Service catalogue

Our Service Catalogue is a list of services provided by IT Services to members of the University of Sussex and certain categories of visitors.

Each service within the catalogue typically includes a brief description of the service and how to access it, who is entitled to use/request the service, details of availability and service maintenance, and links to further information. This is intended to help improve knowledge within the University of the range of services we currently provide and to help users get more out of them. The range of services offered is reviewed annually with the University IT Consultative Group.

Information and Support
Applications and Tools
Student Workstations
Teaching and Learning
Staff Services
Business Services
Research
Network and Storage

Applications Software Management

Service ID

26

Summary

Coordinates the purchase of academic and general applications for the whole of the University, making them available on University and personal systems, subject to licences.

Permitted users

Current members of the University of Sussex.

Gaining access

  1.  Software made available  by IT Services staff on University systems across campus, in accordance with individual licence agreements.
  2. Downloadable from IT Services website, requiring authentication with IT Services username and password and in agreement with licence.  Links to vendor websites also made available for additional downloads.
  3. CD loan from Library, requiring licence code from IT Services webpages, following authentication (via IT Services username and password).
  4.  Software issued at IT Service Desk, requiring signed licence agreement and valid University ID. 

Hours of operation

IT Services website, with access to licence codes 24/7; Specified software CDs available during Library or IT Services advertised opening hours.

Supported period

Normal working days.

Change control

Service provision reviewed annually.

ITS Responsibilities

  1. To conduct a formal Annual Software Review of applications required each academic year for Teaching and Learning via the Student Desktop, and to consult with Professional Services staff and Research staff regarding their ongoing office productivity and research software requirements.
  2. To make available agreed software programs on University systems across campus, plus personal systems where appropriate, subject to licence.
  3. To monitor and control licence use via audit software and/or licence server.
  4. To provide information in order to assist users in getting maximum benefit from University software applications.

Service user responsibilities

  1. (Student Desktop): Schools/Departments to plan in advance their teaching software requirements for the coming academic year, and to submit any requests for changes to the IT Services Student Desktop within the deadline stipulated by the Annual Software Review.
  2. Schools and Departments requesting software to be installed on IT Services systems to ensure that their named representative responds to any queries during the installation process and tests software following installation.
  3. Users, Schools and Departments to check IT Services webpages for details of any negotiated discounts prior to requesting software install or purchase.
  4. To comply with University regulations and software licensing agreements.
  5. To remove from personally-owned computers all University-licensed software when ceasing to be a member of the University.

Service dependencies

Data Network (#1); Web Infrastructure Support (#27).

Detailed service description

IT Services consult regularly with Academic and Professional  Services staff to ensure that the software applications provided meet the needs of University Teaching & Learning, Research and business,  within budget and technical constraints.  See: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/software/review

IT Services maintain an online list of current software available on the Student and Staff Desktops.  Clear guidance is given on the terms and conditions of use, according to each software licence agreement.

IT Services negotiate with suppliers to ensure that software,  bought by IT Services for the University,  is competitively priced and on the most appropriate  licence agreement terms.   IT Services also coordinate application software purchases for individual Schools/Departments.

IT Services test, document  and offer advice supporting the use of general purpose software e.g. Microsoft Office products such as Excel and Word.  More specialist Schools or Departmental software is tested and supported by the expert users or teaching staff within Schools or Departments requesting the software. Once agreed, specialist software is made available on University desktops and systems by IT Services staff.

IT Services will ensure that any software made available for use  by members of the University has clear instructions for the terms and conditions of use according to the software licence agreement.

Where the licence enables software to be installed on  personal equipment, the media and licence are made available either via a web page, the IT Service Desk or the Library as specified.

Software provided for loan or download mirrors the version on the IT Services Student/Staff  Desktop and, wherever possible, new licence codes are made available online.

Changes to the IT Services Student Desktop normally take place over the Summer Vacation.  Whenever agreed, other software changes will take place at the most convenient time, in consultation with those affected.

The licensing rules and usage restrictions vary with the products: these may also place restrictions on how the products may be distributed. Some software may be made available with Education discount.  IT Services monitors the software on University systems to ensure compliance according to the terms and conditions laid out by the software licence agreement. 

Links to ITS documentation

Definitions

Normal working days
These are defined for all ITS services as Monday – Friday inclusive, but excluding Bank Holidays and University Minimum Service Days.
Scheduled Maintenance
IT username and password
These are the login credentials, issued by IT Services to registered students and current staff of the University of Sussex, enabling access to email, workstations and other services requiring authentication.

New and changed services

Information about changes to services including any scheduled maintenance, are posted on the IT Services website and distributed by the IT Services Facebook, Twitter and RSS feed. Current service status traffic light information is also displayed on the IT Services website.

If the service you are enquiring about is not described below, please get in touch.

User responsibilities

All service users are expected to abide by the rules and regulations described in Regulations for the use of Information and Communication Technology and to report faults, as they arise, to IT Services.

Updated on 17 October 2013