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Table of Contents

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Our desktop support team provides customers with on campus and remote hardware and software support.

Support Hours

  • LAITS supports basic computing functions for University faculty and staff

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Internal Staff Notes

* Language to use: LAITS is committed to supporting our customers, even if we are not the experts in a particular field. Therefore, when we encounter work that is not part of our agreed upon scope, we will make a reasonable effort to help the customer with most types of problems.

**Some customers have a special agreement for LAITS to provide staff for special events.



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Support Options

Support options include:

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Internal staff Notes

* Language to use: LAITS is committed to supporting our customers, even if we are not the experts in a particular field. Therefore, when we encounter work that is not part of our agreed upon scope, we will make a reasonable effort to help the customer with most types of problems.

**Some customers have a special agreement to cover special event needs.


Reasonable Effort 

LAITS strives to be a good partner to university faculty and staff, and we will occasionally do work that is outside of our normal scope. While helpful, this work should not over-commit or distract team members from our primary mission. 

  • The work must take 30 minutes or less

  • The LAITS team member must have enough time available to assist with the request

    • Urgent in-scope issues will be prioritized over out-of-scope work

    • If the problem is not urgent, the customer may be asked to return at a later time

  • Try to resolve the problem in a single support session

    • Tickets will be created and closed in the first interaction, even if the problem is not fully solved

    • If the problem cannot be resolved, LAITS staff will attempt to point the customer in the direction of another unit better equipped to handle the problem

Off-Campus UT-Owned Devices 

  • Remotely troubleshoot faculty /staff computers (internet required)
  • Troubleshoot VPN issues - DUO required (Every active EID has VPN access by default)
  • Assist users with remote connections to networked UT devices using RDP or other methods (VPN & DUO required)
    • NOTE: connecting to macOS requires VPN, even on-campus
    • If remote support is not possible, the customer must ship the device to LAITS at their own expense
  • Configure separate, local administrative accounts for each user (eid-admin)
  • Configure and ship computers off-campus to faculty / staff working remotely (customer expense)
  • Add staff to specific VPN groups

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Internal staff Notes

*Add staff to specific VPN groups. Some units have specific VPN groups which grant access to a very limited range of network addresses.

**We have no security configurations in place that would prevent a computer that works on campus from working at home or offsite.

  • VPN is required for certain services
  • If remote support is not possible, the customer must ship the device to LAITS at their own expense. 


Offsite UT Locations - (Non-Main Campus)

  • Troubleshoot via remote connection no matter where the device is located (internet required)
  • Schedule visits to UT buildings located in Austin, TX, but not part of the UT Main Campus
    • Generally limited to things that are accessible via public transit or Campus Shuttle
    • Unless there is an emergency, technician visits to these locations will be scheduled for service within 5 business days
    • We will attempt to bundle visits and resolve multiple problems during a single trip.
  • Configure and ship computers to off-campus faculty or staff (customer's expense)

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  • Campus Computer Store 

    • Apple products are sent to the Campus Computer Store for repair since the store is recognized by Apple as a certified service provider. CCS is open normal hours at this time (Monday through Friday). 

  • Dell Support 
    • Dell machines can be repaired on-campus or at a users home by a Dell service technician.
    • Dell Pro Support chat is usually the best contact method since there is often a wait for their phone support.
      • Dell Warranty Support: 1-866-901-8629

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Internal Staff Notes

Off-site devices must be returned to campus at customer expense in order for LAITS to coordinate repairs.

If bringing back to campus is not reasonable:

  • Individuals may take their computers to a local Apple Store for repairs.
  • Dell Pro support may also dispatch parts and/or technicians to off-site locations
  • Department is responsible to cover repair costs)

*Devices are occasionally replaced, rather than repaired during warranty service. Be careful to back up files!



Computer Purchasing  

(Move Link to Lifecycle section)

See Computer Lifecycle /wiki/spaces/LAITS/pages/77236059

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Internal staff Notes


If a student needs a loaner computer, the request should come from faculty or staff.


Inventory

( Move or link to DE?)

See Desktop Engineering Service Definition


Missing Devices

(Move or link  link to DE?)

See Desktop Engineering Service Definition


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Surplus

(Move or link to lifecycle)

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LAITS Staff installs and supports a standard list of software on university owned computers

  • Install standard software on each computer

  • Patch and update a limited set of software (more details here)

  • Assist with UTBackup installation

  • Install non-standard software as requested

    • Apply "reasonable effort" to non-standard software*


LAITS staff do not:

  • Support software and applications, even Microsoft Office, beyond a "reasonable effort"
  • Install software outside of the terms of service:
    • no unlimited re-installation of trial software
    • no terminal servers for circumventing licensing agreements
    • no other methods to circumvent licensing agreements
  • Escalate support issues to external software vendors
  • Offer software training
  • Maintain software licenses, installation media, or keys (more details here)
  • iCloud
  • Time Machine Backup - UTBackup is free and supported
  • App Store
  • Manage requests for software in Student Computer Labs (Student Labs) or Classrooms- refer to DE
  • Support non-LAITS (CNS/NASC, PHAR, ENGR) computers - if it's not our image, we can't help

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LAITS Staff installs and supports the operating systems for macOS and Windows

  • Install and support macOS*

  • Install and support Windows*

  • Provide a Windows .iso file for self-installation of a local virtual machine**

    • Parallels

    • Virtualbox

    • VMWare fusion

  • Upgrade UT-owned computers to the recommended operating system upon request


LAITS staff do not:

  • Install old versions of the OS*
  • Install or support Linux on desktop computers (servers only, not free)***
  • Install other non-standard operating systems
  • Support dual boot on individual user machines
  • Support local virtual machines
    • Troubleshoot, even for quarantined VMs
      • NOTE: Quarantined VM also quarantines the host. If this happens, we will instruct the user to stop using the VM. We will provide no further support.
    • Install or configure the Windows .iso file
  • Clone devices
    • requested when licenses or installers are missing

Internal staff Notes

*Refer to the Desktop Engineering Service Definition for more details on supported operating systems, including minimum supported OS versions and exceptions

**We can recommend and point the customer to the various products that are available for use to run a VM.

***Linux servers are part of the Server Service Definition


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Office Move Support

Staff can assist with creating work tickets and reconnecting computers, printers and phones faculty members changes offices. 

  • Reconnect computing equipment when a faculty member moves offices*

  • Carry or transport equipment between close locations on behalf of faculty*

  • update CLAIM when we have helped facilitate an office move

  • create tickets for office moves

  • Move Template.xlsx


LAITS staff do not:

  • Relocate 3 or more people at a time (a fee may be charged)
  • If many people need to move and can be staggered, they can request over a few days/weeks

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Onboarding of New Employees

  • Given 5 business days' notice, configure

    Configure and deploy computers to new faculty and staff on (or near) their first day

    • We must have the computer 5 business days ahead of time*

      • New computer purchases should be made at least 4 weeks ahead of start date for employee

      • We prefer to contact incoming employees directly for scheduling deployments

        • get personal email/phone from supervisor

    • Install non-standard software prior to deployment, if the software is provided ahead of time

  • Group deployments of computers if more than 5 people are starting on the same day

  • Deploy computers with standard software

Day of the deployment

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Offboarding of Employees 

  • Upon request, remove access to LAITS-managed systems

  • Wipe and prepare computers for reassignment*

    • Equipment will be returned to the department until it is assigned to a new person

  • Coordinate EML entitlement extensions via ITS.

  • Retirees will have access to mail 30 days after their last day at UT. LAITS can coordinate an extension through ITS, if needed. ITS request form is here


LAITS staff do not:

  • Disable EIDs (we will contact ISO to do so if necessary)
  • Proactively track departing employees (departments must notify us)
  • Permanently grant or extend access to mailboxes for retirees/terminated employees
  • Set out of office reply for departed employees - Contact ISO
  • Recover UTBox files from personal UTBox accounts - contact ISO

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(separate section on web page?)

See /wiki/spaces/LAITS/pages/77237376

Support basic computing functions for installed classroom & lab computers:

  • Escalate incidents in classrooms and AV-supported spaces (bad link)  to the LAITS AV team if audio or video output may be affected, or if hardware other than the classroom or faculty/staff computer may be affected.

  • Troubleshoot and escalate Student Lab support to Desktop Engineering; and provide support to student lab computers at the request of Desktop Engineering.


LAITS staff do not:

  • Provide support to machines in Student Labs without escalating to Desktop Engineering.
  • Provide support to equipment in a classroom or AV-supported space (bad link) other than the classroom or faculty/staff computer.

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