IT provides audiovisual (AV) services for the students, faculty and staff in academic programs, as well as for special events. This service consists of the specification, purchase, installation, maintenance and repair of AV equipment. The equipment inventory contains:

• LCD and LED projectors and monitors
• programmable control systems
• VCR and DVD players and recorders
• portable and integrated sound systems
• document cameras
• peripheral devices used with the equipment (e.g., headphones, microphones, etc.)

Maintenance Windows

The primary maintenance window is in the month prior to the beginning of an academic session. Additional maintenance windows are scheduled quarterly. All maintenance windows are scheduled to occur when the equipment is not in use so that it does not create a disruption to service.

IT provides general (open) and specialized (instructional) computer labs for academic computing needs. This service includes:

• the specification, purchase and installation of the computers
• maintenance and repair of the computer hardware and peripheral devices
• technical support for the operating system and authorized software
• controlled releases of security and antivirus updates
• retiring and refreshing the platform on a standardized schedule

The open computer lab is always available for students during operational hours. Hours are posted at the entry to the open computer lab. Instructional computer labs are available for scheduled classes and can be scheduled for special use by faculty. (See “Resource Scheduling” service.)

The open computer lab contains printing and scanning services, while the instructional computer labs contain printing, scanning and other services which can also be customized for program needs.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window occurs each week on:

• Mondays (open computer lab)
• Tuesdays and Thursdays (instructional computer labs)

All updates are automated and occur after operational hours. The process does not create a disruption to service. Special maintenance windows for emergency security updates and installations of new hardware or software are scheduled with the end user.

IT provides protection against intrusions and infection of the operating system and applications on campus staff computers, “come and go” faculty computers, computers in the computer labs, mobile computers and computers in the classrooms. IT also provides protection on the computers against virus and malicious software (“malware”) infection. This protection is provided through:

• KACE K-1100 Systems Management appliance
• Microsoft Windows System Update Services
• Faronics Antivirus
• Faronics DeepFreeze

Faronics Antivirus monitors and scans computer activity, as well as downloaded files, and deletes or quarantines any virus or malicious file identified by the virus definition database.

Faronics DeepFreeze is a security program which protects the original image of the computer. If an infection should occur, DeepFreeze will restore the original image of the computer when it is rebooted, which eliminates any changes done by the infection.

Maintenance Windows

Maintenance for the operating system, application and the Faronics Antivirus and DeepFreeze is done during the maintenance window for “Desktop Computing”, “Computer Labs” and “Mobile Computing”.

The process is described in Section 5.3.3 of UH at Sugar Land's IT Resource Management Plan in “Security Patching and Virus and Malware Protection”

IT provides a standardized hardware and software platform for the computing needs of the campus staff, “come and go” faculty areas and general classrooms. This service includes:

• the specification, purchase and installation of the computers
• maintenance and repair of the computer hardware and peripherals
• technical support for the operating system and authorized software
• controlled releases of security and antivirus updates
• retiring and refreshing the platform on a standardized schedule

Maintenance Window

The maintenance window occurs each week on:

• Tuesdays (“come and go” faculty areas)
• Wednesdays (campus staff)
• Thursdays (general classrooms)

All updates are automated and occur after operational hours. The process does not create a disruption to service. Special maintenance windows for emergency security updates and installations of new hardware or software are scheduled with the end user.

IT provides computing and audiovisual support service for events at the Sugar Land instructional site. Events are usually held in the following rooms or areas:

• Brazos Hall room 103 A & B (Multipurpose Room)
• Brazos Hall room 180 (Auditorium)
• Albert & Mamie George Building Rotunda
• Albert & Mamie George Building room 102

Events may also include the use of general classrooms or specialized technology rooms, such as computer labs and videoconference rooms. There is limited support for events that utilize the WCJC room technology resources, as well as limited ability to provide computing and audiovisual support for events held outdoors. A contracted event vendor may be required to provide both service and support for outdoor events.

Services provided for events includes:

• setting up and taking down IT computing resources before and after an event
• connecting IT and supported guest computing resources to supported audio and projection systems
• setting up room microphones
• verifying that all computing connections and room microphones work with the audio and projection systems
• IT staff presence for up to 1 hour for events; events needing staff presence for more than 1 hour will require the use of a contracted vendor to provide that presence

The use of computing resources for events will follow the IT policy Use and Access of Computing Resources for Events.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for all room equipment is scheduled when there are no events, so that it does not create a disruption to service. The maintenance window for patching and updating of the event computing resources takes place during the maintenance window for “Mobile Computing”.

IT provides file share and storage services for campus staff. Permissions to access the data are established by the Network Administrator. The file server is set up with:

• a folder for each staff member’s data
• a folder for data shared by staff
• folders for special use.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for the file server occurs nightly.

All updates to the file server are automated and scheduled to occur after operational hours so that they do not create a disruption to service.

IT provides consultation and design service for campus staff as well as UH colleges, divisions and departments. This service provides assistance to individuals, academic programs and administrative offices in implementing technology resources to meet specific needs in Sugar Land.

IT consultation and design services consist of:

• conducting needs assessments (including both technical and logistical needs)
• evaluating hardware and software options
• designing project specifications
• developing cost estimates and budgets

For UH colleges, divisions and departments, more complex projects involving specifications design and cost development will require the execution of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with IT.

Additional services for UH colleges, divisions and departments, such as project management and procurement can also be provided upon execution of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with IT. A business contract and other requirements may also be needed if a private vendor is involved in the project.

Service is only available for resource areas where IT specialists are available. However, if some resources areas do not have an IT specialist available, IT can contact selected vendors for assistance.

Charges

None, unless negotiated costs are specified in an SLA for specifications design, cost development, project management or procurement services provided for a UH college, division or department.

Minimum Service Level

Operational uptime is 99%

IT provides an IT Service Desk, which is the point of contact for students, faculty and staff who use UH at Sugar Land technology resources. The desk is located on the third floor of the Albert & Mamie George Building in Room 304. The IT Service Desk handles:

• incident management
• service requests
• lifecycle management of hardware and software
• the coordination of information between technology users and the IT staff

An IT Online Service Desk is also available to complete work tickets and service requests, as well as provide other IT resources. Work tickets and service requests can also be sent by email to SLTicket@uh.edu.

The IT Service Desk can be contacted in person (AMG 304), by email (sltech@uh.edu) and by phone at the Service Line (832-842-2999).

Charges

None

Minimum Service Level

Operational uptime is 99%

Major incidents occurring during the operations schedule may create a high volume of calls to the Service Line, causing calls to be answered by the departmental voicemail system; if this occurs, departmental voicemails will be returned/addressed within 30 minutes of receipt.

Operations Schedule

The IT Service Desk is available during the following operational hours:

Calls received outside operational hours will be answered by the departmental voicemail system; departmental voicemails will be returned/addressed within the first hour of the next working day. Emails received outside operational hours will be returned / addressed within the first hour of the next working day.

Emails received outside operational hours will be returned/addressed within the first hour of the next available listed day/hour.

Operational hours may be modified when classes are not in session and any modified schedule will be posted at the IT Service Desk in AMG 304.

IT provides mobile computing services for campus staff use and special events. This service includes:

• the specification, purchase and installation of the laptop and tablets
• maintenance and repair of the laptop and tablet hardware and peripheral devices
• technical support for the operating system and authorized software
• controlled releases of security and antivirus updates
• retiring and refreshing the platform on a standardized schedule

Mobile computing services consist of laptop computers and tablet devices with affiliated power adaptors, mice (for laptops) and other peripherals.

Laptops for campus staff use are secured in the user’s work area. Some users are authorized to take the laptops off-campus and must follow IT policies and UH Property Management policies for off-campus use.

Tablet devices for campus staff require the end user to secure the tablet according to the IT Tablet Computing Device Use and Support Policy. The tablet device is the responsibility of the individual to whom it is assigned.

Laptops for special events are secured in carrying cases, which are tagged and labeled. Securing the laptops is the responsibility of IT and they are secured in designated areas.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for laptops for special events occurs each week on Saturdays.

The maintenance window for laptops for campus staff use occurs during the maintenance window for campus staff under the “Desktop Computing” service list, unless the device is off-campus. If the device is off-campus during a maintenance window, patching and updating for the device will occur when it is back on campus during the next regular maintenance window. The device may also be configured to do required updating over an off-campus Internet connection.

All updates for tablet devices are automated and occur when the tablet device vendor pushes out the update. Since IT does not have control over the vendor’s update schedule, it is possible that it will occur during operational hours and may create a disruption to service.

IT provides print and print management services for campus staff, computer labs, “come and go” faculty areas and faculty office suites. The service includes:

• local printing
• printing over the LAN
• printing with multi-function copiers
• print management for students with Uniprint

Printing services includes:

• the specification, purchase and installation of the print platform
• print management
• technical support for incidents
• retiring and refreshing the platform on a standardized schedule

Maintenance Windows

Maintenance for printing hardware is scheduled with end users, or after operational hours, so that it does not create a disruption to service.

IT provides scheduling services for technology resources used with the academic program and for special events.

Resources used at the Sugar Land instructional site are requested via the reservation process.

The software program ResSched is used by Campus Academic Services to schedule resources and confirm bookings with the requestor.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for ResSched occurs during non-operational hours so that it does not create a disruption to service. ResSched data backup is done during the maintenance window for the “Data Backup” service. Updating of the program itself is automated, with the program checking daily for needed updates and applying them during non-operational hours.

IT acquires and installs software to computers based on the business or academic needs of the user. Users include campus staff, “come and go” faculty, users of the computer labs, mobile computing and tablet users and computers users in the classrooms.

Acquisition and installation services for UH college, division or department specific software can also be provided upon execution of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with IT.

Software acquisition is made through UH resources or through vendors. Deployment of the software is conducted through the KACE K-1100 Systems Management appliance (for computer images) or the KACE K-2100 Deployment appliance (for individual software applications).

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for the K-1100 and K-2100 appliances, including updating, occurs after operational hours and does not create a disruption to service. Installation of software on a campus staff computer or mobile device is scheduled with the user so that it does not create a disruption to service. Installation of software on all other computers is done when the applicable room is not scheduled for use.

IT provides videoconferencing services for academic classes and meetings between remote sites. The service is provided in a two-way audio and video environment and can also be used for delivery of academic classes.

Other devices can broadcast during the videoconferencing session and include:

• a local computer or laptop
• document camera
• any VGA/HDMI device

Service is provided by application based or cloud based service and is conducted in high definition (HD) format at either 720p or 1080p.

Maintenance Windows

The maintenance window for the videoconferencing equipment is scheduled with end users, so that it does not create a disruption to service. Updates for the room computer is done during the maintenance window for classrooms under the “Desktop Computing” service.