What’s that new screen? Meet your Pixel dashboard By Shana Brouder, MyCG Staff You may have noticed that when you log onto your workstation a different screen appears— the Pixel Dashboard. This new launch screen, developed by Chief Warrant Officer Pedro Sullivan, gives users at the Coast Guard easier access to the essentials, while freeing the desktop of pesky icons. “Pixel Dashboard is an internal program being developed by the Coast Guard, for the Coast Guard,” explained Sullivan. “Our workforce is 100% who we had in mind when developing this application.” Designed to work like smart phone application hubs, Pixel Dashboard puts all of the important Coast Guard “applications” in one easy-to-navigate screen. It also makes it easier to access your frequently visited Coast Guard-related links. By centralizing what used to be several desktop icons onto one screen, Pixel Dashboard makes navigating to your desired location easier, while freeing up your desktop space for an all-around cleaner and more modern look. “It all started with user feedback,” said Sullivan. “The more we kept adding to the desktop, the more people got frustrated.” Pixel Dashboard is meant to address this feedback, while meeting C5I product line demands for high visibility on workstations—all while giving users back most of their desktop space for what they need. Legacy shortcuts will be removed; user files, shortcuts and links should not be affected. “It also eliminates the common frustrations our workforce and technicians experience during troubleshooting calls,” said Sullivan. “Having the CGFIXIT tab allows for easier access to important workstation information that was previously hard to find. We really strove to make this dashboard accessible and usable for users of all capabilities.” Pixel Dashboard is only the beginning, and will continue to be improved upon to ensure our workforce stays ready, relevant, and responsive while continuing to move the Coast Guard towards the goals outlined in the Tech Revolution. � SELRES access to Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) By Lt.j.g. Louis Carsia, CG-R55 Reservists may have noticed by now an inability to check Coast Guard e-mail from home using Outlook Web Access. Due to an enterprise wide shift, user accounts were migrated to Microsoft Office 365 in an effort to improve the Coast Guard’s cybersecurity posture and eliminate the need to require a full recapitalization of IT assets in the years to come. While a cloud solution provides better availability, enables economies of scale, and streamlines future enhancements to hardware and software, OWA was disabled in the process. Fortunately, all reservists are entitled to (and should be using) the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, a no-cost service to access e-mail and the Coast Guard network from home with a personal computer, common access card reader, and specialized software. From September 2020 through January 2021, CG-R55 collaborated with the Pay & Personnel Center and the Centralized Service Desk to make acquiring VDI as easy as possible for reservists. The entire Reserve workforce was added to the VDI-SG-Reservist security group required for 56 RESERVIST � Issue 1 • 2021 VDI access, as well as the creation of “quick response cards” guiding members and units to request access if needed. (Detailed information and QRCs can be found in the Feb. 5, 2021 Reserve Action Bulletin titled “Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) For Reservists” available on www. reserve.uscg.mil.) Reservists who don’t use VDI yet, new reserve accessions or active duty personnel who join the Select Reserve should first check their outlook group memberships to verify it lists VDI-SG-Reservist. If not, members can follow the QRC to submit a trouble ticket to request access. Next, the member must navigate their personal computer to TISCOM’s CGPortal site to download and install applicable VMware software for their operating system. Once installed, the member can test the connection. Additional information is also available on this site to guide the installation process. While not a requirement to use VDI, all SELRES are encouraged to use this tool to remain connected. It is offered as a solution for reservists to connect from home to facilitate remote access, learning or work. �
