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Annual Desktop Support Service Level Agreement

The Goal

UCI Health Sciences Information Services (HIS) can provide competent, prompt service to the UC Irvine community. Departments that follow the guidelines presented in this agreement will be rewarded with reliable hardware, a sparing or loaner hardware pool, and faster resolution times.

The Office of the President (UCOP) has contacted with Dell and other venders to provide all the UC's with a HIS hardware platforms at an overall cost savings.

Departments that choose to follow the guidelines outlined in this agreement will be rewarded with no additional hourly fees, faster response times, more reliable hardware and software, and loaner hardware when repairs are needed.

UCI Health Information Services can provide excellent service to those departments that choose to deviate from UCI Health Information Services recommendations through the Hourly Contract Agreement.

Introduction
This service level agreement (SLA) describes the core services provided to customers by UCI Health Information Services Desktop Support Group. It details both UCI Health Information Services and the customers' responsibilities. Because there is overlap in our service offerings, there is some redundancy in this document. 

Supported Hardware & Software
Only Printers, PC and Macintosh  hardware and software meeting certain specifications will be supported under the UCI Health Information Services Support Agreement. These specifications are detailed on the UCI Health Information Services supported hardware and UCI Health Information Services supported software pages.

Desktop Support UCI Health Information Services contract in general assumes the following:

  • Hardware is owned by the university
  • Each supported computer is joined to the HS domain
  • The hardware was purchased through IS and Purchasing
  • The hardware is listed on the Supported Hardware List

In the cases where either of these conditions does not apply, support may still be provided on a Best Effort basis under the Hourly Contract Agreement.

Responsibilities:

Customers should consult UCI Health Information Services before making hardware or software purchases (714-456-3333 or 949.824.3434). Some hardware or software may be unsupportable. UCI Health Information Services's planning assistance can reduce the likelihood of compatibility problems with existing hardware or software or having to deal with unreliable vendors.

Description of Services
Services provided by UCI Health Information Services to customers of the UCI Health Information Services Desktop Support program are described below.

Computer Setup & Installation
UCI Health Information Services will install and configure new computers for supported customers. Computer setups may include the following:

  • Unpacking and connecting computer components.
  • Configuring operating systems for network connectivity.
  • Installation of operating system patches or updates.
  • Installation of UCI Health Information Services UC Irvine applications.

UCI Health Information Services is equipped to move 5 or less computers and peripherals from one location to another. Multiple computer moves are performed through Facilities. UCI Health Information Services will assist with the unplugging of systems if a facilities or users are not comfortable performing such tasks.

Responsibilities:

  • Customers should consult UCI Health Information Services prior to any new computer purchases.
  • Because computer setups and installations typically require extensive work, customers must notify UCI Health Information Services to schedule an appointment. See below for Response Times.
  • The user of the machine may need to be present at certain points during the
  • Licenses and media for any Non UCI Health Information Services applications to be installed must be provided by the customer.


Troubleshooting
UCI Health Information Services will troubleshoot problems with supported operating systems, software applications, and network connectivity. UCI Health Information Services will also perform basic hardware troubleshooting.

Responsibilities:

Customers should request UCI Health Information Services services as described below.

Application Support
UCI Health Information Services will provide assistance with supported applications. This assistance includes the following services:

  • Installation and updating of software.
  • Troubleshooting of common problems.

There are some limitations to UCI Health Information Services 's application support:

  • UCI Health Information Services does not provide assistance with unsupported applications. The Vender or customer that perfumed the installation is required to maintain the functionality and training of any software that is not installed or supported by UCI Health Information Services.
  • UCI Health Information Services provides no support for discouraged or prohibited applications.
  • UCI Health Information Services will help users perform their job functions using computer technology but will not perform those functions. For example, UCI Health Information Services will not create documents or design databases or web pages for users.

Responsibilities:

  • Customers should request UCI Health Information Services services as described below.
  • Customers should consult with HR Training, utilize manuals, online help systems, training CD-ROMs, and other training resources for the applications they use frequently.

Hardware Support
UCI Health Information Services provides hardware diagnosis for supported machines. In addition, UCI Health Information Services will provide warranty work for desktop computer systems that are purchased through UCI Health Information Services. In addition, UCI Health Information Services staff will perform some basic hardware upgrades at no charge; these services would include installing PCI cards and upgrading RAM (in most cases). At its discretion, UCI Health Information Services may refer hardware repair or upgrade tasks to Campus Computer Store  or outside vendors

Post-warranty work will be performed by contracted Venders or the Campus Computer Store. UCI Health Information Services always purchases extended warranties that cover hardware 3-4 years. If your hardware is older than its warrantee, most of the time it should fall into a refresh cycle and be replaced.

Responsibilities:

Customers should consult UCI Health Information Services if they suspect a hardware problem or are considering an upgrade.

Requesting Service
To request services provided under the Desktop Support program, customers should call the Response Center in they are unable to work because of a computer related issue. If the request is not of a trouble nature, Customers are encouraged to use the Electronic Ticketing System. This will free up the phones to provide immediate support for the customers experiencing issues preventing them from working.

Other methods of requesting service (such as sending mail to the personal addresses of technicians, calling personal phone lines, or dropping by the office) will result in delays. At any given time, an individual UCI Health Information Services Member may be with another customer, working on a project, at a meeting, or out sick or on vacation.

Response Time
UCI Health Information Services's Desktop Support goal is to respond to all requests for service as quickly as possible. UCI Health Information Services prioritizes requests as they come in using the following general guidelines:

  • Patient Care requests are those that meet one or more of the following criteria:
    • Device is causing an immediate and high level of impact on patients or operations.
  • Trouble (TRB)requests are those that meet one or more of the following criteria:
    • The user's computer is not functional.
    • The problem is with software that is vital to the nature of the user's work.
    • The user is unable to send or receive email.
    • The security of the machines is compromised.
  • Request for Service (RFS) requests are those that require scheduling, research, or other advance preparation. Examples of planned requests might include the following:
    • Hardware or software recommendations.
    • Computer setups.
    • Maintenances.
    • Software installation or upgrades.
    • Hardware upgrades or service.
    • Computer moves (i.e., configuring machines for a new location; HIS does not physically move computers).

Note that the boundaries among categories are not absolute. For example, there are times when a request that would normally fall into the "Normal" category might in fact be urgent.

UCI Health Information Services's normal response times for requests are shown in the tables below:

Category Initial Response Time
Patient Care 0-120 minutes
Trouble Calls 0-24 business hours
Planned  0-7 Days
Request Resolution Time
HIS PC installation One week
HIS software installation One week
Individual PC move One week
Individual phone move One week
Logon ID request 48 hours
New voicemail 24 hours
New phone installation One week

The "initial response time" refers to the time during which an UCI Health Information Services consultant will get in touch with the user (generally by email or telephone but in some case by an in-person visit) to get additional information or schedule a time for a visit. In some cases, the problem may be resolved in the initial response phase. For cases in which the problem cannot be resolved in the initial response phase, "commencement of work" refers to the period in which an UCI Health Information Services consultant will be able to take steps to resolve the problem.

All times in the table above refer to normal working hours, considered to be between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The upper time limits are considered to be worst-case situations; normally response time could be much quicker. In very unusual circumstances (such as when several UCI Health Information Services staff are out sick), it is possible that the upper time limits may be exceeded; such situations are likely to be extremely rare.

Responsibilities:

In order for the above response times to apply, customers must request service using the appropriate avenue. UCI Health Information Services can provide no guidelines regarding response time for requests made to consultants directly or other means.

Updater: Tom Dalebout. Last reviewed: October 17, 2015