Support policy
1 HELPDESK
2 AFTER HOURS SERVICE
2.3 Obtaining After Hours Support
3 SUPPORT FRAMEWORK
3.1 Responsibilities of IT Support Staff in
Cost Centres
3.2 Responsibilities of Cost Centres Managers
3.3 Responsibilities of IT Services in Assisting Local
IT Support
4 STANDARD OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
4.1 Desktop Computing
4.2 General Purpose Computing Pools
4.3 Operating Systems
5 WORKING OFF-CAMPUS
6 SERVICES TO USASA
7 SERVICES TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
1 HELP DESK
The Information Strategy & Technology Services Unit (ISTS) will operate an Information Technology Help Desk to assist staff and students with information technology issues.
The Help Desk will be staffed from 8.30a.m. to 9.00p.m. on University business days. Outside these times and days, a limited "after-hours" on-call service operates to respond to critical IT problems. (see Section 2 After Hours Service.)
Refer to http://www.unisa.edu.au/ists/ITHelpDesk/default.asp.
The Help Desk incorporates provisions for problems to be escalated to senior staff if not resolved within pre-defined times, and for facilitating the generation of both management and user reports.
The Help Desk staff will analyse each reported problem, and resolve it immediately, if this is within their capacity. Should this not be possible, the problem report will be logged, and then referred on to the most appropriate IT support staff member.
2 AFTER HOURS SERVICE
2.1 Hours of Support
Information Strategy & Technology Services Unit (ISTS) after hours support services will be available
- Weekdays 0700 hrs – 0830hrs and 2100hrs - 2200 hrs
- Weekends 0900hrs - 1800 hrs
- Public Holidays 0900hrs - 1800 hrs
The After Hours Service will respond to telephoned reports only from staff members of the University. Students experiencing difficulties covered by the After Hours Service should report to security staff on the relevant campus.
Defined events warranting after hours service include the following.
- Loss of any general purpose computing pool, provided there is no alternative pool with similar functionality available at the same campus.
- One or more significant university-wide services is unavailable including, major corporate administration information systems, Library systems, dialup services, electronic mail, corporate World Wide Web and voicemail.
- Unable to print from an entire student pool (e.g. print server is out of service) and there is no alternative pool with similar print functionality available on the same campus. (Note: Routine printer ribbon, toner or paper replenishment is excluded from After Hours Services arrangements.)
- Major failure of voice or data services or connectivity to the Internet.
2.3 Obtaining After Hours Support
To call for after hours services, staff members should telephone 8302 1000 and to leave a voicemail message and a contact telephone number. Voicemail on this telephone number is programmed to call the ISTS staff member who is currently on call every five minutes until answered.
Students using on-site IT facilities after hours need to report problems to Security on their campus. Security will report the problem to the after hours number if it is a defined event as described in section 2.2
One ISTS staff member at a time will be rostered to be on call. The person on call will carry a mobile telephone together with a list of University information technologists, their areas of expertise, contact telephone numbers and any constraints on availability.
On receiving a call about a fault which is within the scope of the After Hours Service, the rostered staff member on call will attempt to diagnose the fault. This staff member may call for assistance from any University information technologist with appropriate expertise and availability if the apparent fault is not within the scope that the rostered staff member is able or is authorised to rectify.
The staff member on call will respond promptly to the staff member who originated the service call, advising the status of fault diagnosis and rectification.
The staff member on call (or any staff member assisting) will attend a University campus if this is necessary and appropriate to rectify a fault. Security staff on duty at that campus will be advised on arrival.
Details of each call taken will be forwarded to the Help Desk for logging.
Details of the time spent investigating and rectifying problems by the person on call and any staff members assisting are to be recorded for support of claims for payment.
3 SUPPORT FRAMEWORK
The provision of IT support for staff and students is a shared responsibility between ISTS and IT support staff in cost centres.
3.1 Responsibilities of IT Support Staff in Cost Centres
IT support staff in cost centres are responsible for:
- development, maintenance and support of cost centre based servers or services which are not otherwise provided by IT Services Unit;
- ensuring that appropriate consultation occurs with IT Services prior to making technical changes to the cost centre's information technology environment which may impact on the University information technology environment;
- keeping their user community informed about ISTS announcements, practices and services; and
3.2 Responsibilities of Cost Centres Managers
Managers of cost centres which have local IT support staff are responsible for:
- managing and funding the needs of IT support staff in the areas of training, staff development and suitable IT equipment;
- managing the workload and resolving priority conflicts which may occur for local IT support staff;
- ensure that the IT Services unit is informed of any plans or proposals by the cost centre which may have an impact on the University's information technology infrastructure
3.3 Responsibilities of IT Services in Assisting Local IT Support
Information Strategy & Technology Services is responsible for:
- maintaining effective communication between IT Services Unit staff and cost centre IT staff,
- provision of cost centre information technology support staff with some staff development opportunities, including internal workshops, to assist support staff in maintaining appropriate levels of knowledge,
- managing, supporting and maintaining IT infrastructure including the voice and data networks (to the wall socket), key systems and services (including corporate systems, messaging systems, Internet access, time-sharing systems and general purpose computer pools) and provision of Help Desk call centres;
- involving cost centre staff in appropriate consultation regarding information technology decisions which will have a significant impact on cost centres;
4 STANDARD OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
4.1 Desktop
The desktop computing environment is a complex and integral part of the University’s communication, administration, research, teaching and learning environment. Consistency and predicability of use for staff and students must be maintained in the information technology environment.
Any decisions to alter the standard operating environment throughout the University will be based on an analysis of a range of issues including;
- reliability,
- support issues,
- training issues,
- migration costs,
- costs of software,
- costs of any hardware upgrades required, and
- inter-relationships and operability with other applications and information technology services.
The current list of supported software is listed at
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ists/staff/purchasing/software/default.asp
The ISTS will maintain a list of recommended and minimum desktop hardware to reflect ongoing changes in the industry. For the current list see
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ists/staff/purchasing/hardware/default.asp
4.2 General Purpose Computing Pools
As the General Purpose Computing Pools environment is a critical factor in the teaching and learning environment of the University, any changes to this area will require careful integration with academic staff requirements, priorities and resources.
Any recommendation for Change to operating systems or Applications programs in the General Purpose Computing Pools environment will be made by the ISTS based on;
- advice received from the General Purpose Computing Pools Reference Group, and
- consideration of integration with academic staff requirements, priorities and resources.
Any decisions to move to a new major operating system or to phase out an existing system will be based on an analysis of a range of issues including;
- current usage,
- evaluation of industry trends,
- cost of supporting the new or existing system, and
- alternatives for users of an existing system.
The ISTS will give at least twelve months notice if any major operating system is to phased out. Advice on support for migration from a system being phased out to a new system will be provided by ISTS.
The current list of supported major operating systems is listed at
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ists/Staff/Purchasing/Software/software.asp.
5 WORKING OFF-CAMPUS
Off-campus work for staff may involve
- work from home,
- work from other organisations formally associated with the University (eg hospitals, cooperative research centres, other universities, study centres, community centres, DTAFE institutions or schools),
- work from temporary locations (eg hotels, airport lounges) and
- interstate or overseas locations.
The responsibility for the provision of information technology hardware, software and support for a staff member working off-campus rests with the staff member’s cost centre.
Staff who work off-campus are required to ensure that Occupational Health and Safety requirements are met.
6 SERVICES TO USASA
The University will facilitate the use of University Information Technology infrastructure and services by the University of South Australia Students Association (USASA) where that usage is consistent with the mission of the University. The University reserves the right to negotiate for payment by USASA for particular usage or services where the University meets significant additional expense (particularly Information Strategy & Technology Services Unit staff time) in providing those services for USASA.
USASA usage of University Information Technology infrastructure and services will be subject to a memorandum of understanding between USASA and the University.
Particular usage by USASA will be subject to formal exchanges of letters between the Director: Information Strategy & Technology Services and the appropriate operating officer of USASA under the framework of the memorandum of understanding.
7 SERVICES TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
The University is increasingly being involved in partnerships and associations with other organisations. These organisations include Cooperative Research Centres, collaborative arrangements with industry and companies generated through University activities.
The University will provide such organisations with access to University Information Technology services and infrastructure to further the mission of the University, consistent with the legal and contractual obligations under which the University operates.
The usage of University Information Technology infrastructure and services by organisations associated with the University will be subject to a memorandum of understanding between those organisations and the University.
Particular usage by those organisations will be subject to formal exchanges of letters between the Director: Information Strategy & Technology Services and the appropriate operating officer of the organisation under the framework of the memorandum of understanding.