Some units employ ITSS for all of their help desk support, while other units employ an on-site primary (Tier 1) help desk tech in addition to hiring ITSS as their secondary (Tier 2) help desk support.
A primary help desk/desktop support person is the main IT help contact for a particular unit. The secondary help desk support responsibilities are to help train the primary person and assist with issues that are more complex and/or require more technical experience (with the expectation that the primary person learns to take on these areas as their technical expertise increases).
It is strongly suggested that the primary help desk tech be a full-time employee, so that unit help requests are reviewed promptly, unless the unit can regularly wait for that person's scheduled hours.
Tier 1
Primary help desk personnel would be expected to perform the following:
- Review all unit IT Help Tickets (monitor and manage a unit-dedicated help queue in Remedy)
- Obtain more detailed information about the help request in order to diagnose the issue
- Determine which Help Tickets can be fixed by local Tier 1 personnel. Tickets are only forwarded to Tier 2 personnel if the Tier 1 personnel cannot solve the issue. Even in these cases the Tier 1 personnel are expected to stay involved in the process of determining the solution and are expected to implement the solution.++
- Install software
- Trouble shoot why a piece of software isn’t working
- Update software that cannot be patched through automated functions
- Check computers that are not correctly receiving/implementing automated updates
- Set up VPN so users can access the network from the office, home or on the road
- Diagnose why a user can’t access something (Exchange Email, a UF website, …)
- Move a computer
- Adjust the resolution of a monitor
- Replace mice, keyboards, other peripherals
- Respond to all printer issues. Receive help from Tier 2 personnel when the problem relates to a print queue on the print server.
- Explain how to perform a mail merge, set up a PowerPoint presentation, etc.
- Shows users how to create screen shots of the errors on their screen
- Install a web cam
- Connect a smart phone, PDA or other device to UF Exchange
- Basically anything that doesn’t require advanced network or security knowledge
- Inform users when there is a problem with UF Central Services, if a planned down time or upgrade will affect them (Exchange, Network connectivity, hosted server upgrades, …)
- Build and maintain a pool of spare computers and equipment
- Advise users on purchase of new equipment
- …
Tier 2
Secondary help desk personnel (ITSS staff) responsibilities:
- Set-up new computers
- Set-up new users
- Remove accounts and access for exiting employees
- Manage UF Exchange accounts
- Train primary helpdesk support personnel in communications with CNS support services & personnel (examples of CNS communication – a port isn’t working, turn on a new port, request a new network drop, problems with a resource provided by CNS hosting, being the subnet manager, responding to and remedying compromised computers, …)
- Keep a pool of available equipment for loaners, until the primary unit can build & maintain a pool of their own
- Train primary support person on proper UF procedures for surveying (proper disposal of) old equipment.
- Help trains primary helpdesk support personnel in general help desk issues & UF resources
- In conjunction with the primary help desk personnel, help diagnose & solve more advanced issues (on-site if needed)
- Act as a backup to the primary helpdesk support when they are not available (sick, on vacation, at extended training, etc.)++
- Keep primary support personnel updated when there is a problem with UF Central Services, if a planned down time or upgrade will affect their users (Exchange, Network connectivity, hosted server upgrades, …)
- Act as backup to the primary helpdesk support regarding inquiries about CNS’ TSM backup system (initial setup, maintaining the ongoing configuration, help restore files, work with OSG during Disaster Recovery measures)
- Train primary helpdesk personnel to manage access to BlackBerry services
- Inform primary when there are problems on specific computers not communicating properly with automated services & agents (SCCM, ePO/McAfee, WakeUp, KACE, ...) and provide guidance of how to fix them
++Please note, except for emergencies, the secondary helpdesk support does NOT step in if the primary desktop support is too busy to handle the help tickets he or she has received. If that occurs, it is the unit’s responsibility to hire more primary helpdesk support.