Provisioning of Workplace Computers
Procurement: Well defined Standards
PIK generally provides notebook computers for scientific work and all members of science support staff. The Client Computers and Helpdesk team defines device standards that match the tasks and fit into an overall management framework. When ordering a new computer (by means of an internal purchase request), PIK scientists do not need to care about the technical details, but rather just specify a standard device. The Client Computers and Helpdesk team makes sure that the computers meet the user’s requirements.
By deploying standard devices, the IT-Services department is able to handle the provisioning of new computers in a very efficient and economic manner, and to respond quickly to issues such as hard- or software problems. The standards are periodically (twice a year, usually) reviewed, adjusted, and published on the Intranet, to make sure that they:
• take advantage of the latest technology in hard- and software, and facilitate the usage of advanced network services
• meet the requirements for high performance and capacity, so the computers can handle research and development (R&D) tasks, such as programming and modelling
Operating System (OS) Flexibility (Linux, Windows)
Users can choose the operating system which is the most suitable for their requirements. In any case, they will have access to virtually all types of applications, independent from the OS platform
Configuration and Deployment
All workstation computers are preconfigured by the Client Computers and Helpdesk team, to provide e.g. standard software for using the PIK network services - such as file- and print service, email, backup/archive service and compute service. Team members provide the users with support for creating their personal working environment. This includes online documentation as well as interactive support for building more complex user environments.
Ticket System
One of the most important tools for IT Services management at PIK is the Ticket System OTRS. The Client Computers and Helpdesk team makes use of this tool for a broad range of task, as it has essential features:
- Incident handling
- Handling of general IT related requests
- Change Management
- Configuration Management Database
- Services Catalogue
- Knowledge Base
Helpdesk
The user helpdesk takes care of all requests related to using a PIK workplace computer and/or using the IT services provided by PIK. For solving problems efficiently, the Client Computers and Helpdesk team generally processes user requests by means of tickets. It is very easy for users to open a ticket by email or via the Web interface.
