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Q3

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                                                   Departmental IT Resources

Compiled and submitted by Chris Lavallee and team leads

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  • Implemented changes in the providers and plans purchased for the DITR mobile devices leading to expected significant cost savings in FY09 and FY10.
  • Altiris and Bomgar use has increased, thus improving the team's ability to accurately identify inventory in the field and provide remote support when needed.
  • Updated the DITR web pages to more accurately reflect our products and services.

Challenges:
Staffing

  • Maintaining proper staffing levels to quickly respond to the customers while increasing the DITR representation and participation in IS&T led implementations (i.e. PGP software rollout)
  • Properly forecast future demand for DITR services and contracts in the current environment of financial uncertainty and increased security.
  • Maintaining the high level of daily customer service, while reassessing each of the DITR programs and services to assure alignment with the goals and the mission of DITR, IS&T, and MIT.

Work to Do Next
New Products and Services

  • Finalize the cost benefit analysis of the Asset Recovery process for DITR machines.

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  • Finalize the development and implementation of the comprehensive DITR inventory tracking database.
  • Complete the definition and documentation of the mission of each DITR team, along with the services each provides to the MIT community.
  • Market the DITR services to the wider MIT community to attract new clients
  • Find tools to assist in the tracking of on-call services and billing.                                             

Desktop Deployment and Maintenance (DDM) Team

Accomplishments
Staffing
-          CSS Leadership merged the AdminIT Program and the Admin Desktop Renewal Program together to form the new Desktop Deployment and Maintenance group.  Chuck King is Team Lead.
-          Promoted Patrick Connelly from the AdminIT team to the SLA team. 
-          Began pilot with the MITemps NextSource system.
-          Chuck King is participating in MOR Associates IT Leaders Program.
Client Impact

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FY2009

ALL

Chuck

Pat

Justin

Others

Q1 Jul-Sept

136

21

65

44

6

Q2 Oct-Dec

187

12

101

74

0

Q3 Jan-Mar

116

17

24

65

10

Q4 Apr-Jun

--

--

--

--

--

FY09 totals

439

50

190

183

16

FY2008

 

 

 

 

 

Q1 Jul-Sept

138

28

N/A

N/A

48

Q2 Oct-Dec

82

37

15

N/A

0

Q3 Jan-Mar

224

45

84

N/A

8

Q4 Apr-Jun

146

35

86

N/A

0

FY08 totals

590

145

185

N/A

56



Admin Desktop Renewal Deployments
Apple desktop              52
Apple laptop                 10
Dell desktop                 85
Dell laptop                    16
Printers                         5
Servers                         0
Monitors                       23
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Totals                           191 Deployments
Tools and Processes

  • Continued to ramp up Bomgar usage to provide remote support to our clients.  We completed over 450 Support Sessions, many of which in the past we used to conduct on site.  Bomgar as a tool has proven to increase efficiency greatly.
  • Altiris continues to be rolled out to our customer's desktops, with over 380 machines reporting back to our central Altiris server.  Our goal is to get as many of our nearly 3800 supported desktops in Altiris as possible.
  • Made significant progress in our work with DCAD on the DITR DDM Asset Tracking database.  The database is nearly completed and will be ready for go live in Q4 of this year.
  • Also made significant progress in analyzing the Desktop Renewal deployment process, as well as DLC participation requirements.  Continued discussions continue until fully documented, and a more formal announcement of services will be made.
  • DITR DDM web page was updated to reflect new mission statement, services, and staffing changes.

Challenges
Staffing

  • Chuck, in his new TL role, is still learning the Desktop Renewal Program and the various processes involved.
  • The DDM staff will need to be trained quickly on the newly integrated processes of the combined team in order to maintain the same expected levels of service.

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  • Until the new database is on-line, there continues to be three separate systems in use for the purchasing, deployment, tracking, and billing phases of the process.
  • The interaction between these systems is, at present, completely manual and reliant on human interaction and handoffs.
  • The current administrative processes are overly complex and manual, with too many single points of failure.

Work to Do Next
Staffing

  • Work with NextSource on obtaining a second temp for DDM.  This individual is backfill for Justin Fleming, who is being promoted to the SLA group starting May 18th.

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  • Chuck is to work with Chris on defining and implementing a comprehensive maintenance program with an emphasis on remote tools and processes.
  • Remote Management:  Continue to increase the use of BOMGAR for remote support for clients.  Begin discussions with Bomgar about increasing license base on B200 Bomgar server.
  • Co-locate Bomgar Server to W91.
  • Expand the use of the Altiris technology inventory management suite to all of the DLCs that are supported by DITR by July 2009. 
  • Continue to identify automated processes and value added services offered by the vendors that may make our own processes and services more efficient.
  • Transfer the responsibilities of equipment ordering and database administration into the DITR group by the end of Q4.
  • Finalize the revised business rules associated with the Admin Desktop Renewal program (i.e. DLC participation requirements, services provided, costs, etc)
  • Continue to improve the billing processes to provide even more timely and transparent billing.
  • Communication with other groups in DITR and outside of DITR will also need to improve so that issues are not missed.                                                                           

DITR Plus

Accomplishments
Client Impact
-          The third quarter of FY09 saw the DITR-Plus team continue the support of the Institute's senior administration and staff, and constant attention to detail has resulted in a minimization of larger issues, and less downtime for our clients.
-          RT Queue info : 37 new, 12 open 235 resolved this quarter. (we have been more diligent in RT management - making sure to enter EVERY issue into RT) 937 total cases resolved since this time last year.
-          DITR-Plus client count is at 69 with 3 positions to be filled (IS&T V.P., General Counsel's office, and Washington D.C. office).
-          Succesful Outreach to Associate Provost P. Khoury's office. That office had been using an outside contractor for several years and was reluctant to use our services. After meeting with Phil & his staff, he agreed to let us assist his office in some pressing projects (calendar setup, email migration). These were completed successfully and we are looking forward to some broader projects for his office. (Hardware and Software upgrades)
-          Continued upgrade of computers to ensure that all equipment is current and under warranty. This quarter saw 3 new iMacs, 2 laptops (1 Macbook Air), and 2 printers
-          Upgrade of several mobile devices. 1 iPhone & 4 Blackberries. Developing a nice collaboration with the Mobile Device Team to address all client needs and expectations.
Staffing
-          Training courses completed for Patrick Curtis (MS Server 2008), and Mike Bryan (I.T. Managers Workshop).  

Challenges
Tools and Processes
-          Maintaining the high level of service expected through Spring Semester and at the start of the Summer.
-          Scheduling the time to do upgrades/ maintenance.
-          There are several projects for us after Commencement. Once again, we will need to educate our clients on the importance of such matters, and have patience until the projects are completed. (email migrations, PGP encryption, etc.)
-          Establishing collaborative communication with members of IS&T staff to better escalate and address issues out of our realm. (Network, Email, Telephony, etc.) This has seen great improvements in most areas, particularly OIS/Network Services.

Work to Do Next
Tools and Processes
-          Implement Data Encryption for users to protect sensitive data (P.I.I. and proprietary) as required by Massachusetts state law effective 1/1/2010.
-          Continue to work on collaboration with IS&T

                                                                              SLA Program

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  • All consultants are looking at using remote access to assist their contracts wherever possible. With the challenges of the SLA schedule, we are seeing a significant benefit to including the Bomgar system to our support tools.
  • Harsh economical times may lead to some decreases in SLA hours from DLCs in FY10 as they look at their budgets.
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Work to Do Next
Staffing

  • We are in the process of hiring the additional consultant and have received the go-ahead.
  • As we make our resources more available for IS&T community initiatives, such as the MS Exchange project, the Merchant Services upgrade program, we find our resources stretched and pressure placed on the SLA coverage.

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  • One MAC server SLA was started this quarter and will be collocated in to W91 in April.
  • We will make sure we are using the tools we have available to us in order to work as efficiently and effectively as possible.
  • Continue gathering the data and metrics needed to analyze the current staffing and rate models - adjustments will be proposed for implementation during FY10. 
                                                   

Athena Clusters and Laptop Loaner Program

Accomplishments
Staffing

  • Brian Murphy returned from military leave briefly, only to be deployed again a short time later.

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  • Quarterly departmental billing for Athena hardware and software continued with minimal issues in this third quarter.
  • Public and Departmental Athena computer inventory was completed this quarter.
  • Asset tracking software was purchased for the Laptop Loaner program this quarter in order to help improve laptop check in and out, tracking, and inventory control.
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Challenges
Staffing

  • Just as their Team Lead was settling back into his role, the team experienced the disruption of another military deployment.
  • The daily tasks and responsibilities of the team lead must be backfilled again while Brian is away.Work to Do Next
    Staffing

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