The Count

At the tech committee meeting this week, members talked a little bit more about the "SCLS Hardware and Software Support Policy."  This policy is actually a combination of two existing (older) support documents, the "Non-LINK Hardware and Software Obsolescence Policy" and the "LINK Computer Hardware and Software Obsolescence Policy."

A couple of libraries had questions about why we try so hard to standardize. One of the reasons standardization is helpful is numbers. Sheer numbers. Ever wonder how many PCs the 3 SCLS PC techs lay their hands on?  When I started counting, the totals surprised me!

• 484 staff PCs
• 618 patron PCs
• 41 servers for public wireless

so that's 1143 PCs and servers that are supported.

Add to that total:

• SCLS gaming and gadget packages
• 14 laptops in the SCLS wireless labs
• 8 laptops in the SCLS training lab (for Koha)
• the SCLS presentation package
• RFID tagging stations
• LOTS of printers, scanners, barcode scanners, and network devices 

That's a fair amount of equipment.  When you spread that over 7 counties and 57 buildings (56 libraries + SCLS headquarters)  with the shortest drive time 0 minutes and the longest more than 2 hours one-way ... you start to see what keeps them hoppin'!  

So how does standardization help them manage this load? The more standard the hardware is, the simpler and quicker it is for the techs to support it for the life of the hardware.  This means that 3 guys can handle all that stuff in all those places without needing additional help-- which helps keep costs down for the libraries.

 

 

And until we can clone them...

 

 

"Count" photo credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/4153319061/

"Clone" photo credit: Craig, Craig, Craig.

Comments

[Dennis]

Three Craigs aren't enough. Every library should have at least one.

Unless Andrew is available...

[Tim Drexler]

That picture reminds of a nightmare I had the other night...