As an MIT employee, you have access to a world-class digital infrastructure designed to help you work effectively and efficiently. This includes an array of software and services provided by IS&T, including 24/7 IT support by phone or email. Once you've registered your MIT account, we're also available to chat with you via the Atlas mobile app.
MIT staff have access to widely used productivity tools such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, Zoom, Slack, and more. Faculty and researchers benefit from no-cost access to technology-enhanced classrooms and labs, an array of digital teaching tools, and a variety of discipline-specific technical software, such as MATLAB, SolidWorks, Mathematica, PyMOL, SnapGene, and more.
Here’s what you need to know to get you started with IT at MIT:
Check with your department.
Your department, lab, center, or institute (DLCI) may be providing you with a preconfigured laptop. Some DLCIs also have their own local IT support staff and additional guidance or resources. Before setting up your own computer, check with your DLCI.
Establish your digital presence at MIT with a good Kerberos username.
Your first step in digital onboarding at MIT will be to set up your Kerberos username. You will receive an email invitation to register.
Your Kerberos username becomes your MIT email address and will be your primary digital identity for MIT services, so choose a name that represents you well, both now and in the future. (Note that changing a Kerberos username later takes time and involves numerous systems and processes.) As part of the process of registering for a Kerberos account, you will be prompted to register Duo two-factor authentication, which is an additional security layer to verify your identity via your physical device.
Why is it called Kerberos?
Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that was developed at MIT in 1988 as part of Project Athena. Because of its role as part of the MIT computing environment at that time, the words "Kerberos" or "kerb" became shorthand for your MIT digital identity.
Access your MIT email.
After registering your Kerberos account, visit office.com and sign in using your @mit.edu email address. You will authenticate through Touchstone, MIT’s single sign-on (SSO) service.
Get the MIT Atlas mobile app.
MIT Atlas is available as a native application for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows devices. Community members can use MIT Atlas to activate their digital MIT ID, access campus, find and reserve Zoom Rooms, register travel details, and get help from IS&T via 24/7 live chat. If you have not done so yet, Visit apps.mit.edu to obtain the latest version for your device.
Set yourself up for success.
Once you’ve completed account registration and your employee onboarding tasks, IS&T recommends the following: