live chat. ITS support teams are investigating.
The issue has been resolved.
Due to a hardware failure the campus is currently experiencing network connectivity issues, both wired and wireless, in some areas. Some users are not able to connect to VPN or login to ICON. Work is underway to identify the scope of issues and resolve them.
ITS will apply a security patch to the VPN service. No service interruption is expected.
These issues are resolved.
We are receiving reports of users having issues connecting to university services, including wired and wireless networks on-campus as well as the VPN for off-campus users. ITS is currently investigating.
This issue has been resolved.
We are receiving reports of issues accessing the VPN. ITS is investigating.
VPN service is restored.
The VPN service is down.
The VPN service will be unavailable for a critical patch installation. During this time, active VPN sessions will be disconnected and VPN sessions will need to be manually reconnected after maintenance is complete.
This issue can be resolved now by disconnecting your device from the VPN service and then reconnecting it.
Please contact the ITS Help Desk if you have any further problems using this service.
Restarting your device may fix the issue.
We are experiencing service disruptions with the UI VPN service.
Maintenance is scheduled for the VPN service to expand available capacity. A service interruption is not expected, but there may be a reconnection notice if you are logged in at that time.
ITS support staff have scheduled a maintenance window to install a critical patch to the campus VPN service, https://vpn.uiowa.edu. The VPN service will function normally during the maintenance.
ITS support staff have scheduled a maintenance window to install a critical patch to the campus VPN service, https://vpn.uiowa.edu. The VPN service will function normally during this time.
ITS support staff will install a critical patch to the campus VPN service, https://vpn.uiowa.edu, during this time.
The campus VPN service, https://vpn.uiowa.edu, will be upgraded during this time. The website and AnyConnect client will not be available to connect to the service.
The VPN service will undergo a change. Users will no longer be able to connect using the VPN website (https://vpn.uiowa.edu) connection method. The Cisco AnyConnect software will be required to connect to the VPN.
Cisco AnyConnect VPN client users will not experience any downtime during the maintenance.
Find more information on how to download, install, and connect to the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client.
The VPN service will undergo a change. Users will no longer be able to connect using the VPN website (https://vpn.uiowa.edu) connection method. The Cisco AnyConnect software will be needed to connect to the VPN.
Cisco AnyConnect VPN client users will not experience any downtime during the maintenance.
Find more information on how to download, install, and connect to the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client.
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) service is experiencing intermittent connection issues.
ITS is actively working to resolve the issue.
The campus VPN is not functioning properly. ITS support staff are working to resolve this problem and expect to have it fixed within 90 minutes.
We will update this notice as soon as more information is available.