University of Wisconsin–Madison

Campus Active Directory Migration FAQ

What is happening, and what do I need to do?

UW Madison is consolidating the Waisman Center’s username and password server (the Waisman “Active Directory”) into the Campus Active Directory service, as part of a campus-wide project to decrease the number of different usernames and passwords people have to remember, and to reduce the number of targets for a hacking attack on the campus.

Who can I contact for help?

If you need help during the migration, contact help@waisman.wisc.edu, 608-890-1000, and Jacob or Rick will help you.

When will my computer be updated?

Waisman IT (migration@waisman.wisc.edu) will email you with your appointment date and time. You’ll also receive an Outlook calendar invitation.

Important: The calendar invitation blocks off time on your calendar, since your computer will be unavailable for Teams, WebEx or Zoom meetings during the update. You will not actually be meeting with anyone during this time, but you will need be at your computer at this time, to complete several steps during your migration appointment.

What will be different after the migration?

After your computer is updated, you’ll use your NetID and NetID password to access:

  • Your computer
  • Network drives
  • Applications

Will my email address change?

No.

Will my password change?

After this update, you will use your NetID and NetID password to log in to your computer instead of your Waisman username and password. Your NetID password will remain the same — you’ll just use it in more places.

What do I need to do before my appointment?

  1. Accept your appointment invitation in Outlook and reschedule any conflicting events. Important: Please contact migration@waisman.wisc.edu immediately if you have an unavoidable conflict during your appointment time.
  2. Restart your computer twice — once when you receive the invitation and again one week later. This helps to ensure that your computer will have all Microsoft or Apple system updates in place before the migration.
  3. After each restart, connect to the campus network:

    – If you’re in the Waisman Center: connect to the Ethernet jack in your office and turn off Wi-Fi (if you are using a laptop).

    – If you’re working on Wi-Fi: connect to VPN (see: WiscVPN Overview).
  4. Keep your computer connected to the campus network for at least 4 hours to allow required system updates to complete.
  5. Review your appointment details and make sure you understand what will happen.

What do I need to do on the day of my appointment?

Your participation is vital to making sure your computer is updated during your appointment. Here’s what you need to do:

10 minutes before your appointment start time:
By the time your appointment begins, you should have completed these steps:

  1. Have your phone available in case you need to call for support (phone number: 608-890-1000)
  2. Log in to your computer
  3. Connect your computer to the Internet, either on the wired jack in your office or by the VPN if working on Wi-Fi (Reference: WiscVPN Overview).
  4. Save and close all work. Your computer will restart automatically during the update. You will not be able to use your computer during this update.

What happens during my appointment?

  1. A pop-up window will appear asking for your “Cutover Credentials”

    – Under Account, enter AD\ and your NetID. For example, if your NetID is bbadger, enter AD\bbadger

    – Under Password, enter your NetID password (what you use to log in to Workday)

    – Select Submit, and the pop-up window will disappear

    – If the pop-up doesn’t appear within 10 minutes of your appointment start time, then double-check that you’re connected to campus Wi-Fi, campus Ethernet or VPN. If you still do not get the pop-up after 10 minutes, contact migration@waisman.wisc.edu or call (608) 890-1000.
  2. Your computer update will take up to 15 minutes. You won’t be able to use it during the update. It will restart automatically when the update is complete.
  3. After your computer restarts, log in using your NetID and NetID password. The first login will likely take longer than normal. After logging in, you may need to sign in to some of your applications, such as Microsoft 365 applications.
  4. Reconnect to the campus Wi-Fi, campus Ethernet, or VPN and stay connected for at least 4 hours to allow background processes to complete.
  5. If you have trouble logging in, contact the Waisman Help Desk by calling (608) 890-1000 or emailing migration@waisman.wisc.edu.

What happens after my appointment:

You will always log in to your computer using your NetID credentials.

IMPORTANT: What if I can’t attend my scheduled appointment?

Rescheduling is difficult — the campus IT team is coordinating updates for thousands of employees across campus. Please make every effort to attend your scheduled appointment.

If you have an unavoidable conflict, email migration@waisman.wisc.edu to request rescheduling.

  • We’ll remove your computer from the schedule to protect your login access.
  • Campus has limited preset appointment slots available — we can’t create custom times.
  • Missing multiple appointments may prevent you from logging in to your computer.

What is Campus Active Directory (AD)?

The Campus Active Directory (AD) is UW–Madison’s primary AD service, operated by the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). AD is where your NetID and NetID password are stored, and AD allows the university to manage access to networked devices in one place, to enforce workstation policies and to provide access to vital applications and services.

UW–Madison’s NetID login service allows UW community members to use a single login to access university resources. Historically, IT departments in many schools, colleges, divisions and units have operated their own Active Directories. The Active Directory Migration Project aims to consolidate those directories into AD so you only need a single login — your NetID — to access digital services.

What are the benefits of UW-Madison making this change?

You will no longer have to keep track of multiple passwords for different work environments.

Recent high-profile security breaches at peer institutions show the need to manage and reduce risk across UW–Madison. Having separate, individually managed Active Directories poses a significant risk to the university and is a barrier to advancing university-wide cybersecurity controls.

Reducing the number of domains by migrating them into AD is the most effective and sustainable strategy for:

  • Reducing the number of potential entry points for cyberattacks
  • Applying policies and practices consistently
  • Making it possible to use modern cybersecurity tools
  • Making the university’s IT infrastructure simpler and easier to maintain