Service declaration

Under construction! This article is under construction! The article might exist in norwegian. Look for a language link in the left margin. Last update: 19.01.2010 by Mihho

Service declaration from the IT department

20 August 2008

The IT department shall deliver stable, high-quality IT services that help users in their work.

This service declaration applies to joint standard IT services for which the IT department has

operational responsibility, and to user support in connection with these services.

The declaration applies to all UIB employees who use these services.

Separate agreements may be entered into for extra service/capacity and other services in

addition to the standard services.

The IT department delivers the following joint standard services:

• A personal user account that provides access to IT services.

• Installation and operation of Windows, Linux or Mac OS X operating system and standard set-up on the client computer (PC).

• Installation of software on the client computer.

• Storage space and data backup on a personal home directory and shared directories.

• Network printing.

• E-mail, including spam and virus filter.

• Electronic calendar.

• Storage space and a technical system that enables users to create their own web pages.

• Land-line telephone to locations in the university area.

• Basic user support for mobile phone services linked to UiB’s agreements and other services.

• User support and operation of standard electronic equipment in teaching rooms.

• Operation of joint systems for UiB, including administrative support systems, study administration systems and research-related activities.

• Information and advice regarding the purchase of telephone equipment, computer equipment and software.

The services delivered by the IT department shall be of high quality. By this, we mean that the IT department will:

• Design and operate the IT infrastructure so that the services are as stable, robust and error-free as possible.

• Ensure that the most important joint services are available to users round-the-clock and without unnecessary interruptions. The components included in these services will be monitored and repaired, also outside working hours.

• Normally notify users about planned interruptions to services at least five days in advance. Notification will be given on the IT department’s website.

• Plan modifications, maintenance work and planned shutdowns in a manner that causes as little disruption as possible to users.

• On request, report the use of software/licences that have been installed automatically by the IT department.

• Provide prompt on-site user support in the event of problems arising with standard electronic equipment in auditoriums or teaching rooms. The telephone number for auditorium assistance (first-line standby PC support) and other information will be displayed in all such rooms.

• Run the user support centre - BRITA – the IT department’s user support section – as an available point of contact for all enquiries about services from Monday to Friday between 08.00 and 15.45. You can contact BRITA by phoning (555) 84700 or through the web-based Issuetracker system (https://bs.uib.no).

• Deal with enquiries regarding errors etc. in an efficient manner that minimises problems for users. This includes:

• • Registering and updating all incoming enquiries and keeping users informed about the status of their problem.

• • Prioritising problems on the basis of urgency and impact. Acute problems will be dealt with as urgent matters. Problems that affect several users will be given higher priority than problems for individual users.

• • Referring issues that cannot be solved immediately to a member of staff.

• • As a rule, a problem will be referred to a member of staff within four hours of it being registered in Issuetracker (this applies in working hours). The user will then receive a response.

• • Solving 80% of known error types that can be solved without calling in external service by the end of the following working day (applies to matters that are reported before 14.00).

• • Rectifying errors or faults on client computers, software and printers, and dealing with contact with suppliers/external service partners. User entities cover the cost of external repairs, or, if the repairs costs are too high, the purchase price of replacement equipment.

In order for the IT department to deliver these services as described, the departments/sections must help by:

• Budgeting for purchases of computer equipment and software licences, and making any such purchases in consultation with the IT department.

• Purchasing and administering the software licences they use.

• Always following recommendations from or conferring with the IT department before purchasing equipment or systems that will be operated by the IT department or that are to be run together with the IT department’s systems.

• Ensuring hardware is adequately maintained so that it can run the standard programs and operating systems used by the IT department on its client computers. This also entails having warranty/service agreements for the equipment if this is recommended by the IT department. The IT department is not normally responsible for equipment for which there is no warranty/service agreement, and it will as a rule disclaim operating responsibility and not provide user support for PCs older than five years.

• Having equipment for lending (to guest lecturers, for teaching purposes etc.) and spare equipment (for example, in the event of theft or hardware breakdowns).

In order for the IT department to deliver these services as described, the individual user must help by:

• Ensuring that he/she is sufficiently computer literate and skilled in the use of the computer systems to use the IT services and tools in his/her work.

• Complying with UiB’s ICT regulations (http://www.uib.no/sec/).

• Keeping up to date with information concerning the IT services that is published on the IT department’s website (http://it.uib.no/).

• Always saving important data on the network drive (personal and shared directories on the IT department’s servers), and ensuring that backup copies are made of any data stored locally.

• Deleting superfluous data (e-mails and files).

If you have any comments or questions about the service declaration or believe that it has been breached, please contact BRITA (tel. 555 84700 or visit http://bs.uib.no/), which will register and pass on your query.

Documents relating to the service declaration:

1. Description of the service: installation and operation of client computers

a. Main functions

b. Hardware requirements

c. Operating categories of Windows client computers

d. Operating categories of Linux client computers

e. Description of the service: installation of software on the client computer

2. Description of the service: personal user account

3. Description of the service: storage in a personal home directory with backup

Annex 1:

Description of the service: installation and operation of client computers

Main functions

The IT department’s system of centralised and standardised operation of client computers

includes:

• An automatically installed operating system (Windows XP, Fedora Linux or Mac OS X).

• Automatic updates of the operating system and programs (security updates).

• An antivirus system with automatic updates of virus signature files in Windows.

• Automatic distribution of software insofar as this is technically feasible and costeffective, including subject-specific programs.

• A set-up that entails minimal risk of users losing their data, as all programs are configured to save data on the server (with the exception of laptops, and in very special cases).

Hardware requirements

Minimum specifications for client computers for client operation:

• Pentium IV or Athlon XP with ACPI support, or better.

• Minimum 512 MB internal memory.

• Minimum 20 GB hard disk

• Support for network booting

Operating categories of Windows client computers

The IT department uses different categories of installations on Windows client computers.

The category to which a PC belongs is defined by the role of the client computer.

The four categories are:

• managed computer

• unmanaged computer

• laboratory computer and

• laptop

The IT department’s goal is that most client computers should be managed computers.

The department maintains a large and expanding software library (see Description of the service:

installation of software on client computers). This is an important factor in relation to how

large a proportion of the computers can be classified as ‘managed computers’. The reason the

IT department wants to limit the use of unmanaged computers is that they are often

demanding in terms of resource use, in addition to the security risk associated with the user’s

installation rights.

Managed computers

These are client computers with standard software. Standard software is defined here as any

software for which the IT department has created a centralised installation (see

http://bs.uib.no/adprogs/). This system will cover most users' requirements:

• Users must not store other data or software on the system disk (C:) than data or

software that comes via the IT department’s Windows installation or that complies

with the Active Directory’s rules set.

• In the event of problems or maintenance work, the computer (system and software)

may be reinstalled by the IT department by arrangement with the user. Reinstallation

will not result in changes to the user’s data or configurations.

• It is preferable that the user does not have access to the D disk.

• The user has no installation rights.

Unmanaged computers

This category is intended for users who have software for which the IT department has not

been able to create a centralised installation. Users are entitled to install software on their own

responsibility.

• Users have their own administration account for the installation of software that has

not been packaged by the IT department.

• Users should not have data and software on their system disk (C:) that should not be

deleted. The reason for this is that it must be possible for the IT department to reinstall

the computer as efficiently as possible.

• Users have access to the D disk for the temporary storage of data, but must be aware

that this data is not backed up.

• Some problems can be solved by reinstalling the computer or resetting the user profile

instead of carrying out time-consuming troubleshooting. Users must note that, in such

case, they must reinstall software they have installed themselves.

Laptop computers

• The same as for managed computers, but adapted for laptops.

• Laptops can be connected to the network using a mobile telephone. However, a mobile

phone of a type approved by the IT department must be used (see

http://it.uib.no/?link_id=1531).

• The user can synchronise files with the home directory. This is done automatically

when the user connects to UiB’s network.

Laboratory computers

In special cases, there are laboratory computers with specialised instruments that often have to

collect data over a period of several days. These computers must remain logged on for the

data collection to proceed. It would not be sensible for a user to log on as him/herself, as there

are often several people simultaneously monitoring the collection of data.

• The same as for unmanaged computers.

• Lab computers have a separate local ‘lab’ account that is accessible with a password

known to all users.

• The computer will normally only have network access to UiB’s network (no internet

access).

• No automatic restart in connection with updates of the computer. The users must

restart the computer themselves between data collection sessions.

Special exceptions

In cases where it is not possible to install the latest operating system on a computer that is

nonetheless deemed to be critical (usually equipment that is directly connected to laboratory

equipment and that cannot be replaced without a major investment), a hardware firewall will

be installed between the computer and the network. This box will be delivered fully

configured and free of charge by the IT department.

In exceptional circumstances, there may be systems where the user administers the

workstation him/herself. Such workstations will be connected to UiB’s VPN (Virtual Private

Network), which requires additional authentication and is partially isolated from the ordinary

network.

Operating categories of Linux client computers

The IT department has three categories of installations on Linux client computers: desktop

computers, computational resources and laptops. In exceptional cases, deviation from these

categories can be considered, but this must be decided in consultation with the IT department.

Desktop computers

These are client computers with standard software. Standard software is defined as all

software for which the IT department has created a centralised installation (see

http://marimbaconsole.uib.no/software/ ). Most users' needs are met by this arrangement:

• The user must not store data or software on the system disk (root partition) other than

data or software that comes via the IT department’s Linux installation or that complies

with the rules set from administration tools.

• In the event of problems or maintenance work, the computer (system and software)

may be reinstalled by the IT department by arrangement with the user. Reinstallation

will not result in changes to the user’s data or configurations.

• The user has the option of storing data and installing software in a home directory and

scratch partition (/scratch). User support is not provided for this, and the RPM format

is not supported. Backup is not normally taken of the data on /scratch.

Computational resources

This category is a variant of the desktop computer category. It is intended for servers that are

client operated as a joint resource for groups of users, and preferably exclusively as a log-on

and computational resource. It may be possible to set up such server services in exceptional

circumstances and in consultation with the IT department. Such resources can be part of

computational clusters.

• The same as for desktop computers, but with the possibility of server services and

cluster connection.

• Should be possible to mount in a rack.

• To be mounted in one of the IT department’s computer halls.

Laptop computers

• The same as for desktop computers, but adapted for laptops

• It should be possible for users to configure the network themselves for connection

elsewhere than UiB.

• The user has the opportunity to synchronise files with the home directory when using

the UiB network.

Description of the service: software installation

In principle, the IT department wants all software to be centrally installed (packaged) even if

it is only used on a small number of computers. This also applies to scientific software, lab

software etc.

In some cases, however, it is not expedient to package software, e.g. when it is only to be used

for a limited period by one user. All requests for software packaging will be considered.

The packaging of software entails certain requirements relating to how the program handles

licences.

The IT department cannot package software with:

• Licence systems that require user activation for each computer installation

• Licence systems that require a dongle during installation

• Licence systems that generate licence information based on the hardware

The IT department can package software with:

• Licence systems that require a dongle while the program is running

• Licence systems that can use a licence server when running

• All other licence systems

If in doubt, the IT department should always be consulted before purchasing software.

Annex 2:

Description of the service: personal user account

All UiB employees shall have a personal user account, home directory and access to e-mail

and a web directory.

Employees have a user account as long as they are included in the UiB personnel system.

Persons attached to one of the companies at UiB and who require access to UiB’s IT services

can also be granted a user account.

SEBRA is UiB’s central user administration system, where you can apply for and create an

account, change passwords, apply for additional access etc. Each entity (entity with budget

responsibility) at UiB has its own approver(s) in SEBRA, who approve the creation of

accounts for employees and ‘others’ (guests etc.)

All employees can order temporary accounts for guests at https://tjinfo.uib.no/nettkonto

All permanent employees can create temporary accounts, for example for external users using

computers in course premises. See the description of the procedure (in Norwegian) at

http://www.uib.no/persok/Sebra/Opprette_kurskonto.htm

Annex 3:

Description of the service: storage in a personal home

directory with backup

Standard allotment size for home directories is increased regularly - approx. once a year. The

limit is currently set at 6 GB for employees. Should this prove insufficient for some users, the

allotment can be increased, for a fee, by contacting BRITA.

User files are backed up daily. If users lose files accidentally, they can be retrieved from

backup by contacting BRITA.

The regulations that apply to the backup of data are available on the IT department's website

(see http://it.uib.no). Users who have more extensive backup requirements, can, in return for a

fee, make special arrangements by contacting BRITA.

All employees can create personal web pages. Entities and organisations affiliated to UiB can

be allocated space for their web pages on UiB’s servers.