by
Patricia Hendricks
Technology administrators are constantly faced with the complex and ongoing problem of providing continued technical support for networks, hardware, and software. School systems traditionally implement three types of technical support systems: 1) outsourcing, 2) using students to provide technical support, and 3) using in-house support staff. This chapter of the MAR*TEC Technology Coordinators Handbook details insights from a school using outsourcing, best practice strategies for using students as technical support, and two illustrative approaches for maintaining enterprise-wide technical support.
Outsourcing Technical Support
One advantage of outsourcing is that technical expertise does not have to be developed in-house and consequent reduced costs may be realized. Additionally, round-the-clock support and increased satisfaction from the educational community will bring opportunities to use the technology infrastructure more effectively (24/7 Customer, 2005).
The Richardson Intermediate School District (ISD) in Texas has implemented technology outsourcing to reduce its technology budget. Neil Delerson, Chief Information Officer, hired Compaq (now HP) to handle its equipment lifecycle management. Consequently, Richardson ISD receives a 5-year on-site warranty on new equipment in addition to legacy equipment maintenance and support staff (MAR*TEC, 2003).
Outsourcing has allowed Richardson ISD to reduce its technology support staff by 20 people. HP provides full-time program manager and service managers. It houses the equipment and staff—thus freeing physical space in the Richardson ISD—and provides peak load staffing adjustments and A+ certified technicians. Delerson (MAR*TEC, 2003) described the relief from managing ongoing training and certification of staff. He concluded that hiring HP to support and maintain the computer equipment has reduced the school district operating budget by $1.2 million.
Students Provide Technical Support
Another viable technical support option is using students to provide technical support. This option provides a unique opportunity for hands-on learning. For instance, upper elementary students can be taught to reboot computers and perform routine maintenance such as changing printer cartridges and cleaning mouse balls. Many elementary classrooms will designate two students to support technology. When their peers encounter a problem, the “tech support” designee uses a checklist to troubleshoot. Before consulting an adult, the students perform diagnostics such as rebooting the computer and checking cable connections. Middle and junior high students can perform these tasks as well as manage laptop carts and set them up for teachers, conduct and track hardware and software inventories, log technology service requests, and tutor and mentor students and teachers. Of course, middle school and upper elementary students require appropriate adult support.
High school students can also provide these kinds of support; additionally they have the opportunity to practice and learn how to support complex networks and infrastructure. High school students are well suited to provide the following types of technical support:
- Research and document technology solutions for specific problems (e.g., students could research specific hotfixes or security patches and document which ones need to be considered given their school’s hardware and network specifications).
- Test security patches, hotfixes, and service patch installations on designated machines; document problems and propose solutions before deployment.
- Develop schedules for updating and maintaining software (e.g., students could develop a maintenance schedule for updating all machines using Windows XP with Service Pack 2).
- Create and maintain the school’s website.
- Monitor systems and perform diagnostic tests.
- Create tutorials, both paper and multimedia (Youth Technology Support Collaborative, 2004).
Before implementing a student technical support program, schools and districts must develop a policy that secures data and personal information. For instance, students should never have direct or indirect access to files containing student or teacher records.
Students can gain experience and expertise in computer systems as they support their school’s infrastructure, hardware, and software. Schools also benefit as technology use and response time for technical problems increase. Additionally, students take responsibility for effective and efficient systems.
In-house Support
Two important best practice strategies for technical support include forming user groups and maintaining strategic polices for enterprise-wide technical support.
Forming user groups allows technical support staff to be proactive in meeting student, teacher, and administrator needs. In Pennsylvania’s Warren School District, Amy Stewart—Director of Technology/Information Management—states that establishing a user group increases customer satisfaction and provides a point of contact for technology implementation in each building. For instance, before implementing a new network patch, Amy e-mails the user group to give them a heads up. This allows her to gather first hand implementation reactions or problems and assures the users that the technical support team is willing to meet their needs (personal communication, June 6, 2005).
Enterprise-wide (network) deployment is time consuming and prone to unplanned disruptions or chain reactions. Therefore, proactive technical support teams will always develop policies, procedures, and calendars before attempting any enterprise-wide support installation or patch. An example of a best practice procedure for installing patches on Microsoft XP is provided to illustrate this final admonition. When considering enterprise-wide installation, Microsoft suggests this basic rule: “ The risk of implementing the service pack, hotfix and security patch should ALWAYS be LESS than the risk of not implementing it" (Rosata, 2005, p. 1). It suggests the following procedure to ensure an effective installation of service packs, hotfixes, or security patches:
- Use a change control process . This includes establishing a leader, an audit path, user input, clear communication, testing, and a back-up plan.
- Read all documentation . This is great opportunity to involve student technical support staff. They can read blogs and online bulletin boards to research other enterprise efforts. They can document and cross tabulate this information with the technical documentation that comes from the vendor.
- Apply updates on a needs-only basis.
- Testing. Test on representative but nonproduction environments.
- Plan to uninstall. Verify that there is enough free space to create an uninstall folder.
- Consistency across domain controllers. Errors caused by domain controllers that are out of synch are difficult to trap. Consistency is critical.
- Have a working backup and schedule production downtime. Prepare a complete working backup of the enterprise system in case the installation fails.
- Always have a back-out plan. Allow the enterprise to return to its original state if failure occurs.
- Keep current on service pack installation. Service packs piggyback on previous versions; therefore, do not get more than two service packs behind.
- Forewarn help desk and user groups.
- Target noncritical servers first .
In order to effectively and efficiently manage technical support in-house, administrators must prepare policies and procedures like the previous illustration for all enterprise needs. Otherwise, they will have unnecessary downtime and customer frustration.
In conclusion, technical support is a necessary component of a successful educational technology program. Technology enterprises that include complex networks, hardware, and software require constant vigilant support.
We are documenting your successes and lessons learned. Please contact Patricia Hendricks at phendric@temple.edu to share your stories.
References
24/7 Customer. (2005, January). White paper: Technical support services. Retrieved June, 2005, from http://www.247customer.com/download/whitepaper_ts.pdf
Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology in Education Consortium (MAR*TEC). (2003). Diminishing resources and greater expectations. Minutes from March 26, 2003 conference call. Retrieved June 2005, from http://www.temple.edu/martec/networks/calls.html
Rosata, R (2005). Best practices for applying service packs, hotfixes and security patches. Microsoft TechNet. Retrieved June 2005, fromhttp://www.microsoft.com
Youth Technology Support Collaborative (2004, June). A school decision maker’s guide to technology support programs. Retrived June, 2005, from http://www.studenttechsupport.org
