Collaborating Campus-wide to Enhance Desktop Systems Management
In their October 2010 meeting, the IT Architecture and Infrastructure Committee (AIC) decided to form a standing committee to support desktop systems management at the University. The first meeting of the Desktop Systems Management Group, was conducted last week with Mark Jacaman, Senior IT Manager for Information Technology Services' User Services, as lead. Fourteen different units from across campus participated including representatives from academic, research and administrative groups with both Windows and Mac environments. Members of the group are responsible for a combined total of 4,200+ laptops, desktops and public computers across campus and are well aware of issues and concerns arising from our current systems management practices.
Enhancing campus-wide security and efficiency are the primary drivers. The newly formed Desktop Systems Management Group will focus on ways to reduce hardware purchasing costs, address staff training needs, identify how to improve the customer experience and promote greater efficiencies by scheduling and providing software updates in a more timely fashion. The formation of this collaborative group is a positive step in what will become a continuing effort to enhance desktop systems management on campus.
