SCLS Technology News

After Hours Support Update

Occasionally, the Support Team receives calls after normal Help Desk hours about SCLS as ISP systems. We have discussed the feasibility of providing after hours support for the SCLS as ISP service. Due to the varied nature of these systems and remote limitations, the SCLS as ISP service will be ineligible for after hours support. All support for these systems will occur during normal Help Desk hours (8:30am – 5pm).

As a reminder, After Hours Support is for urgent or emergency use only. “Urgent” issues are downtime and serious response time issues with system-wide or building-wide services, not an issue with a single PC, or a single self-check.

Please submit a ticket on the Help Desk portal or wait until normal Help Desk hours for regular support tasks and requests.

Information about regular and after-hours support can be found here: https://www.scls.info/technology/help.html

 

Image by Ekkapop Sittiwantana from Pixabay

After Hours Support Pager is "Retired"

We have officially transitioned to the new phone system for providing Technology and ILS support after regular business hours. The pager is no longer in use. As a reminder, the new After Hours Support phone number and policy are as follows:

Report urgent problems after normal help desk hours via the After Hours phone number. Do not use the portal to report urgent issues. The ticket portal is not monitored outside of business hours.

(608) 571-7243 (PAGE)

Leave a Voice Message with the requested info. SCLS staff should respond within 15 minutes (whenever possible).

After Hours Support Hours:

• M-F 7am to 8:30am AND 5pm to 10pm
• Saturday 8am to 7pm
• Sunday 11am to 6pm
• No holiday coverage for major holidays when all libraries are closed.

 

PC services - factory defaults

SCLS offers cradle-to-grave support for PCs ordered and supported by SCLS. 

Sometimes when a PC hits the "grave" and is retired from the SCLS network, the library still wants to use that PC for something else. In these cases, SCLS tech staff can, as a courtesy, set a PC ordered through SCLS back to a basic Windows configuration like the one the PC had when it shipped from Dell.

There are some limitations:

• The PC must have been ordered through SCLS and have been recently removed from the SCLS network.
• This is a one-time deal. Tech staff will re-install the basic Windows configuration  for a library only one time per PC.
• This does not include Microsoft Office. PCs ordered through SCLS are not ordered with Office. If a library wants Office on a retired PC, they will be responsible for procuring their own copy of Office for the PC.

Tech Committee minutes

The minutes from the June 12, 2013 Tech Committee meeting are posted, and the agenda and technology project report for the upcoming August 14th meeting are now available. 

Highlights from the June meeting included:

• Approval of language for support of non-standard software, which was incorporated into the SCLS Hardware and Software Support Policy  (see the bottom of page 1 under "Non-Standard Software Support")

• Approval of a process to request new services, which is discussed in the SCLS Technology News blog post, "Requesting New Stuff" 

PCs behaving badly

We hope that your SCLS-supported PCs never misbehave or have problems... but what happens if they do?

Call the Help Desk
The SCLS Help Desk is able to resolve many problems over the phone through troubleshooting and the use of remote control software. 

Problems that can't be fixed over the phone
The age of the PC will determine the possible course of action.

Hardware problems

• PCs < 3 years old - SCLS techs will repair the PC under warranty
• PCs > 3 years old but < 5 years old - SCLS techs can repair the PC at cost to the library
• PCs > 5 years old - It's time to retire the PC

Software problems
If the PC is less than 5 years old, SCLS techs will repair the PC. If the PC is greater than 5 years old, the techs will assess the software problem to see if it can be easily repaired or if the age of PC is a contributing factor.

"Can I get a loaner?" The SCLS Spare PCs Policy
The SCLS Technology Team maintains a small pool of spare PCs, utilized when a library workstation is in the process of repair. This pool provides a basic level of service to patrons and staff but is not intended to fully replicate all services, such as personal bookmarks, e-mail, or library-specific software.

SCLS Spare PCs are intended to take the place of PCs that conform to the overall support policies laid out in the SCLS Hardware and Support Policy. In the case where a PC cannot be repaired, libraries need to show a good faith effort in ordering a new PC. After SCLS determines that a new PC needs to be ordered, libraries have one month to place an order with SCLS for a replacement PC. Libraries can continue to use the spare PC until the new PC arrives and is ready to be used in the library.

All these Operating Systems!
SCLS is currently in the process of upgrading SCLS-supported PCs from Windows XP to Windows Vista (patron PCs) and Windows 7 (patron PCs and staff PCs). Because of this, libraries should be aware that:

• Spare PCs may not be running the same operating system as the PCs they are temporarily replacing.
• Windows XP PCs sent in for repair may be returned to the library upgraded to Vista or 7.

To VoIP or not to VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has been around awhile and South Central does have some libraries using VoIP for their phone system.  Chances are, if your library is in the running for a phone system upgrade, your local phone company will probably suggest VoIP (also known as managed IP).  You may not even have the option of installing a new system over the standard telephone network.  So, by all means do consider this option for your library if the phone company proposes it.

Be aware however, that the phone company may suggest that you install VoIP over an existing internet network in your building--such as the SCLS network if you have one.  Using the SCLS network is not an option for VoIP.  Installing a VoIP system on the SCLS network adds a layer of complexity to the setup and we would no longer have sole control of the data lines.  Doing so would interfere with the SCLS technology staff's ability to provide troubleshooting for network problems throughout the life of the project. 

So, what is your option if you want to install VoIP?  You will need to provide enough network cabling and jacks to accomodate your new VoIP phone system on a separate network.  You will spend some money up front for this, but in the long run, it will provide you with the assurance that your VoIP system will not interfere with any of the services in your library that use the SCLS network. 

SCLS as ISP

In the past, the SCLS wired network was available exclusively for use by SCLS-supported computers. With the approval of the SCLS Technology Committee in December, SCLS has added an “SCLS as ISP” option which is designed to allow libraries to plug non-SCLS supported devices into the wired SCLS network.

What will this mean for libraries?
Library-supported devices like Macs, specialized PCs for microfiche, HVAC, or games, or other PCs that the library wishes to maintain and support may be added to the wired SCLS network and receive access to the internet and other resources.

What should libraries know about this option?

• The library is responsible for configuring, supporting and troubleshooting any device that is added under the "SCLS as ISP" option.
• SCLS strongly recommends antivirus software and keeping up-to-date with security patches for any devices added under the "SCLS as ISP" option.
• The library assumes any risk that may be introduced by these library-supported devices.

How can my library sign up?

1. Review the "SCLS as ISP" documentation
2. Contact the Help Desk to sign up - (608) 242-4710 or toll-free (855) 583-2435
3. Print and sign the Memorandum of Understanding, and return it to SCA - Attn: Vicki

So... this is for the wired SCLS network. What about wireless devices like laptops and ereaders?
Library-supported and patron-owned wireless devices are always welcome to use the library's public wireless signal. However, wireless devices using the library's public wireless signal do not currently have access to library printers on the SCLS network.  (Please see the full "SCLS as ISP" documention for more information)

When will we be able to print from library-supported or patron-owned wireless devices?
Good question! The Technology Committee has formed a workgroup to investigate wireless printing options. Stay tuned for more information. 

The Spares Pool and Windows Vista & 7

Excerpt from the SCLS “PC Spare Pools Policy":

"The SCLS Technology Team maintains a small pool of spare PCs, utilized when a library workstation is in the process of repair. This pool provides a basic level of service to patrons and staff but is not intended to fully replicate all services, such as personal bookmarks or e-mail."

We’re finally moving away from XP—Woohoo! Unfortunately, the PCs in our spares pool aren’t all licensed to make that move with us.

Where do the spares come from? Sometimes, when libraries retire PCs they donate them to the spares pool. Sometimes when SCLS retires PCs, we do the same. This means that the spares pool is made up of older PCs, but ones that are still helpful to have in a pinch when hardware dies unexpectedly.

As libraries move to Windows 7 on their staff PCs and Windows Vista or 7 on their patron PCs, the spares pool may not keep pace. This means that if you have a Windows 7 PC that dies, you may receive a Vista or XP PC as a loaner. It may not look exactly like your out-of-commission PC, but it will provide a basic functionality until your sick PC is repaired or replaced.

Tech Committee and policy updates

The Technology Committee met on August 8.  The minutes from the meeting can be found on the Technology Committee webpage and include project reports on Badgernet upgrades, Windows 7, software updates, network convergence, Crystal Reports, and Drupal.

The May and August meetings yielded addendums to the SCLS Hardware and Software Support policy that detail support for Third Party ILS Systems and for support for Legacy Wireless equipment.  The updated SCLS Hardware and Software Support policy can be found under the "Policies" section of the Technology page.

 

PC Replacement Plans: Now more than Ever

As you may know, the SCLS Technology Team has made software updates on staff and patron PCs a priority and indeed, this year we've rolled out several major updates including Internet Explorer and Firefox. 

Recently, our monitoring software identified a handful of PCs that did not receive either of the browser updates pushed out from our central servers.  Upon investigation, we realized that the computers in question were quite out of date, in some cases over 10 years old.  The hardware couldn't handle the updates and naturally failed.  This is where a PC replacement plan could help a library with just such an issue.

What is a PC replacement plan?

A PC replacement plan is simply a budgetary tool that spreads the cost of buying new PCs for your library over a three - five year period.  SCLS recommends that you count the total number of PCs in your library and plan on replacing 20% of your PCs every year.  For example, if your library has 5 PCs, you should replace one every year.  If you have 20, then plan on replacing 4 on an annual basis, and so on.  Some libraries purchase new staff PCs on a three year replacement cycle while replacing their patron PCs every five years, in some cases with the replacement Staff PCs.

Is a PC Replacement Plan just an SCLS thing?

Far from it.  Take a look at the Edge Initiative: (http://www.libraryedge.org/)
13 major organizations--from ALA to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are working together to develop national benchmarks for technology services in Public Libraries.  In their Benchwork Framework Document (http://www.libraryedge.org/filebin/pdf/ULC_EDGE_Framework_032212.pdf), they specifically mention hardware (PC) replacement plans as a noted benchmark, necessary to the mission of providing patrons access to technology.

The End of Life for Windows XP makes this all the more important

In spring of 2014, Microsoft will officially stop supporting the Windows XP operating system.  That means no more security patches, bug fixes or updates will be issued.  As you know, SCLS has been working on a migration to Windows 7 this year and last, and will be rolling out staff and patron updates to the new 7 Operating System way before this deadline.  However, a PC that is more than 5 years old will not be able to run Windows 7.  The memory capacity and processing power needed to run the OS is not part of the older hardware.  Moreover, PCs purchased prior to 2007 most likely do not have a licence to run Windows 7.  When you purchase a PC through SCLS, the PCs come loaded with the latest Operating System installed.  We then reimage the PCs to our current standard.  If the PC was purchased after November of 2009, it will already have a Windows 7 license.  However, if it's older and even if it could run Windows 7, we can't legally load the OS on that PC without purchasing an additional copy of the OS.

How can I find out how old my PCs are?

SCLS has always maintained a Workstation Status Report Page for member libraries.  There, you can find pre-formatted listings of your PCs, along with information such as OS, year purchased, RAM, etc.  These pages are manually generated on a regular basis and posted to the Web.

A new service SCLS is developing is real-time access to our PC database:

http://network.scls.local/

Here, you can log in and see more detailed information about your PCs. This is an experimental site, so it may change over time.  Contact Jon Mark for login information if you're interested in trying it out.