Ideas and choices related to provisioning IT support for Lou Hand to meet his needs cost-effectively.

Notes

9/28/16: Lou came for help with Time Machine. He noted it hadn't backed up since April. Lulu assisted. She removed it from the USB hub chain and directly attached it to the Mac mini and it worked.

• Oliver's write-up below (from ~June 2014) stated that Lou would fund his own EZ-Backup. Was that not done? Who set up his Time Machine? When? Was it always on the USB hub, or did it get moved there and stopped working and not verified?

Summary

Option 1 (adopted, summer 2014):

PhysIT is responsible for basic IT support for Lou Hand's single, primary computer.

Basic IT support includes addressing problems with networking, the base OS, or base-line applications, including MS Office.

• (Any printers, especially if networked?)

Lou Hand is responsible for unique software he chooses to run, including his research-specific software. For example: Discovery, installation, configuration, security, maintenance, and trouble-shooting.

Lou Hand is responsible for IT support of peripherals, and mobile devices, and any additional computers.

Lou Hand is responsible for his personal customization of the operating system and applications.

Option 2:

Lou Hand is responsible for all IT support for his own primary computer and all other technology devices.

Details

Networking and phones

For either Option 1 or Option 2, above:

PhysIT provides technical and administrative support (coordinated with Nancy Searles in Physics) for all Cornell CIT networking and telephones in Lou's office.

Management tools, including Active Directory ( a.k.a "The Domain" )

If Option 1, above:

Initially, no large changes would be made to Lou's Mac.

Some smaller changes for PhysIT to do in the near-term, in coordination with Lou's schedule, include:

• PhysIT will configure computer's anti-virus software to report to PhysIT's anti-virus console.
• PhysIT, as part of our standard management, attaches computers to the Cornell Active Directory service provided by CIT. Computers are placed in the Arts and Sciences Division, Physics Department Subdivision. As a a result of this, names for computers and user accounts can be somewhat limited (per CIT's requirements as part of managing this shared campus resource).

Larger changes, required to increase the supportability of Lou's Mac, would be made when more of our services are required. Our goal is to make the larger changes at at time convenient to Lou, but that is more likely to happen if we are invited to make the changes before the changes are required for us to provide support.

Very large changes would certainly occur if PhysIT must re-do Lou's computer's OS, or if that computer is replaced with another computer.

A significant barrier to Lou's computer getting a new OS (such as re-doing Lou's computer, or replacing his computer), are the numerous research-specific applications Lou has installed, as well as any customizations Lou has made to the OS and other applications he uses. Lou will likely need to make a substantial investment in those areas if he gets a new OS. But until he gets a new OS, PhysIT's capacity to address base-level support problems on Lou's computer is lower.

If Option 2, above:

Lou's computer will not be connected to the centralized management/Cornell Active Directory services, and as such will not gain from centralized management PhysIT uses. Also, Lou's computer will not have an administrative account for PhysIT's use (optional).

The specific networked devices

Notes

A few best practices include:

• All use of computers is at the user-level, not as Admin.
  • Use Admin account to elevate privileges within the user account or to temporarily login as Admin to make the necessary changes.
• Don't establish network shares.