Attention Banner Users. New Look & Feel Coming in July

Banner (Forms) will receive a facelift in mid-July!  The new look & feel will also remove the reliance on JAVA and remove the current browser restrictions.  The update is purely a facelift to the interface, which means that no processes or data will change as a result.  You will still use the same form names (SPRIDEN, etc), but will now have additional ways to access the same forms quicker and easier!

The update to the Banner Forms interface is also referred to as Banner 9.    This update is the foundation for a number of usability updates that will be made available in the coming months.  Enhancements to Banner 9 include a cleaner, more streamlined, and responsive design as well as an additional navigation helper menu (Application Navigator).  With Application Navigator, simply start typing the form name or keyword and you will be presented with a list of matching forms.

Perhaps the most anticipated changes is that Banner Forms will no longer require JAVA, which means that more browsers, such as Google Chrome, will now be supported!  

If you are already a Banner user, access to the Banner 9 TEST system is available at https://banner.manhattan.edu using TESTDB02.  Please visit the TEST system to try the new features!  A short 20-minute online tutorial is also available to better explain the new interface.

Banner 9 (replaces INB)

Banner 9 Training Guide (Need Ellucian Hub Account)

Banner 9 Workshop Sessions - O'Malley 410

7/11 10AM-12PM

7/13 10AM-12PM

7/17 1:30-3:30PM

7/19 1:30-3:30PM

Banner Browser Compatibility

Dear Colleagues,

The latest version of Firefox (version 52) does not support NPAPI plugins which includes Java. What this means for the user community is that we can't use Firefox (version 52) for Banner as it is not supported.

However, there is a work around.  The following link, Firefox Extended Support Release will bring you to a knowledge base article that explains how to download the Firefox Extended Support Release.  Once this is installed, you should be able to use Firefox for Banner once again.

The following browsers that are compatible with Banner are;

Internet Explorer,

Firefox ESR,

Safari

 

If you have any issues, please feel free to reach out to the ITS Help Desk at 718-862-7973 or email them at its@manhattan.edu.

Thank you in advance.

Information Technology Services

Security Updates: The Delicate Balance....

As users of technology, we rarely see the tug-of-war that goes on behind the scenes attempting to balance security vs accessibility.  It's usually not until a feature "stops working" until we notice this struggle.

Earlier this week, a long-planned security update to the Google Chrome browser was introduced in the latest "stable" version of Google Chrome (version 42).  Chrome BETA users got this update earlier this winter.  The security update adjusted the default security settings to disable an antiquated way for your web browser to launch additional plugins (like JAVA - required for Banner users).  As per the Google Chrome development team, "NPAPI’s 90s-era architecture has become a leading cause of hangs, crashes, security incidents, and code complexity".

ITS has been monitoring developments related to this major change.  An interim solution has been developed and communicated to the campus community.  We are continuing to explore a permanent solution to this issue as other web browsers have introduced plans to follow the same path as Google Chrome.

SOLUTION:
The following link explains how to re-enable the NPAPI plugin required for JAVA after a Google Chrome update.  Banner users will need to complete these steps (or work with ITS) if they are affected by this issue:
https://manhattan.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=5096

Users still experiencing issues accessing Banner from Google Chrome should contact ITS Client Services.



2013 Announcement of NPAPI end of support:
https://blog.chromium.org/2013/09/saying-goodbye-to-our-old-friend-npapi.html

Important Settings Adjustment in Chrome for Banner

Chrome released a new version recently (Version 42) that disables the NPAPI protocol by default. This new default setting is affecting Banner users that prefer using Chrome. The fix is simple and only needs to be performed in Chrome (there is no need to make any changes in Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari).

This Knowledge Base Article will walk you through the process. If you do not see the Enable NPAPI section in the Chrome settings, you may still be using an older version of Chrome. Try updating Chrome and then making the adjustment.

Banner JAVA 8 Issues - Solution in sight......

ITS is patiently awaiting updates from our Banner partner Ellucian related to JAVA 8 support in Banner applications.  Since the fall semester, ITS has received numerous reports of Banner not functioning after an automatic update of JAVA from version 7 to 8.  We've been in contact with Ellucian regarding this issue affecting all of their higher ed clients and have the following update: 

From our Banner partner Ellucian:
"Java 8 for all products is currently under testing and our intention is to have the Java 8 JRE supported on or before Oracle’s current projected End of Public Updates (April 2015) with as few exceptions as possible."

Please be on the lookout for updates on this issue as we approach April....

This blog post updates information communicated in October 2014:

http://itsblog.manhattan.edu/2014/10/java-8-upgrade-is-affecting-access-to.html

Java 8 upgrade is affecting access to Banner

If you have not yet updated to Java 8, we suggest holding off on doing so for the moment.  If you have already updated, are you receiving the following error message when attempting to access Banner?


Java recently released a new version (Java 8).  If you have updated in the last few days, you are likely receiving the error message displayed on the left.

We have a temporary work around in place.  Basically, uninstall Java 8 and reinstall Java 7.


We created a Knowledge Base Article with directions for how to fix this issue.  The Knowledge Base Article can be found here:

Java 8 issues (ClassNotFoundException - oracle.forms.engine.Main)

Banner Java 7 Issue

If you've updated to the latest version of Java 7 you may be having issues logging into Banner Forms. Please check out our knowledgebase article for a work around here. If you need further assistance, please contact Client Services at x7973.