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.

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Windows Service

Service ID

4

Summary

Provides staff and students with Windows client environments, comprising a rich set of software applications supporting personal productivity and Teaching & Learning programmes provided by the University.

Permitted users

  1. Members of the University of Sussex.
  2. Eligible attendees at conferences and similar events being held at the University, where the use of computers comprises part of the event.

Gaining access

  1. Access to the service requires an IT Services username and password. This is issued as part of the enrolment/employment process.
  2. Eligible attendees at conferences and similar events without full student enrolment will be issued with access details by conference organisers to enable them to make use of the facilities.

Hours of operation

This service is accessible 24 hours a day.

Supported period

Normal working days 0900-1700.

Scheduled maintenance

Updates to the Windows desktop are made:

Automatically (in the case of virus updates or Windows patches);  

Annually during the summer recess, or by exceptional agreement with course tutors (in the case of Student PCs).

Change control

Proprietary software patches released to this service are tested prior to deployment.

Software application changes (upgrades, additions or removals) follow a procedure described here:

Software@Sussex FAQs.  Changes will be advertised in the normal ways.

ITS Responsibilities

  1. To monitor virus and security issues and take appropriate action should any problems arise.
  2. To investigate and fix any campus-wide issues arising within Windows Desktop software.
  3. To repair/replace broken Windows workstations.
  4. To consult with teaching staff and students annually to review software requirements (see #26 Applications Software Management).
  5. To remotely deploy additional Windows software where this is required by a number of staff members.

Service user responsibilities

Users are expected :

  1. To know how to use Windows systems and software;
  2. To use the Service responsibly;
  3. To report faults as they arise, via the webform:   http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/help/   
  4. To log-out when leaving a workstation.
Service dependencies

 Data Network (#1); Managed Filestore (#2); Workstations for Open Access and Teaching (#32).

Detailed service description
  1. Windows Service Student Desktop: The Windows Service provides a Windows client environment on managed Student desktops across campus.  It comprises a rich set of software applications supporting personal productivity and Teaching & Learning programmes provided by the University. The Window Student Desktop is available on all PCs within General Teaching Space and within IT Services’ open-access rooms and  specific social spaces described here:

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/clusterrooms/clustercomputers. 

The Windows Service software for Students is detailed here:

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/software/list?filter=pc

 The Student Service makes use of the Managed Filestore Service (#2) for user data storage.

 2. Windows Service Staff Desktop: The Windows Service for Staff is broadly similar to the Student Desktop described above.  In addition, staff may request the ability to install additional applications and to modify the configuration of the system themselves.

The standard Windows Service software for staff is detailed here:

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/software/list?filter=pc_staff

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/help/guide?id=99

For Staff workstations without a networked home directory, a software application is provided to enable back-up of data stored on the local home directory:

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/its/services/staffservices/crashplanpro 

The Windows Service further ensures a secure and stable working environment on both the Student and the Staff desktops across campus via the remote deployment of appropriate security updates to all managed desktops.

 

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