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IT Services: Core Services definition


May 2008 [revision history]

IT Services provides a central computer service within the following constraints and contexts:

Additionally IT Services would hope to have some influence over the following University contexts, where applicable:

Some of these contexts are relatively stable, but others may change quite rapidly.  In order that our core services continue in line with the changing demands of these contexts, it is proposed that they be formally reassessed every six months.  This should allow a sensible balance between stability and managed flexibility.

We propose to define our core activities in the following terms:

Generic definition of services

This description derives from the requirements of the University as defined in the Strategic Plan and elsewhere, the technological background, and the available resources. It will change from time to time, but needs to be fairly stable.

The mechanisms and procedures by which the components of this layer are added and removed need to be understood.  The development of any new generic service will happen relatively rarely, and will normally have a standard implementation only after a period of initial research and experimentation, during the development of appropriate standards and protocols.

The current standard implementation of the generic services

Whereas the generic description of core services might be seen as a strategic matter for the University senior management in dialogue with IT Services, the implementation is largely decided by IT Services on the basis of its understanding of technical issues, of resource limitations and of the needs and activities of users, and its likely responsibility for supporting the service.

The components of this layer will change from time to time, and the mechanisms and procedures for change may arise from technological and other developments. These will be decided by IT Services in consultation with users throughout the University. For any of the core services, IT Services should be able to say how it is currently implemented: the level of support, any hardware and software used, the manner of disseminating relevant information, support and maintenance carried out.

In this document, there is an indication of the current implementation which will in due course be supplemented by other on-line information.

Beyond the standard implementation

Emergencies, developments and opportunities will arise which require activities beyond those specified in the standard implementation.  These will include non-standard ways of implementing the core services (eg additional email clients) as well as services not regarded as 'core'.  IT Services needs to be alive to this requirement, and to devote resources to them as available.  Activities in this layer will be subject to frequent fluctuation.  Items that start life in this layer may well become part of the standard implementation of the core services.  This layer may also include items that were formerly standard, such as old versions of operating systems and user software.

 

Core services and current implementations

In this section:

headings indicate the various core services

Text expands upon the description of the core services provided.

administration of the University’s IT policies, procedures and standards +
maintenance of external and internal standards in hardware, software and data

IT Services recognises a role in formulating the University's IT policies and standards, some of which derive directly from the Law. This remains a continuing process, as Law, technologies and requirements all change; as the policies are developed, they are published on ITS web pages. These policies are reflected in advice given to users, and where appropriate are actively enforced.

duct and cabling infrastructure +
telephone and data network (wired and wireless) +
security and integrity of University network

IT Services is responsible for the infrastructure and physical implementation of voice and data networks, for configuration and routing, and for security of the networks.

management of University servers and filestore

IT Services maintains networked services for users and for University business. Central storage of files and the file servers are protected from malicious or accidental damage, by control of physical and networked access and by regular schemes for making backup copies held securely in other locations.

maintenance of University-owned client workstations

The workstations are located in staff offices, computer classrooms, and some teaching rooms, and (in some cases) staff members' homes. Some of these workstations are fully managed by IT Services (classrooms, teaching rooms, some staff office machines), allowing easy and instant replacement when necessary for repair, etc; others use a 'standard build' which provides the most commonly used facilities and allows users to install extra software; still others are entirely under the control of the users, although minimum standards of security are required of all machines connected to the University network (and these standards may be enforced).

The University owns (and IT Services maintains) both Windows and MacOS systems on client workstations.

user and group authentication and authorisation mechanisms

Access to networked machines, University-owned data and resources is controlled by username and password; the goal is to have a single username and password for each user, giving controlled access to the majority of services and resources via NIS or LDAP, but some resources will continue to have their own separate authentication mechanisms.

access to the University network and internet from within the University +
access to the University network from outside

Users connected to the University network gain certain privileges such as access to licensed resources and to University mail servers. Therefore access to the network is permitted only to users of machines registered in their name on the network, or when they have been authenticated via username and password (on an open-access machine within the University, or when connected via wireless, or when connected to the network from outside the University).

maintenance of applications that support the University’s academic and business processes

The range of applications software fully supported by ITS (who provide assistance with choice, purchase, installation and use of the software) is detailed in the following section on 'specific user facilities/capabilities'. Other software is less fully supported, and certain packages are deprecated. 

Lists of packages in these different categories will be shown in a separate document, including an indication of whether they are installed on central servers and/or open access PCs.  In many cases support is limited to certain versions of the software, not necessarily the latest.  Where support is only partial, ITS does not undertake to provide troubleshooting assistance, and cannot guarantee that support for the software will continue into the future when software changes and operating system upgrades may introduce incompatibilities.  Where ITS is unable to provide total support for a package, help may be available from elsewhere in the University. 

electronic mail

The University's business depends upon a fast and reliable email service. Users should be able to send and receive email, including attachments (and styled text), and have access to a mailing list facility. Trouble-shooting is provided for email delivery problems encountered by members of the University. Extensive filtering is carried out for viruses and spam.

In addition to a mail service for current members of the University, a mail forwarding service is provided for former students.

web browsing

Users on the University network should be able to access any standard web site in the world, and in particular local web-based material. The University's own website employs a range of web technologies and users are advised of currently recommended (versions of) browsers and plug-ins.

web publishing

A facility is provided for all users to publish web pages on the University servers, including a limited facility for scripts, dynamic web pages and databases, and an authentication mechanism for restricting access to selected pages and folders. The management of the University web server comes within the IT Services systems provision; the overall management of the University website lies with Business Improvements.

library and information services support

IT Services collaborates with the University Library over support required for its catalogue and circulation system servers and authenticated access to on-line resources.

facility for producing standard office documents on staff desks and open access classrooms

IT Services assists with the purchase, installation and use of standard office applications: formatted text, spreadsheets, presentation software and database software.

other data creation: graphics/audio/video/other, creation/storage/transmission

Users create data of many different sorts for many different purposes. IT Services will advise on formats, standards, sustainability and choice of suitable software.

Where appropriate, IT Services will assist with the purchase, installation and deployment of suitable software, but cannot undertake to support every package that every user might require to use.

data analysis

IT Services makes available computing resources, including statistical software, for the purposes of data analysis. For advice on statistical methods and data collection, users are referred to academic staff within their own School.

programming languages

Program compilers/interpreters are supplied on servers; not all are maintained at the latest version; help and support available in some cases, but often users will be referred to academic staff in their own School for help and advice.

printing service

Network printing is provided in classrooms and public areas using a print quota system; locally attached printers are available in staff offices.

calendar software

support for mobile computing

There is increasing demand for access to email, documents and calendar facilities for staff at home and 'on the move'. This poses considerable problems for support, given the rapidly changing and unpredictable range of devices and systems and networking that are involved. Our systems are increasingly managed so as to allow mobile access, but support for users in particular circumstances is sometimes limited to 'best efforts'.

videoconferencing facility

IT Services provides the infrastructure for videoconferencing, and incorporates Media Services for advice and booking.

support for learning and teaching

Given the nature of the University's work, much of the computer, networking and support provision is designed to provide a good learning and teaching environment. IT Services provides a VLE, CAL software, computer classrooms, computers in teaching rooms; IT Services work in support of teaching is carried out in collaboration with SALTIRE. Overall responsibility for specification and implementation of facilities in teaching rooms other than computer classrooms lies with Media Services.

support for research

Researchers commonly have exceptional needs such as extended diskspace, specialist software, powerful desktop computers and dedicated servers: IT Services gives advice, but cannot always offer on-going support or additional resources.  (See also applications software.)

support for administration

Technical  infrastructure (network, desktop computers and servers) is provided by IT Services, while software and database development for administration is handled by Business Improvements.

support for students

balance of support for students and staff

The computer and network infrastructure is provided for all members of the University; there are some facilities specifically for students, while others are provided for staff engaged in teaching, research and administration. The nature of the network and of the University is such that services for students and services for staff complement each other.

Some services require a balance to be struck between the needs or demands of students and staff.

upholding of standards and policies

IT Services is responsible for ensuring that users are informed in general terms of the existence of legal requirements, standards, good practice and University policies in a number of areas and for providing related technical advice as appropriate.

Requests for advice on specific areas arising from legal requirements – Data Protection, Freedom of Information, copyright, SENDA – will usually be referred onwards elsewhere in the University.

IT Services will be able to provide support on the technical areas relating to standards for digitisation and data creation, security, sustainability and web publishing, together with support for the technical aspects of the other legally-based areas mentioned above.

dealing with cultural change arising from use of ICT

IT Services has overseen several waves of changes in the use of computers within the University, and provides not only information, advice and support, but also personal encouragement to all levels and categories of users. Maintaining developments and managing change is very much a two-way collaboration between IT Services and the users.

maintenance of an IT skills base among University staff

IT Services cannot deal with every problem that arises, and the use of IT in the University depends on a good level of skills amongst staff.

provision of timely response to queries and problems affecting IT users

Range of topics clearly includes core services and their current implementation. ITS can also provide agreed responses to questions that go beyond the current implementation and beyond the core services, including future developments, obsolete services and general IT background; sometimes the agreed response is “We don’t know.” 

ITS staff use informal, commonsense prioritisation of calls depending on the timescale of the problem, attendant circumstances, number of users affected, importance of the problem and (all else being equal) urgency of the problem. 

procurement and maintenance of hardware and software

Beyond the current standard implementation

This layer will be particularly volatile.  Items listed here will come and go.  Some might eventually be incorporated in the current implementation; some might formerly have been considered to be within the current implementation.  These items are dealt with on a “best efforts” basis only, and the ability of IT Services to assist will be limited and will vary from time to time.  Just a few examples: