SLA

CompuTec’s Service Level Agreement (SLA)

This service level agreement (SLA) describes the core services provided to customers By CompuTec. It details both CompuTec’s and customers’ responsibilities.

It is assumed that only CompuTec staff will provide computing support for machines under this support program. In order to avoid duplication of effort and insure a consistent, high level of service, CompuTec will work with departmental computing support staff only by special arrangement.

In the course of providing computing support under this program, CompuTec staff in many instances provide support beyond what is described in this document. Such additional support is provided at the discretion of CompuTec consultants.

Supported hardware and software

The Desktop Support contract in general assumes the following:

Each supported computer will be used by only one supported customer.
The computer will be used in a single location.

In the cases where either of these conditions do not apply, support may still be provided if a retainer contract is set up to cover service resulting from those circumstances (e.g., setting up multiple mailboxes or configurating network connectivity for multiple locations). In addition, a computer must be networked to be eligible for support under this program.

Responsibilities: Customers should consult CompuTec before making hardware or software purchases. Some hardware or software may be unsupportable. CompuTec’s planning assistance can reduce the likelihood of compatibility problems wth existing hardware or software or having to deal with unreliable vendors. In addition, customers must notify CompuTec if a supported computer will be used by multiple users or in multiple locations.

Description of services

Services provided by CompuTec to customers are described below.

Planning and recommendations

CompuTec will provide recommendations and planning assistance to supported departments regarding all aspects of desktop computing. The scope of such assistance includes the following:

Hardware and software recommendations.
Planning for support of initiatives.
Assessing file sharing, database, and backup needs.
Evaluation of training needs.

In some cases, CompuTec may recommend services not covered by the Annual Desktop Support contract. Such services may be provided by CompuTec or other organizations.

Responsibilities: Customers, and department managers in particular, are urged to take advantage of CompuTec’s assistance with planning and keep CompuTec informed about departmental computing issues. CompuTec management will make an effort to meet with department managers periodically.

Computer setup and installation

CompuTec will install and configure new computers for supported customers. Computer setups may include the following:

Unpacking and connecting computer components.
Configuring operating systems for network connectivity.
Installation of operating system patches or updates.
Installation of applications.
Transfer of data from an existing computer to a new machine. Basic data conversion may be performed as well. Complex data conversions such as is sometimes required when migrating from one platform to another may require an hourly contract.

Individuals are limited to one computer setup per fiscal year. Additional setups may be performed on an hourly contract.

Responsibilities:

Customers should consult CompuTec prior to any new computer purchases.
Because computer setups typically require from two to six working hours, customers should notify CompuTec as far in advance as possible to schedule a setup appointment.
The user of the machine may need to be present at certain points during the installation process, typically at the beginning or end of the process.
The user must have available network configuration information (i.e., IP address, router address, subnet mask, etc.). CompuTec can provide assistance to departments in ascertaining this information.
Licenses and media for any commercial applications to be installed must be provided by the customer.
Customers are responsible for moving computers from one location to another, providing storage space for new or old machines, and clearing off the space needed for a setup.

Maintenance

CompuTec will provide comprehensive maintenance services for supported machines. One comprehensive maintenance per year will typically be performed on each supported machine, and minor maintenance may be performed more frequently. Operations that may be performed as part of a maintenance include the following:

Installation of operating system updates and patches.
Updates of standard applications (in some cases including commercial applications).
Software diagnostics.
Disk optimization.

A full maintenance will typically require from one to four hours, depending on what tasks need to be performed. Maintenance is always scheduled in advance.

Responsibilities:

The user may need to be present at certain points during the maintenance process, typically at the beginning or end.
Users should bring to the attention of the consultant any problems that he or she may be experiencing prior to maintenance and also note if any specialized hardware or software is used with or installed in the machine.
In some cases, it may be necessary for users to purchase licenses for certain software upgrades.

Troubleshooting

CompuTec will troubleshoot problems with supported operating systems, software applications, and network connectivity. CompuTec will also perform basic hardware troubleshooting.

Responsibilities: Customers should request CompuTec services as described below.

Application support

CompuTec will provide assistance with supported applications. This assistance includes the following services:

Installation and updating of software.
Troubleshooting of common problems.
Help with basic usage.

There are some limitations to CompuTec’s application support:

CompuTec will provide assistance with unsupported applications on a “best effort” basis. This support will typically include installation, but in-depth troubleshooting will require the purchase of an hourly contract.
CompuTec will provide no support for discouraged or prohibited applications.
Support for advanced features or complex configurations is limited, and the purchase of an hourly contract may be required.
CompuTec will help users perform their job functions using computer technology but will not perform those functions. For example, CompuTec will not create documents or design databases or web pages for users; an hourly or retainer contract is required in those situations.

Responsibilities:

Customers should request CompuTec services as described below.
Customers should utilize manuals, online help systems, training CD-ROMs, and other training resources for the applications they use frequently.
Customers are responsible for purchasing software licenses and having media available (if required).

Network support

CompuTec provides support for network connectivity for all supported workstations. This support includes the following:

CompuTec will assist with network planning and ordering of network connections.
CompuTec will install and configure software for accessing the corporate network and world-wide Internet.
CompuTec will troubleshoot network connectivity problems.

Backup support

CompuTec will provide installation and configuration of backup software and hardware. backup results will be monitored daily to assure successful backups.

File sharing

CompuTec runs file servers for both Mac and PC platforms for supported departments. The file servers are backed up regularly and allow departmental workgroups to share documents. CompuTec works with departments to create directory hierarchies that make sense for their work patterns. CompuTec creates and manages users and groups.

CompuTec discourages personal (peer-to-peer) file sharing for several reasons:

If the computer acting as a server is turned off, crashes, or experiences a hardware or software failure, no one will be able to access the shared files.
Performance may be poor for remote users, and the machine acting as the server may experience performance degradation.
Peer-to-peer file sharing is not scalable, and administration of users and groups can be hard to manage.

Responsibilities: Customers must comply with all CompuTec server usage policies.

Hardware support

CompuTec provides basic hardware diagnosis for supported machines. In addition, CompuTec will provide warranty work on most Dell and Apple desktop computer systems and can provide post-warranty work in many cases as well. Post-warranty work will be performed on a recharge basis only. In addition, CompuTec staff will perform some basic hardware upgrades at no charge; these services would include installing PCI cards and upgrading RAM (in most cases). At its discretion, CompuTec may refer hardware repair or upgrade tasks to outside vendors.

Responsibilities: Customers should consult CompuTec if they suspect a hardware problem or are considering an upgrade.

Requesting service

To request services provided under the Annual Desktop Support program, customers should open a trouble ticket online at :

http://www.computec-systems.com/osticket/

Other methods of requesting service (such as sending mail to the personal addresses of consultants, calling consultants’ personal phone lines, or dropping by a consultant’s office) will result in delays. At any given time, an individual consultant may be with another customer, working on a project, at a meeting, or out sick or on vacation.

Responsibilities:

Customers should always request service using the online helpdesk system.
Requests regarding specific computer problems should include the following information:
- The name, office address, phone number, and department of the person needing assistance.
- The exact error messages, if any, that appeared on the user’s screen.
- Information on any applications that may have been running on the machine when the problem occurred.
- What the user did immediately prior to the occurrence of the problem.
- Information regarding any applications or programs that may have been installed recently, or any changes made by a non-CompuTec person.
- Information about the request’s priority; for example, is it the sort of issue that can wait until another day or does it need to be looked at as soon as possible?

Response time

CompuTec’s goal is to respond to all requests for service as quickly as possible. CompuTec prioritizes requests as they come in using the following general guidelines:

Urgent requests are those that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Multiple users are affected.
- The user’s computer is not functional.
- The network is inaccessible.
- The user is working under a deadline or on a time sensitive task.
- The problem is with software that is vital to the nature of the user’s work.
- The user is unable to send or receive email.
- The security of one or more machines is compromised.
Normal requests typically fall into the following categories:
- The request is specified as non-urgent by the customer.
- The request involves peripheral equipment such as printers.
- The user is experiencing an application problem that does not interfere with critical functions.
- The user has an informational question (e.g., “How do I…?”).
Planned requests are those that require scheduling, research, or other advance preparation. Examples of planned requests might include the following:
- Hardware or software recommendations.
- Computer setups.
- Maintenances.
- Requests for other services (e.g., hourly or retainer contracts).
- Software installation or upgrades.
- Hardware upgrades or service.
- Computer moves (i.e., configuring machines for a new location; CompuTec does not physically move computers).

Note that the boundaries among categories are not absolute. For example, there are times when a request that would normally fall into the “Normal” category might in fact be urgent.

CompuTec’s normal response times for requests are shown in the table below:

Category	Initial response time	Commencement of work
Urgent	0-90 minutes	0-3 hours
Normal	0-90 minutes	0-6 hours
Planned	2-4 hours	To be arranged

The “initial response time” refers to the time during which an CompuTec consultant will get in touch with the user (generally by email or telephone but in some case by an in-person visit) to get additional information or schedule a time for a visit. In some cases, the problem may be resolved in the initial response phase. For cases in which the problem cannot be resolved in the initial response phase, “commencement of work” refers to the period in which an CompuTec consultant will be able to take steps to resolve the problem.

All times in the table above refer to normal working hours, considered to be between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The upper time limits are considered to be worst-case situations; normally response time will be much quicker. In very unusual circumstances (such as when several CompuTec staff are out sick), it is possible that the upper time limits may be exceeded; such situations are likely to be extremely rare.

Responsibilities: In order for the above response times to apply, customers must request service using the appropriate team email address or help-line (if email is unavailable). CompuTec can provide no guidelines regarding response time for requests made to consultants directly.