UD Policies & Procedures |Learning Resources 1 LR 6.2 | 19-12-13

Learning Resources

No. : LR 6.2

Date : December 19, 2013

Subject : Equipment and Software Technical Support Policy

Purpose: To provide guidelines on all IT-related internal policies/services

Responsibility:

Cross Reference:

IT Manager; IT Committee

PTR 7.1 Equipment and Software Replacement Policy

PTR 7.4 Policy on Appropriate Use of Technology Resources

I. IT Infrastructure

A. Hardware & Software The university provides funding for the state-of-the-art information technology hardware and software to support students, faculty, and staff development, and as an aid to instruction. This includes servers, client computers, printers, plotters, scanners, multimedia kits, LCD projectors. A detailed description of existing hardware/software is documented in Appendix I. Faculty and staff at UD have the following IT infrastructure and services:

Dedicated desktop machine with flat screen monitor.

Laptops are provided upon request from the IT Services.

Logon accounts are created for each staff/faculty member as per the UD policies.

Each college has a centralized laser-printer located within the college and some faculty members have individual printers.

University resources can be accessed from remote locations through the UD website.

Internet access.

UD licensed software is installed on all the faculty/staff computers.

UD students have the following IT infrastructure and services:

Each student has his/her own student logon account as well as email address.

Labs access is available for the students during the weekdays.

Labs are also available during the weekends with an approval from the IT Manager.

Library computers can be used at any time during the library’s working hours.

Internet access is available 24/7.

Each lab is equipped with a laser printer.

UD standard licensed software is installed in all the labs.

B. Workstations/Servers UD currently has 17 servers (15 at MSUD Bldg and 2 at Dubai Chamber) with the following functions: Primary Domain Controller; Secondary Domain Controller; Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration (ISA) Server; File Server, and printer server; File and printer server for Dubai Chamber; Symantec Antivirus & WSUS; Student Information System and MOODLE for learning management system; Payroll Server; Great Plains Server; Destiny server used for online Library resources. These servers will be running in virtualization environment. UD’s procurement plan of IBM pure-FLEX V7000 system will allow UD to enable private cloud computing.

UD Policies & Procedures |Learning Resources 2 LR 6.2 | 19-12-13

C. Network Infrastructure The IT Services manager ensures that a reliable network is in place enabling all members of the institution’s community to use information technology and to access information resources. A complete description of UD’s network infrastructure is available with the IT Services manager. Appendix II shows the diagram of the current network infrastructure.

II. Support Services Procedures

The IT support services include delivering technical services, solutions, practices and guidelines for the UD community. The IT Services department constantly plan ways to improve the technology available, increase efficiency and reduce downtime. The procedures followed for handling helpdesk requests, website maintenance, and creating e-mail accounts are described below:

A. Providing user support through Helpdesk 1. User has to send all their IT service requests by email to the helpdesk@ud.ac.ae 2. Each support call is registered through the helpdesk system. 3. Each helpdesk call is assigned to a technician depending on the type of the request. 4. The user should be present during the time of the technician’s visit; if the time is not

suitable a mutual time is fixed between both parties. 5. Email will be sent out to the user upon the completion of the helpdesk request.

B. Maintaining Website

The Web Developer is fully responsible for maintaining the UD website and updating the content as requested by the various units through the Institutional Effectiveness office. Our hosting partner, Etisalat, is fully responsible for maintaining security aspects of the UD website.

C. Creating E-Mail Accounts The list of new students is provided by the Registrar while the list of new faculty and staff

is provided by the Head of HR. Faculty, staff, and students will have activated accounts as

of the first day of service/study. New students will receive their account number and

password after their first registration day once notified by the Registrar. Faculty and staff

will be notified during the first day of orientation. All requests for creating e-mail account

are sent by the Registrar or HR to the IT Services manager who forwards the request(s) to

the System Administrator for creating the accounts.

D. Developing IT Solutions IT Solutions are provided by a team of two IT database programmers who are well

equipped to handle further developments of existing internally developed/customized IT

solutions (Table 1) as well as the development of other applications requiring database

structuring and design as well as customized user-friendly interface.

Table 1: Internal IT Solutions

# System Database

1 Student Information System (SIS): Admission; Registration; Class Schedule; Classroom Booking; Student Advising

Oracle DB 10g

2 Online Registration System Oracle DB 10g

3 UD Survey System MYSQL DB 5

4 Fingerprint System SQL 2005

5 Financial Management (Great Plains) SQL 2005

UD Policies & Procedures |Learning Resources 3 LR 6.2 | 19-12-13

III. Technical Support

IT Services provide support to UD faculty, staff, and students in a variety of areas. The helpdesk team is in charge of troubleshooting IT problems on all UD hardware and software. The helpdesk may provide UD students with technical support on their personal computers. This includes troubleshooting problems and providing wireless access to the network. Prior to processing any software installation, the license must be produced or else the request is rejected. The helpdesk also attend all exams that require computer labs and are available for help if called upon in any class.

IV. Internet & E-Mail

UD offers its community 24 hours internet connection and wireless access network with 4MB

bandwidth. The University provides every student, faculty, and staff with an e-mail account

during their study/service at the university.

A. Microsoft Windows Login Username: Username starts with ‘S’ and followed by the student’s ID (Example: S012345)

Password: Leave this field blank (for the first time) and click OK. The student will be

prompted to change his/her password. Leave the old password field blank, type the new

password, confirm the same and click OK to continue.

Note: the above procedure is applicable only within the university’s network and it is

required in order to access the university’s email (webmail).

B. Accessing University E-Mail The student must follow the steps below in order to access his/her university’s email:

1. Open UD website on the following link www.ud.ac.ae 2. Login with your Username and Password from www.ud.ac.ae home page. 3. After login click on the Web Mail icon. 4. Type username and password to access the emails.

V. Computer Labs

University of Dubai has 7 computer laboratories which are located between Al Masaood and Dubai Chamber buildings equipped with HP compatible personal computers. The laboratories are open to all students and faculty members on a scheduled basis according to the timetable of each academic program being offered. In addition, faculty members may additionally reserve a laboratory for unsupervised student access to allow for own practice, learning, research and assignment preparation. Students who wish to use the laboratories outside the normal operating hours or during weekends may request authorization (24 hours in advance) from their appropriate course instructor. The approved documented request is forwarded to IT Services and to the campus security authorities. IT Services will advise of availability.

VI. IT Code of Conduct All the users of the IT facilities, whether accessed locally or through the internet, are governed by the IT code of conduct detailed in the Student Handbook.

VII. Office Hours For all IT related problems and requirements IT helpdesk can be contacted on 2072666 or email helpdesk@ud.ac.ae between 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Saturday through Thursday. Besides, helpdesk is available during all scheduled classes for needed support.

Appendix I

Appendix I

1. UD Hardware and Software:

1.1 Hardware specifications for the computers located in labs, class rooms & users

Sr. Hardware Description

Model Specification

1 HP DX 2000 3.2 GHz Processor 3.2 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HDD

2 HP DX 2200 3.6 GHz Processor 3.6 GHz , 1 GB RAM, 160 GB HDD

3 Lenovo E520 Processor i5-2410M @ 2.30 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 64bit

4 Lenovo E530 Processor i5-3210M @ 2.50 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 64bit

5 HP G62 Processor i3, 4 GB RAM, 64bit

6 HP 7520 17" Monitor

7 HP L1706 LCD

8 HP 4250N Printer, HP 1320, HP 1315, HP 2015 …

1.2 Institutional Resources

Al M

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Computer Labs

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Computer Labs

No. Name Student Capacity

Total PCs No. Name Student Capacity

Total PCs

1 Lab 304 33 33 1 Lab 401 25 25

2 Lab 305 25 25 2 Lab 511 25 25

3 Lab 310 33 33

4 Lab 312 25 25

5 Lab 315 28 28

Lecture Rooms Lecture Rooms

No. Name Student Capacity

Total PCs No. Name Student Capacity

Total PCs

1 Room 208 31 1 1 Room 402/403 90 1

2 Room 209 54 1 2 Room 407 32 1

3 Room 210 54 1 3 Room 408 20 1

4 Room 212 50 1 4 Room 502 28 1

5 Room 213 35 1 5 Room 503 25 1

6 Room 306 31 1 6 Room 504 20 1

7 Room 308/309 54 1 7 Room 512 25 1

8 Room 313 24 1

9 Room 317 50 1

10 Room 411 40 1

11 Room 412 48 1

12 Room 413 36 1

13 Room 622 90 1

14 Room 624 52 1

15 Library 30

1.3 Overall Hardware Inventory Sr. Location Servers PC's Monitors Printers Scanners Laptops Projectors

1 MSUD Labs, Class & Library

94 94 7 1 94 20

2 DCCI Labs& Class 4 4 2 56 8

3 UD Faculty/Staff 98 98 54 19 5 2

4 ITS Department 17 45

Total 17 196 196 63 20 200 30

Appendix I

Appendix I

2. UD Licensed Software List

Sr. Software Description

(Latest Version)

Purpose of Software Labs: 304, 310,312, 315,

401,511 & Library Staff Classroom

Teaching Research

1 Adobe Acrobat Professional 8 √ √

2 Adobe (InDesign, Photo Shop, Illustrator, Premier)

√

3 Encounter2003 √ √

4 Borland JBUILDER 3 university √ √

5 Microsoft Product √ √ √ √

6 Lingo √ √

7 MPL √ √

8 Oracle 10g √ √

9 Kaspersky Antivirus √ √ √ √

10 QM 4 √ √

11 SPSS v.19 √ √ √

12 Clarity Software √ √

13 EViews √ √ √

14 DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) software √

15 Leximancer √

16 WinQSB (Decision Analysis Program) √

17 LIMDEP (Limited Dependent Modeling) √

18 RATS (Regression & Time Series) √

19 Netop vision √

UniversityofDubai

InternetLeasedLine16mb

DMZNetwork

MSUDBuildingDubaiChamberBuilding

InternetBusinessOne100mb

UD SELF Service

IBMFlexSystemTwo-nodecluster

1- UDFINANCE2- UDHELPDESK3- UDLIBRARY4- UDPRINT5- UDFINGERPRINT6- UDPROXY7- UDShareP n8 -U D TMG9- UD10-UDSCOM11- Domain2Domain

UDSIS

Backupsystem

BackupServerFilesShareServer

AVAYASwitch

Modem Modem ModemFirewall-Juniper

CoreSwitch-Juniper

ARUBAWIFIARUBAWIFI

InternetBusinessOne100mb