Faculty of Arts: LAN (Local Area Network) Service Level Agreement

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Faculty of Arts LAN (Local Area Network)
Service Level Agreement

• Arts Administrative Group Presentation
• Thursday, January 25, 2007
• Presented by Sharon Barqueiro

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Sharons desk post holidays!

• Happy New Year!

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Seriously, though.

• Topic
• LAN (Local Area Network) Service Level Agreement
  between the Faculty of Arts and IST Customer
  Service (also known as ICS) Information Systems
  and Technology (IST) Customer Services

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Objective from the ProvostAnthony C. Masi

• CIO (Central Information Office) Units combine
  people, processes and technology to achieve
  optimal levels in the delivery of IST
  (Instructional Service Technology) services.

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Objective from Dean Christopher Manfredi

• To provide the most innovative and advanced
  computer services to the Arts community
• To reduce costs without compromising service
• To improve the staffing situation in FAITS by
  providing more permanent positions and career
  opportunities

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Current Situation in Arts

• FAITS Faculty of Arts Instructional Technology
  Services
• Administrative, technical unit belonging to the
  Faculty of Arts
• Is an independent unit reporting to the Dean of
  Arts (Christopher Manfredi) but under the
  supervision of Associate Dean, Academic
  Administration and Oversight (Mary MacKinnon)

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Organizational Profile

• Four Major Components
• Funded by various sources
• Faculty of Arts
• Central University
• Student Funds (Arts Undergraduate Society)
• And revenue generated by printing, service calls,
  etc.

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Component I FAITS (Faculty of Arts Information
Technology Services) Administration

• FAITS supervised by Luc Levasseur, Systems
  Manager
• Has two administrative staff members, Lillian
  Lazarek, Administrative Coordinator and an
  Accounting Administrator
• provides desktop, notebook, network, and help
  desk support for all faculty and staff within the
  Faculty of Arts, as well as some associate
  departments.

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Component II LAN (Local Area Network)

• LAN runs the computer network for Arts
• Includes a lab supervisor, two permanent
  technicians, casual technicians
• Is a first point of contact for all faculty and
  staff computing issues (e-mail, internet
  connectivity, software installations, hardware
  assessments, etc.).
• Provides desktop, notebook, network, and helpdesk
  support for all faculty and staff within the
  Faculty of Arts, as well as some affiliated
  departments.

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Component II LAN (Local Area Network)

• Is responsible for over 1,000 LAN connections to
  the Arts computer network including academic,
  administrative, technical and student connections
  
• Manages software, software installation/ changes
  to operating systems (e.g., Active Directory),
  distribution of computers and installation, etc.

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Component III LABORATORY FACILITY

• LAB responsible for running Arts research labs,
  student labs (graduate/undergraduate), AMLF (Arts
  Multimedia Language Facility)
• Employs a Lab Supervisor, 2 Permanent technicians
  and casual staff
• Large component of funding comes from the Arts
  Undergraduate Society (AUS) and the Faculty of
  Arts

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Component IV ETG (Educational Technology
Services)

• Educational Technology Group
• The Educational Technology Group (ETG) acts as a
  resource to instructors in the Faculty of Arts.
• provide support and training on a variety of
  technology available at the University.
• services include one-on-one assistance,
  workshops, and pedagogical consultation

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Component IV ETG (Educational Technology
Services)

• Has one permanent management position
• Is undergoing reconstruction depending upon the
  needs specified by Arts
• Provides assistance and advice on technological
  services including hardware and software devices
  to Arts staff

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Current Problem Areas

• Insufficient funding for permanent positions
• High staff turnover and dependence on casual
  staff
• Escalating costs for departments related to new
  staff hires, both academic and administrative
• Need to have FAITS associated with IT
  professionals for consultations, advice and
  career advancement and training
• Need for inventory tracking system
• Two separate service systems for Arts one for
  Dawson Hall and the other for all other Arts
  areas
• Management of Software Licenses

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Consultations

• Formed a workgroup in Arts with representatives
  from administrative, academic and research areas
  chaired by Associate Dean Mary MacKinnon
• Consultations with other Faculties who currently
  have SLAs Agricultural Sciences (MAC) Law and
  Management
• Consultations with FAITS and IMS, ICS and
  individuals at McGill
• Recommendations discussed and implemented into
  the service level agreement (ongoing)

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The Proposal

• Delivery of central information technology (IT)
  support services to the Faculty of Arts
• Faculty and staff customer support by web form,
  email or phone for PC and MAC including computers
  not authenticating to Active Directory
• Faculty of Arts Secretariat will move under one
  Service Level Agreement with the rest of Arts
  departments
• Teaching, research and student lab support (the
  latter two under separate agreements to be
  negotiated)

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The Proposal (contd)

• Reduce operating costs for faculty IT support by
  eliminating the 45 per hour support service
  charge
• Inventory tracking system, streamline purchase of
  hardware and software
• Multiple faculty and staff machines supported
• Laptop support as part of the academic laptop
  program
• Peripheral support Personal Digital Assistants
  (PDAs (Palms and Blackberries), Printers,
  Scanners, SmartBoards, USB (Universal Serial Bus)
  storage devices, UPS (Universal Power Supply)
  units

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The Proposal (contd)

• Software Support
• All software supported for faculty and staff
  images (Helpdesk, customer support and training)
• Management of software licenses including those
  not already managed by FAITS
• Maintenance and support of two Arts servers,
  ARTSWEB, ARTSTECHII

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The Proposal (contd)

• Software Support
• License management
• Support for SIS, FIS and HRIS systems
• Support for Enterprise Data Warehouse queries

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The Proposal (contd)

• Central Policy Disposal of Fully Amortized
  Hardware
• Tracking of moveable assets link to purchases
  from hardware/software purchases
• Implementation of disk-wiping utility

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The Proposal (contd)

• Staffing Benefits
• Temporary positions become permanent (6
  employees)
• More challenges and opportunities for these staff
  in a larger organization
• Access to knowledge base for solving problems
  (HEAT Help-desk Enterprise Automated Ticketing
  (software) peers)
• Professional development, memberships
• Salary progression

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Added Arts Benefits

• The same Arts staff will be servicing Arts
• Provost to cover costs of adding additional
  personnel to service Arts needs
• Arts Secretariat brought at no additional cost
  under central agreement for the Faculty of Arts
• Arts will be included in the discussion and
  acquisition of new technologies and services
• Back up from central services to replace staff on
  leaves or incidental illness

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Added Arts Benefits (contd)

• ITSOC (Information Technology Support Oversight
  Committee) will be formed that consists of
  members from Arts
• Committee will be chaired by Associate Dean,
  Academic Administration and Oversight
• Members from ICS/IST will sit on this committee
• Matters affecting the Arts LAN will be discussed
  and decided through this committee

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Added Arts Benefits (contd)

• One central support number--one telephone number
  and available on-line form and email to handle
  service requests
• Requests will be routed through the central
  ticketing service and redirected where
  appropriate
• Log of comments to be reviewed by Arts and ICS on
  a regular basis and system in place to deal with
  complaints in a timely manner
• Service reports to be reviewed on a continuing
  basis

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Okay, how does this affect me?
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Okay, how does this affect me?

• Change in the way we report computer problems
  (one central number) with alternate service
  request form and email
• No 45 an hour service fee!
• Same wonderful staff
• More opportunities and collaboration for our
  FAITS staff with central service staff

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Questions/Break for Coffee?
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Levels of Service

• There are four levels of service
• Level 1 Response as soon as possible. Takes
  priority over all other service requests.
• Service outages require level 1 response. Servers
  should be available 24 x 7, except for routine
  scheduled maintenance and upgrades to be
  conducted outside of the Monday to Friday 9am to
  5pm hours
• Service requests by individuals or groups
  relating to important matters such as computer
  breakdown at peak periods of examination times,
  research grant deadlines, etc.

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Level 1 examples

• ICS will provide support services (first-line
  triage) related to the backbone and network
  infrastructure used for internet connectivity to
  ports in FA.
• Internet Connection and Campus Network
  Connectivity support includes support for Dial-up
  Access Service (DAS), Virtual Private Network
  (VPN), wireless and wired connections, and
  e-mail.
• ICS provides IS/IT security support against, for
  example, hackers, violations of aspects of the
  McGill Computer User Code of Conduct, and viruses.

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Level 2 examples

• Response time within 4 hours (within the hours of
  900 a.m. and 500 p.m., working days)
• Resolve password or intruder lockout issues
  requires a level 2 response
• Repair of Computers, Laptops and PDAs First
  stage The initial request requires a level (4
  hours) response depending on the urgency of the
  need. ICS will troubleshoot PC hardware to
  identify the source of the problem and, if the PC
  is under warranty, will coordinate the repair of
  the PC.

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Level 2 examples

• Hardware troubleshooting requires a level 2-3
  response, depending on reported urgency, and if
  alternative equipment can be used temporarily
• Single installation, relocation or configuration
  of desktop or printer that is replacing a
  non-functional unit requires a level 2 response

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Level 3 examples

• Response time within 24 hours (one working day)
• Requests for implementation of new accounts or to
  rename existing objects require a level 3
  response
• Maintain security group memberships (additions or
  deletions) of Active Directory group objects
  require a level 3 response.
• Level 3 if this is a new printer that is
  replacing a non-functioning printer.

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Level 4 examples

• Response time greater than (gt) 1 working day
• Larger-scale deployment of new and redistribution
  of PCs and/or printers will be negotiated
  (usually requires a level 4 response) between FA
  and ICS.
• Once the initial request for service on a
  computer, printer, PDA, etc. (see level 1
  example) is completed, i.e., a hot spare computer
  was temporary installed, the request for repairs
  require level 4 (2-10 days) response depending on
  the urgency of the need
• Requests for implementation of new applications
  require variable Response Levels, but generally
  level 4 (2-10 days) (depending on how urgently a
  particular application is needed).

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List of Service Level examples

• This will be provided before the SLA is adopted
  so that we will all be on board with how long a
  particular service request will take
• Questions? Clarifications?

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Where are we now?

• The Faculty is currently reviewing the Service
  Level Agreement very carefully to ensure that all
  of the Arts areas are covered.
• We intend to move departments over gradually at a
  time convenient for Departments.
• With the assistance of Kathleen Holden, our
  Communications Officer, we will be launching a
  communication plan which will consist of a) an
  icon on your desktop to link you directly with
  the ICS help desk, a sticker on your computer
  and/or the mouse pad with all of the help links.
  We will also have posters, coordinate
  communication via emails, etc.

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Where are we now?

• Plan for implementation Spring or Summer 2007
  in a consultative phased process.
• Plans for bringing the SLA for the research area
  of Arts including research projects, graduate and
  undergraduate student labs, satellite labs, etc.
  will be a separate transition process.

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Where are we now?

• We will also consider the future of the ETG
  (Educational Technology Group) with consultation
  from our faculty.

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We need your help!

• Any comments or suggestions to make this
  transition as easy as possible would be greatly
  appreciated.
• Comments/suggestions can be sent via email to

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Sharon Barqueiro
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Sharon.barqueiro_at_mcgill.ca

• Telephone
• 398.3254
• Thank you for your time and energy in helping
  make this a success!