march 22, 2004 nercomp annual conference 1 copyright statement copyright richard pessin 2004. this...

March 22, 2004 NERCOMP Annual Conference 1

Copyright Statement

Copyright Richard Pessin 2004. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.


Ten Things We’ve Learned About Desktop Replacement

Rick Pessin, Director, IT User ServicesBob Randall, Desktop Services CoordinatorRick Brabander, Repair Shop ManagerBrandeis University


About Brandeis University

Research university located in Waltham, MA Undergraduates 3175 Graduate students 1810 Students living on campus 2700 Faculty and Staff app. 1500 Buildings 100 # computers on campus 4000+ IT staff 38


History 101

At least 10 brands of computers on campus New ones ordered in varying configurations Ordered by a host of people Ordered on a random basis Huge disparity between departments


History 102

Desktop Refresh Program Started in 2000 (4 years old) update and standardize computers in

undergraduate academic departments and most administrative offices.


Today

2003-04 began our second desktop replacement cycle

The program has become so successful it has spread throughout most of the University.

Includes 3 of the 4 graduate schools, the library, and departments with separate budgets like Development


Going Beyond the Desktop

Include all computers, not just those in offices

Added hundreds more computers

Better prices Easier to support

Computer classrooms Public clusters Regular classrooms

with computer and data projection installed

Scanning stations Instructional

Technology Resource Center

Media services


Ten Things We’ve Learned

1) Include as many computers on campus as you can


Selecting Computers for Purchase Reduce the number of brands and models ITS chose Dell and Apple ITS selected the features Try to look into the future and see what will

be needed in 3 years RAM Hard drive space

What’s next? DVD writer? Flat screen monitor?


Standardize Your Hardware

Do not give a choice except PC or Mac The only option this year was a flat panel

monitor if the department paid the difference Allows us to apply an image Lowers price of computers Easier to support A few exceptions such as towers in the

classrooms


Standardize Your Software

Before Desktop Refresh, despite having software standards, there was a mish-mash

Some computers came with non-supported software, some with a different virus program, etc.

Some faculty/bought their own from various sources We supply a standard set of software on each

computer Standardize the optional software you will support




2) Standardize


Buy the Extended Warranty

Covers parts and labor Buy for the length of the lease or “first”

ownership Murphy should have had the extended

warranty On-site service doesn’t replace your repair

shop




2) Standardize

3) Buy the extended warranty


Who Gets New Computers?

The first year we replaced the oldest computers on campus – bad idea

Now we only distribute computers by department. The entire department is done at one time, in most cases in one day

Advantages Faster Easier to support departments on the phone

because we know what everyone has


Ditto for Computers Not in Offices Classrooms, public labs, scanning stations,

etc. Entire room refreshed at once with identical

machines Less disruption to classes Allows for easier imaging Easier support




2) Standardize


4) Replace by departments, not individuals


Replacement cycle

First cycle we leased for 3 years and it worked well

We went to a 4 year cycle this time Added RAM, extended the warranty to 4 years,

increased hard drive size Will save us $100K a year Too soon to know if this was a good idea


Buying vs. Leasing Brandeis leases its computers A lot of record keeping but the only way we could have done this We started out the cheapest way with leases that gave us the right

to buy at the end of the lease for fair market value We have switched to $1 buyout

Don’t have to worry about damaged, missing or defaced computers

Don’t have to budget huge amounts for buyouts and returns

Don’t have to argue about FMV with the leasing company We recover the extra cost when we recondition and sell them




2) Standardize


4) Buy by departments, not individuals

5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout.


Distribution Process

We use all User Services staff for computer rollouts Includes Help Desk, Repair Shop, Academic

Technology, Classrooms/Labs and Media Services Good cross training Lets us do an entire department in one day so there

is minimal inconvenience to the end users Written step-by-step instructions Move data files, bookmarks, address books, etc. Reinstall optional licensed supported software


Pre-Imaging

We used to apply an image on-site with a Ghost CD (or a firewire drive for Macs)

It worked but it slowed down the rollout process

Now we image all computers ahead of time and can set twice as many up in a day

Too expensive to use Dell and Apple to apply image

Used a temp and it costs us $12 a computer




2) Standardize



5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout

6) Image the computers before your rollout


Timing

Summer- administrative computers and classrooms

Fall- faculty computers (we want them available) ITS will not go through anyone’s hard drive to

select documents for transfer to the new computer; the user is responsible for collecting them

We hold the old computer for one week before it is wiped clean




2) Standardize3) Buy the extended warranty4) Buy by departments, not individuals5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout6) Image the computers before your rollout7) Make users responsible for collecting what

has to be transferred to their new computer


Communicate with Your End Users Each user receives 4 communications from ITS

A notice that they will be receiving a new computer Directions on how to prepare for the transition to their new

computer Information on their new hardware and software An invitation to training

We run classes for users as close to the day of the rollout as possible to go over their new operating system and new technology such as CD burners


Use Your Department Administrators Each department at Brandeis has a

department administrator or similar position We use the DAs to verify personnel and

locations and to check computer preferences DAs also circulate our notices to the faculty

and NAG them to follow instructions and be ready

Many DAs help non-technical faculty with backups, creating transfer folders, etc.




2) Standardize



5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout

6) Image the computers before your rollout

7) Make users responsible for collecting what has to be transferred to their new computer

8) Department administrators are your best friends


Get Support from the Administration Our CIO works closely with Dean and Provost The Dean’s office approves the list of faculty

and academic support staff getting computers The Dean’s office funds the faculty computers The documentation we provide to faculty says

the computer is from the Dean and ITS The Dean’s office says NO to special requests



1) Include as many computers on campus as you can2) Standardize3) Buy the extended warranty4) Buy by departments, not individuals5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout.6) Image the computers before your rollout 7) Make users responsible for collecting what has to

be transferred to their new computer 8) Department administrators are your best friends 9) Work closely with the Dean’s office


What Happens to the Old Computers? In many cases, your users will want to keep

their old computers, take them home or give them to student workers

Brandeis requires that users surrender their old computer in order to get a new one

Prevents the unregulated accumulation of outdated computers on campus which could occupy a significant amount of service time



1) Include as many computers on campus as you can2) Standardize3) Buy the extended warranty4) Buy by departments, not individuals5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout.6) Image the computers before your rollout 7) Make users responsible for collecting what has to be transferred

to their new computer 8) Department administrators are your best friends 9) Work closely with the Dean’s office 10) Don’t leave all the old computers on your network


What To Do with Your Old Computers If leased, you can buy the old computers or

send them back If you send them back, use a shipping service If you don’t lease, or if you buy the computers

from the leasing company, you can sell them and recoup some money

Should you redistribute some on campus?


Redistribution – Pros and Cons Advantages of redistributing old computers

Serve more users Help some people who wouldn’t otherwise have computers Graduate student offices, work study students, student

organizations Disadvantages of redistributing old computers

Warranties expired Need more frequent service Lack new features


What To Do with Your Old Computers We used to redistribute all old computers around

campus A lot of time and money spent preparing them Too much time and money spent servicing old computers

Now we distribute some through the Used Computer program Recondition, reformat and reimage the best used machines Sell them to departments at reasonable rates 90 day warranty Paid service through the Repair Shop only after 90 days Departments and organizations only, not individuals Lets us control the number and location of older PCs


Ten Eleven Things We’ve Learned1) Include as many computers on campus as you can2) Standardize3) Buy the extended warranty4) Buy by departments, not individuals5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout.6) Image the computers before your rollout 7) Make users responsible for collecting what has to be transferred

to their new computer 8) Department administrators are your best friends 9) Work closely with the Dean’s office 10) Don’t leave all the old computers on your network 11) Charge for servicing your old computers or you will spend way too

much time on them


Asset Tracking

A nightmare! People leave the University People move offices People switch departments People put their computers in student labs People use their own monitor, keyboard or mouse Nobody tells you anything

We now name the computer with the service tag/serial number so we can find it on the network


Ten Twelve Things We’ve Learned1) Include as many computers on campus as you can2) Standardize3) Buy the extended warranty4) Buy by departments, not individuals5) If you lease, choose $1 buyout.6) Image the computers before your rollout 7) Make users responsible for collecting what has to be transferred

to their new computer 8) Department administrators are your best friends 9) Work closely with the Dean’s office 10) Don’t leave all the old computers on your network 11) Charge for servicing your old computers or you will spend way too

much time on them12) Name the computer with the service tag or serial number


For More Information

This presentation is on the web at http://www.brandeis.edu/~pessin/NERCOMP

Our web site is http://www.brandeis.edu/its

You can contact us at: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

march 22, 2004 nercomp annual conference 1 copyright statement copyright richard pessin 2004. this...

Documents

nercomp annual conference2

development slide

staff38 slide

extended warranty slide

brands of computers

new computers

oldest computers

repair shop slide