Product Support Services

Product Support Services
Version: 3.0
Status:  Proposed: 05/01/07
Contact: James E. Davis

To provide a perspective for hardware and software support services and general guidelines for IT products as it relates to useful life and technical life.

This document covers hardware and software support for the desktop computers, campus servers, college servers, network equipments, mobile devices, general application/file servers, and related software products.

This guideline is applicable to servers used for file sharing, print sharing, and other general LAN services to include e-mail, domain name services, security, etc. Also covered are client desktop and notebook computers. Servers required for VCCS Enterprise applications or applications requiring unique or special hardware configurations are not covered.

The information outlined in this document defines a minimum set of hardware and software specifications. The document will be reviewed as necessary to reflect changes in LAN technology and customer requirements.  

A customer driven Information Technology Infrastructure requires a common set of expectations from the customer perspective. These expectations can be defined in the form of connectivity, capability, and support available from the Information Technology Infrastructure.

A primary objective of this document is to define a set of expectations for hardware and software support services. A minimum set of expectations provide benefits which include: more successful roll out of new services, reduced support costs, reduced complexity, and improved system quality and flexibility. Furthermore, guidelines provide and communicate a common direction for technology growth in VCCS.

The information provided below is divided into five general areas. Each general area includes a list of computing equipment and software products, which form the minimum guideline for the area described. A description of 'level of support' is included with each software product which is helpful in setting expectations regarding product information, consulting services, and product defect support. The five general areas include:

Introduction  

Information Technology Services maintains models and guidelines posted on the System Office web site that detail supported computer hardware and software products. While colleges may use this information to assist with the selection of hardware and software, the intent of the product information is to identify which products have support services and enumerate the level of support available for each. Supported products are items, which have successfully been validated in a VCCS approved pilot project and integrated within VCCS information technology infrastructure.

Product Support Considerations

  The primary objective is to support the most current version of software products because they will often offer users more functionality and fewer problems. It is understood that colleges will often need time to implement newer software as it becomes available. Therefore, unless otherwise noted, VCCS will support the most current major version, as well as the last product version or release for all client software products. If the current release has been available for at least one year, then only the current release is supported.

Product Support Additions  

Colleges may request that other products or older versions be considered for addition to the list by formally contacting the Vice Chancellor ITS and providing the appropriate justification. VCCS Governance will make the final decision on all requests and questions regarding product support.  

Product Support Deletions  

The criteria for ending product support is identified as:

Product Support Services

The initial point of contact for customers wishing to request product information or report product problems will be provided by the College Customer Support Services or Help Desk organization.

In order to clearly identify the level of support users should anticipate for each software or hardware product listed, three basic services are identified: information, defect, and consulting. These services are more fully described in the following:

Defect services provide users with a resource to identify and resolve software or hardware product failures. Defects include situations where a product ceases to function or does not function as described in product documentation. The System Office Customer Support Organization may provide hardware and software defects support directly or through vendor supplied product support.

Consulting services provides users with a resource to answer questions or provide guidance regarding the use of a software or hardware product. Questions will be answered or guidance provided by referencing available documentation or by facilitating consultation with other known experts on and off campus. Each college is expected to provide a minimum level of support for their customers. The college can elect to contract for these services from the VCCS Systems Office or from a service provider.

Equipment Life Cycle for Information Technology  

The following depicts the equipment life cycle for Information Technology. Technical Life as it relates to these guidelines is defined as the period in which vendors initially introduces new products until those products are fully accepted into the general market place. Useful life is defined as replacement within the 30-36 months following the end of technical life.

The Guidelines outlined in this document sets 4 years as the standard replacement cycle for all equipment identified in this document except high end notebook and desktop computers. The high end computer configurations tend to have a longer technical and useful life thereby potentially extending the deployment of this equipment on the campus. It is highly recommended that a four-year maintenance contract be put in place when the equipment is initially purchased to include any warranty period.  

Note: Colleges can document cause to continue use of selective equipment beyond the replacement cycles outlined above but that equipment should not be assigned to mainstream customers or used by students.

Primary Operating Systems

The following table provides a brief summary of primary operating systems and software components in each the platforms listed below.

Desktop Hardware Support List

The following table provides a brief summary of desktop, notebook, and server hardware supported. A more detailed set of specifications can be found in the VCCS Desktop and Notebook Computer Guidelines.