Document
of Understanding (DOU)
between
Emory School of Medicine Office of Information Technology
Services (SOM-ITS)
and
Emory School of Medicine Customers Located at Emory Main
Campus
Last
updated: May 27, 2005
1.
Introduction
1.1
Statement of Intent
This
Document of Understanding (DOU) describes the responsibilities
of Emory School of Medicine Information Technology Services
(ITS) in providing services to Emory School of Medicine
located on the main Emory campus.
The
document is to establish mutual expectations by ensuring
the proper understanding and commitments between both parties
in order to provide effective support and services. A key
concept in this document is the recognition that adherence
to hardware and software standards is important throughout
Emory School of Medicine in order to provide efficient,
cost-effective support.
The
main Emory School of Medicine ITS web site is located here.
1.2
Assumptions
- This
is a dynamic document, which will reflect the changing
needs of Emory School of Medicine customers located at
the main Emory campus.
- This
Document of Understanding will be the foundation from
which more specific Service Level Agreements (SLA) will
be negotiated with individual departments. As such, the
SLA's will also be dynamic documents.
1.3
Mission of Emory School of Medicine Information Technology
Services
SOM-ITS
provides information technology solutions, innovation and
leadership to support the mission and strategic plans of
the Emory School of Medicine.
1.4
Overall Responsibilities
SOM-ITS
is the information technology organization for the Emory
School of Medicine.
This
section describes the responsibilities of SOM-ITS and the
departments or groups seeking services from SOM-ITS.
Project
planning, implementation, and support
SOM-ITS will provide overall consultation and hardware/software
implementation or planning services. This will include timelines,
hardware and software purchase consultation, and service
level agreements where appropriate. SOM-ITS will assist
with project management, implementation, and ongoing support
of projects subsequent to approval of the Emory School of
Medicine CIO and the department SLA. SOM-ITS will provide
resolution of issues, monitor and backup systems, review
the agreement and implementation, and administer software
specific to the project based on the final SLA.
The departments or groups working with SOM-ITS will provide
information and resources to support this process, assist
with project management as appropriate, comply with DOU
and SLA, and communicate changes and needs in advance.
General
Support Responsibilities
SOM-ITS:
- Identify
the resources necessary to provide support.
- Ensure
support or service is available during hours outlined
in SLA or normal business hours (8:00 am-5:00 pm)
- Define
processes and implement tools necessary to provide consistent
and timely support to faculty and staff.
- Ensure
that all levels of hardware and software delivered are
current.
- Resolve
all open problems reported via the Helpdesk and recorded
in the ITD Support Magic / ManageIT.
- Notify
the affected department(s) in advance of non-emergency
infrastructure and organizational changes that will impact
availability of the application or ability to provide
support via the SOM-ITS web page.
- Notify
the department in advance of planned downtime due to network,
equipment, or system maintenance demands via e-mail.
- Notify
the department of emergency downtime by contacting the
departmental coordinator(s) via e-mail or telephone.
- Provide
a test system if applicable.
- Create
and maintain project plans where appropriate.
- Thoroughly
test all application changes before transition to production.
Department
Responsibilities
- Report
all problems via the Help desk (7-7777 or http://help.emory.edu).
Educate faculty and staff about the process for obtaining
assistance.
- Provide
1st level of support where possible (lower level application
assistance). Each department should designate a contact
person within the department to coordinate requests or
assist users with general support questions.
- Provide
application training for faculty and staff.
- Provide
advance notice to SOM-ITS of requests and/or enhancements
and coordinate activities with the vendor and SOM-ITS
on any major changes.
- Notify
users of planned downtime and other announcements from
SOM-ITS, ITD, EhcIS, or NCD.
- Perform
functionality testing on new application releases when
applicable.
- Maintain
documentation when appropriate.
- Approve
application releases in writing.
- Inform
SOM-ITS of anticipated significant changes in workload
or application requirements.
- Maintain
a set of current operating procedures.
- Backup
any data as defined in the SLA.
- Submit,
in advance, documentation to support expected support-related
changes for the budgeting process each fiscal year.
- Inform
all users of Emory University computing and information
technology policies available on the ITD web site at http://it.emory.edu/showdoc.cfm?docid=1856
- Participate
in testing exercises and user consultation on request.
2.
Standards
All
hardware and software purchases should follow University
standard purchasing processes. It is the preference of SOM-ITS
not to support non-standard hardware or software; support
of these non-standard applications or hardware may result
in additional costs for support and service as defined in
the departmental SLA. The recommended Emory University list
can be found at http://it.emory.edu/showdoc.cfm?docid=3329.
Any additional recommendations can be found on the main
School of Medicine ITS web page.
Important:
Recommendations listed in SLA will override recommendations
listed in the above-mentioned ITD SOM/ITS web sites.
2.1
Hardware
SOM-ITS
will maintain published standards and recommendations for
hardware in the Emory School of Medicine. These standards
will be placed on the SOM ITS web site and from updated
when technologies or available components change. Recommended
SOM hardware configurations.
Local support personnel should be consulted prior to purchasing
equipment.
Current
minimum recommendations include a Pentium Class chipset
with clock speed higher than 2000 MHz (2 GHz), 512 MB of RAM, hard drive capacity greater than 40 GB, 3.5" floppy
drive, CD-R/W / DVD ROM combo drive, NIC card preinstalled
10/100 (Ethernet card), 17" color monitor, mouse, and
keyboard.
2.1.1
Desktops
The
standard hardware/software and desktop configuration is
found on the Emory School of Medicine ITS web page (Note:
this site is under construction. Until this site is available,
please call SOM ITS at 404 712 9628). Individual SLA's may
modify this recommendation as appropriate.
2.1.2 Server Infrastructure
Standard server recommendations may be found on the Emory School of Medicine ITS web page. (Note: this site is under construction. Until this site is available, please call SOM ITS at 404 712 9628). Specific SLA's may modify this recommendation as appropriate. Specific SLA's may further cover server deployment and consolidation within a department.
2.2
Software
2.2.1
Desktop Operating Systems
SOM-ITS
supports Windows NT, 2000, and XP desktop operating systems;
variations of this must be approved via a departmental SLA.
Updates to this list of standard OS will be published on
the SOM ITS web site.
Software
packages noted on the web site are supported. However, occasionally
there will be a business need for a non-standard software
package; those must be approved in compliance with SLA guidelines.
2.2.2 Server Operating Systems
Microsoft
Windows Server 2000 and 2003 are the current network operating
systems used by the SOM-ITS. All applicable service packs
and patches are tested, evaluated and applied to servers
as available and necessary. As new versions of server operating
systems are released for BETA testing and/or final sale,
SOM-ITS will perform extensive testing and evaluation in
an independent test (i.e., non-production) environment.
No department or individual should load these operating
systems on computers connected into the production network
environment without prior approval from NCD and/or SOM-ITS.
2.2.3 Networked Applications
Limited
support will be provided for departmental networked applications
on SOM-ITS servers. Due to the number and nature of the
various applications and data that share the same network
infrastructure, it is imperative that all applications go
through analysis prior to installation on the network.
Any
networked application that causes negative impact to the
network may be removed immediately and without warning by
NCD.
Any
application which requires server reconfiguration, shared
network storage space, or unsecured internet services must
be approved by SOM-ITS prior to installation.
2.3 Network Infrastructure
NCD
is responsible for the proper installation, maintenance,
and operation of network equipment and services. SOM-ITS
will act as facilitator between the department and NCD as
requested by the department.
3.
Support and Service Requirements
"Standard"
software and hardware will be supported by SOM-ITS (refer
to the School of Medicine Grady web page for the lists or
recommendations for software and hardware). "Non-standard"
software and hardware as well as extraordinary requests
that fall outside established Service Level Agreements will
be "reasonably" attempted by SOM-ITS staff but
will be undertaken only after standard support calls are
resolved. If SOM-ITS determines that service beyond reasonable
support is needed to resolve an issue arising from non-standard
software or hardware, then the department will have the
option to have service provided via an outside contractor
of their choosing or one recommended by SOM-ITS. If an outside
contractor is engaged, all expenses will be charged to the
department.
3.1
Hardware Support
All
hardware issues should be reported to the Help Desk via
the Support Request form (http://help.emory.edu)
or 7-7777. SOM-ITS may coordinate warranty and non-warranty
repair. All non-warranty costs are the responsibility of
the department (this includes equipment with expired warranties).
Desktop
Computer Equipment Repair Policy
Desktop
computer equipment includes a processor (PC), keyboard,
monitor, printer, and other peripheral items such as an
external modem, mouse or zip drive. To protect the asset,
the department should purchase and maintain at minimum a
surge protector, and can include an Un-interruptible Power
Source (UPS). The processor, keyboard, mouse, and monitor
are purchased by the user department with a recommended
on-site warranty that covers repairs and replacements on
site for three years from the date of purchase. For "non-standard"
desktop hardware the department is responsible for contracting
with a vendor for problem resolution.
Printers
are purchased by the user department with a recommended
on site 3 year warranty that covers repairs and replacements.
SOM-ITS will triage printers, though locating a vendor for
all warranty and non-warranty repairs is the department's
responsibility.
After
the warranty expires, costs for repairs for all desktop
equipment are the responsibility of the department. SOM-ITS
desktop support personnel will assist in facilitating required
maintenance performed by recommended local repair businesses.
All
network hardware is supported by NCD, and no faculty or
staff member should attempt to resolve any problems with
the network or add any unapproved servers, hubs, switches
etc. to the network. Any unapproved equipment may be immediately
removed from the network by NCD without notification to
the department. Damages to such equipment will not be considered
to be the responsibility of NCD or SOM-ITS.
Response
Times for Desktop Support:
If
possible, the department provides Level 1 support. This
includes general application, operating system, and connectivity
questions. Any Level 1 calls that cannot be solved by local
support personnel should be forwarded to the ITD Help Desk
(7-7777) for their assistance. If it is determined by the
Help Desk that the call should be forwarded to SOM-ITS,
it is considered a Level 2 call and will be assigned a priority
rating by SOM-ITS.
3.2
Software Support
All
faculty or staff must have adequate licenses to use software
and must be able to maintain accurate records of such licensure.
This does not include software for which Emory University
has site licenses. Each department must produce verification
of software legitimacy upon internal audit, which may be
conducted without notice. Software purchases go through
Purchasing and/or Emory University's Software Distribution
Center located in Cox Hall on the Emory Campus. Requests
for software installations and upgrades may be directed
to 7-7777 or http://help.emory.edu.
It is the faculty or staff member's responsibility to attend
training on software utilized in his position and to backup
data on department PCs (backup of data on SOM-ITS servers
is the responsibility of SOM-ITS). Where a desktop or departmental
server has "nonstandard" software that has caused
a conflict, support personnel will spend up to one hour
trying to resolve the problem. If, at the end of that hour
the problem persists, support personnel will determine resolution
with the user and restore standard service and software.
Nonstandard software will not be reloaded by SOM-ITS personnel.
Desktops
that use Windows 95/98 operating system or earlier will
have a minimum of Windows 2000 installed at the department's
expense as needed to resolve the problem or, if the faculty
or staff member does not or is not able to upgrade to a
newer OS, support cannot be provided by SOM-ITS for that
system unless clearly specified in a SLA.
Specific
SLAs may alter standard Software Support.
3.3
Training
Training
is offered by ITD to University employees. All faculty and
staff should be trained on the applications used in fulfillment
of job duties. If it is determined that a faculty or staff
member is taking up significant 7-7777 or other SOM-ITS
resources due to lack of training, that department will
be informed and a recommendation will be made that the individual
attend training before any further assistance will be provided.
A full schedule of classes is available on the ITD web site.
3.4
Operations
3.4.1
Backups
Regular
backups of data stored on equipment operated by SOM-ITS
are performed to guard against data integrity corruption
and/or loss. This includes data recovery as well as disaster
recovery/business continuity planning. In addition, preventative
maintenance on this equipment is the responsibility of SOM-ITS.
The frequency of the back-ups and other specific information
pertaining to operations will be established in the individual
SLAs. In the event of data loss on a supported server, restoration
of the data can be arranged by contacting 7-7777 or referring
to the SLA. Backup of information stored on individual desktops
and/or servers which are not maintained by SOM-ITS is the
responsibility of the faculty or staff member. Copying a
local hard drive to a file server (e.g. the USER or HOME
directory or a departmental shared area) for redundancy
will not be allowed. Backing up local information can be
accomplished through use of hardware solutions.
Wherever
possible, users should store work on networked server space,
as the risk of data loss is greatly diminished.
3.4.2
Planned Downtimes
Standard
or Announced Downtimes:
From time to time, SOM ITS servers will be brought down
for routine maintaining and enhancement procedures. SOM
ITS will attempt to avoid any server downtime during standard
business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday;
however, in some cases servers and/or individual services
will need to be brought down during standard hours. When
this occurs, advance notification will be provided. Users
will receive advance warning of all scheduled Downtimes.
Whenever possible, notification will be two weeks prior
to a downtime. A reminder notification will be distributed
shortly before the actual downtime occurs.
SOM-ITS
performs regular server maintenance on Wednesday evenings
from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Patches and updates to the operating
system and / or application may be applied at this time.
Service interruptions may occur during this interval.
Emergency:
There are times when a piece of equipment is not functioning
properly and needs to be repaired immediately. If possible,
SOM-ITS will broadcast a message warning users to exit their
systems to minimize application problems. Any loss of data
resulting from this type of downtime is not the responsibility
of SOM-ITS.
In
the event of downtime on a system designated as "mission
critical" SOM-ITS will reallocate resources on a priority
basis and will extend repair procedures beyond business
hors in order to return the system to working condition
as quickly as possible.
3.5 Application Integration
All new applications that will run on the network must meet
certain criteria for interoperability with existing applications
and systems. A list of questions that must be answered by
vendors during the RFP process has been prepared and is
available by contacting the main SOM-ITS office at 404/712-9628.
3.6
E-MAIL
SOM-ITS does not require all faculty, staff, and students
to use the same email software, however this software must
be SMTP-compliant. SOM-ITS supports Emory University email
system access via Netscape, Outlook Express, Learn Link
or Telnet.
Specific
SLAs may cover non-standard e-mail systems.
3.7
Hours of support
Support hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 p.m.
4.
Problem Process
SOM-ITS has a defined process for providing problem
resolution. This process includes recording or reported
problems, root cause analysis, processes involved in restoring
service, and the recording of metrics for management reporting.
4.1
Emory University Help Desk Telephone Number: 7-777
Telephone support is available via the helpdesk at 404/727-7777
(internally, simply dial "7-7777"). Desktop on-site
support is provided from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday
via 7-7777.
All
requests to the Help Desk will be assigned a call ticket
number. Calls that cannot be resolved over the phone will
be assigned a call ticket number. This call ticket number
is a unique identifier that will be used for tracking specific
problems. SOM ITS and the faculty or staff member will be
kept abreast of that call by a 7-7777 representative. The
7-7777 representatives are knowledgeable about a variety
of hardware issues as well as software applications. However,
there are some department-specific applications which cannot
be supported at the same level as the more common applications
and which will require additional assistance.
Departments
having local support staff should contact those personnel
first for problem resolution (local support indicates that
one or more personnel employed by the department has basic
support skills that may be used to resolve simple problems).
If a call is made by a faculty or staff member to 7-7777
without first contacting departmental support staff those
calls will be directed back to the department. If the departmental
support staff are unable to resolve the call that information
should be communicated to the Help Desk attendant when placing
a call to 7-7777. At that time the call will be forwarded
to the SOM-ITS group. Although modifiable by specific SLAs,
SOM-ITS desktop support staff provides the following forms
of assistance: installations, limited equipment moves, upgrades,
troubleshooting, and repair.
Please
note: Departments that have support contracts with SOM ITS
are still required to follow the above process.
4.2
Request for Service
Requests for SOM-ITS resources cover a large spectrum
of work. Requests can range from production support requests
(such as moving a single PC) to projects (installation of
new servers). The type of request will determine which approval
path the request will follow.
Policies
- SOM-ITS
will only work on projects and production support tasks
that have been approved and scheduled through the SOM-ITS
office.
- Network
and infrastructure reviews must be completed for all requests
for new applications that utilize the network or server,
and any issues should be included in a written report.
SOM-ITS can assist in these reviews as necessary.
- All
requests for service must be entered into the ITD Helpdesk
Support Magic database by calling 7-7777.
- Requests
for service for equipment not owned by Emory University
cannot be fulfilled by the SOM-ITS desktop support group
working as employees of the School of Medicine.
4.2.1
New Requests: Hardware (Installs, Moves, Adds, and Changes)
SOM
ITS is only able to assist with installs, moves, adds, or
changes if a specific SLA exists between a department and
SOM ITS. SOM ITS will, however, suggested procedures for
contracting with outside entities as well as other Emory
entities, such as ITD. Examples of specific hardware requests
may include the following:
- The
movement process of the old equipment, including removal
and disposal, if applicable.
- Set
up of new equipment delivered directly to the installation
site.
- Limited
moves of equipment. For extensive move requests, a department
should contact Emory staging or an outside vendor.
Specific
SLAs may detail procedures for New Requests-Hardware.
4.3
Project Management, Tracking and Reporting
A department
may contract directly with SOM-ITS for Project initiation
and/or management. The department representative may contact
SOM ITS directly and request assistance with a specific
initiative. The SOM ITS office will review the merits of
a request and determine if the SOM ITS office is able to
allocate resources for the resulting project. Accepted requests
will require the development of a project SLA.
Project
tracking processes are used to collect actual time spent
on each project. This information is used to monitor the
allocation of resources. For projects that have an increase
in scope or duration, resource allocation and the existing
SLA will need to be reassessed. If resource allocation needs
to be increased, the appropriate individuals will be contacted
for discussion.
4.4
Planning
Information Services uses data, application and technical
architecture standards to ensure that information technology
solutions meet business requirements. SOM-ITS staff are
available to work with faculty or staff on a limited basis
to understand their business and determine data, application
and technical requirements necessary to perform their jobs.
Large areas/sections/departments who are working on strategic
plans should work closely with the SOM-ITS main office.
4.4.1
Scope
A scope of services will result from all agreements between
SOM ITS and a department. Actions or deliverables not included
in the scope statement are considered out of scope. For
emphasis, SOM ITS may provide a statement outlining out
of scope actions or deliverables.
5.
Hosting Services
SOM ITS is able to assist departments with specific hosting
needs.
5.1
Server Hosting
Server hosting for shared file space, database access,
and other pure storage needs can be provided on a fee-per-usage
basis.
5.2
Web Application Hosting
Web content which is dynamic, database-driven, utilizes
proprietary extensions, or is otherwise not supported by
university systems may be hosted by SOM-ITS on a fee-per-usage
basis.
5.3
Application Hosting
SOM-ITS supports and maintains a variety of enterprise-wide
applications. Before considering a special purpose application,
departments should consult with SOM-ITS to determine if
any existing enterprise applications meet the need or can
be enhanced to perform additional functions. If this is
not possible, application hosting is available on a fee-for-service
basis.
6.
Service Level Agreements
This document is a general support document. Service Level
Agreements (SLA) may be created between specific departments
and SOM-ITS based upon the department's unique business
needs.
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