Computer Systems: Network Services

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Guest-owned Equipment

There are no hardware restrictions for guests to our facilities. We provide Terminal Server accounts for students. All guests have access to the internet through our wireless connection. The Helpdesk is available to troubleshoot problems with Terminal Server and access to our wireless network. For guests who need access to the internet, but who do not have a computer, WYSE terminals are available.

Home Computers

Home computers may be supported or not-supported. Most home computers are not supported by IT. Department funds may be authorized for home computers at the discretion of the PI. Coordinate with your F&A contact regarding financial coverage and reimbursement. If you will be using a department-owned computer at home, complete the Equipment Sign-out Form) and submit it to your F&A contact. Users are responsible for purchase, installation, and maintenance of internet service. There are no restrictions as to which internet service you choose.

Laptops

Laptops may be supported or not-supported. Department funds may be authorized for laptops at the discretion of the PI. Coordinate with your F&A contact regarding financial coverage and reimbursement. If you will be using a department-owned laptop at an off-campus location, complete the Equipment Sign-out Form and submit it to your F&A contact. While on-site, you can access the internet through our wireless connection. Terminal Server accounts are also available to users.

Personal Digital Assistants

We offer limited support for personal digital assistants (PDAs) at this time - users are able to sync with email. Wider support for the Blackberry and pocket PC-based devices is under consideration. Contact the Helpdesk for more information on supported devices and network capabilities. If you will be using a department-owned device, complete the Equipment Sign-out Form and submit it to your F&A contact.

Servers

IT maintains servers in one of two restricted-access, environmentally controlled server rooms. Network servers generally use Windows 2003 for the operating system. To keep a stable computing environment, we do not rush to install the latest software patches as there inevitably are problems with new releases. Servers are configured with RAID Array for data reliability and increased performance. Some network servers are shared and some are dedicated to a specific study or PI. Specialized servers such as Citrix/Terminal Server, Email, IVE, SQL, and TeleForm are always shared. Some types of servers are increasingly being managed as part of server farms, using load balancing to optimize resources:

• File servers — Space on many of our file servers is available upon request, although we may ask that a study purchase a new one, if necessary.
• SQL servers — We have a number of servers with the capacity to host databases as needed.
• Web servers — We have a number of web servers with the capacity to host websites as needed.

Supported versus Non-Supported Hardware

Status	Standards	Affected Hardware
Supported	Purchase, installation, and maintenance are the responsibility of IT. Must conform to workstation standards. Can be physically connected to the network. Helpdesk support for all issues.	Home computers   (in rare instances) Department-owned laptops Office workstations WYSE terminals
Not Supported	No hardware standards or restrictions. Purchase, installation, and maintenance are the responsibility of the user. Department funds may be used at the discretion of the PI and coordinated with F&A (Equipment Sign-out Form required if using off-campus). Cannot physically connect to the network (requires manual back-ups and on-site access via wireless connection) Remote access via Terminal Server. Helpdesk support for access issues only.	Personal home computers Personal laptops Guest-owned computers

Workstation Standards

The preferred standard is the Dell PC (the standard model will change periodically in order to stay current with industry standards). We also support Macintosh OSX. Submit the Hardware/Software Price Quote Request Form to get a quote on a new machine.

Security configurations/standards:

• time-out after 15 minutes of inactivity
• no user access to administrative features
• no remote access to local hard drive
• no drive sharing
• must be registered on the network domain

WYSE Terminals

WYSE Terminals are available at China Basin in select cubicles in Hulley Plaza and the Biostatistics Division work area on a first-come, first-serve basis, and in the study lab room 6704 with reservation through CBL reception. These terminals provide access to the internet and remote desktop (Terminal Server). WYSE terminals may also be used to provide interim access to new employees who are waiting on a computer order. The terminals can be temporarily set-up in your employee's work area. Contact the Helpdesk for assistance.

Maintenance & Retirement

IT maintains all network hardware and performs any needed repairs. All hardware purchased through IT is registered with the vendor or manufacturer to activate warranties and facilitate technical assistance. Report any network hardware failures to the Helpdesk.

The Helpdesk also takes care of retiring systems and hardware. Old hardware is backed-up, sanitized, and sent to UCSF Materials Management as surplus. System, database, and software CDs are kept for one year and then destroyed, unless there is a need to keep them longer to enable future data recall.