Service Level Agreement
Information Technology Systems
The University of Texas at Austin
Effective Date: 7/1/2008
Last Edited 09/26/2008
Score
Overview
Austin Disk Services (ADS) provides clients with a reliable, 24/7 resource for storing files, databases, and personal Web pages. It is intended for power users (usually faculty and staff) who require more storage space, faster access to files, and greater compatibility with applications and operating systems than other university storage services can provide. Multiple means of connectivity are provided to allow secure access to the disk cluster from both campus and remote locations. Bulk storage is also available for departments and groups to use for collaboration or shared file access.
Review Process
This document defines the practices that Information Technology Services (ITS) will use for the Austin Disk Service (ADS) service. The details of this document may be reviewed and amended as required, or at least annually, to accurately reflect business and service needs.
Time Conventions
Unless otherwise indicated, business hours are from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and reduced schedule days.
Scope
The following user communities at the university are the intended recipients for the Austin Disk Service (ADS) service: students, faculty and staff.
Service Criticality
This service has been identified as Critical, based on the ITS Critical Services Assessment Criteria. Please refer to the Critical Services Assessment Criteria for more information on the assessment methodology.
Service Description
ADS is an enterprise-level storage solution. Reliability is enhanced through clustered server hardware, Storage Area Network (SAN) architecture, backups to both disk and tape, and volume shadowing. Anti-virus software is installed and kept current, and security patches released by Microsoft are promptly installed. ADS includes:
- Volume Shadow Copy backups are provided two times per day and allow for individual recovery of files based on the Shadow Copy backup window.
- Daily backup to off-site disk storage system.
- Weekly tape backup to ensure recovery of system data (not available for individual file recovery).
- Departmental control of bulk storage directories and permissions.
- Online account management tools for home directory quota management.
Supported Computing Environment
The service and support levels documented in this SLA assume certain minimum configurations in the user desktop environment. The list below does not enumerate all possible operating systems or applications that can access the service, only those that have been tested and shown to provide complete, or near-complete, functionality. The minimum recommended operating system requirements are:
- Windows XP, Windows 2003
- OS X (10.3+)
For the latest information on tested systems and a complete list of supported procedures, refer to the ITS Web site: http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/storage/.
Technical Support
Technical support, problem report/resolution, and any requests for changes to the service will be provided through one of two paths, depending upon whether a user has a departmental Technical Support Contact (TSC).
End users always start with Tier 1, which is basic support. Tier 2 is the second support level and is reserved for more complex issues. Departmental desktop support staff and the ITS Help Desk may escalate issues to Tier 2.
Tier 1 Support
- For users with a departmental TSC, Tier 1 support for end-user problems is provided by the TSC. This is the preferred approach and will aid in resolving the issue in the most efficient manner.
- In cases where a TSC is not available, Tier 1 support for end-user problems is provided by the ITS Help Desk during business hours at:
- http://www.utexas.edu/its/help
- 512-475-9400
Tier 2 Support
- Departmental TSCs and the ITS Help Desk may escalate issues to Tier 2 support.
- Tier 2 support is available during normal business hours.
- Routine requests (for example creating a distribution list) are typically addressed within one business day.
Additional information and technical support can be found online at: http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/storage/.
Service Availability
This section provides information about the normal schedule of times when the service is available, the times specified for scheduled maintenance, and defines expectations for reporting service problems and changes.
Normal Service Availability
Austin Disk is normally available for customer use 24 hours-per-day, seven days-per-week, 365 days-per-year (24x7x365), excluding scheduled maintenance times.
Scheduled Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance for the Austin Disk Service (ADS) service is essential for upgrades and to maintain security, and occurs weekly on Sundays from midnight until 6 AM. Services may not be available during the scheduled maintenance periods.
Problem Reporting and Change Notification
ITS will notify customers using the ITS Services Status page of service availability and service delivery issues for the Austin Disk Service (ADS). To the maximum extent possible, installation of service, application, and security updates will be performed during scheduled maintenance.
| Type | Business Impact | Subscriber Notification | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Changes or problems that may affect the service and have a broad business impact. | ITS will notify TSCs of changes five working days in advance via e-mail, and will generate an alert on the ITS services status page. | Modifications or replacement of storage infrastructure hardware |
| Major | Changes that may affect the service across multiple departments, with a significant impact to the subscribers' business. | ITS will meet with TSCs ten working days in advance, will notify subscribers five working days in advance via e-mail, and will generate an alert on the ITS services status page. | New versions of server software to be installed. |
| Critical (After-Hours) | Changes that must be performed in order to correct issues and having some impact on end-users. Impact to business does not warrant immediate correction. | ITS will notify service users after knowing such a change is required via e-mail, and will generate an alert on the ITS services status page. | Hung process on server needs to be cleared before tape backup can proceed. |
| Emergency (Immediate) | Changes that must be performed in order to correct issues and having a major impact on end-users. Impact to business requires immediate action. | ITS will generate an alert on the ITS services status page, and will notify TSCs and end-users via e-mail after implementing the change. | Replacing critical hardware that has failed. |
Key Service Indicators
List of Metrics/Measures
| Measurement | Definition | Performance Target |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Availability [1] | The percent of time that the service is available. | 99.2% |
| Customer Satisfaction Percent | The percent of time the service is available during normal business hours. | 85% |
Note:
The Overall Availability is calculated as the hours that the service is available in the reporting period, divided by the total hours in the reporting period. This percentage reflects scheduled and unscheduled downtime.
Dependencies
Austin Disk is dependent upon Austin Active Directory as well as University Data Center power, the network and related systems. The availability of those services will have a direct impact on ADS availability.
Service Report Card
ITS will publish performance for this service in the public ITS Services Report Card.
Other Party Responsibilities
In addition to the services provided by ITS, subscribers (users) of the service and identified owners/administrators agree to certain important responsibilities. All parties agree to be aware of and adhere to the university's Acceptable Use Policy.
User/Subscriber Responsibilities
- Read the Austin Disk documentation at http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/storage.
- Provide contact information for the primary and secondary departmental TSCs as requested by ITS for support purposes.
- Use supported client software.
- Be aware of and adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/responsible.php.
- Provide critical information to ITS in a timely manner when requested for purposes of resolving subscriber issues.
Departmental IT Support Staff
- Provide ITS with contact information for departmental TSC through your ITS contact, and notify ITS of changes.
- Designate at least one secondary TSC for each department.
- Be familiar with the online documentation at http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/storage.
- Provide critical information to ITS in a timely manner when requested for purposes of resolving subscriber issues.
Cost of Service
Requires a Windows Services Account (no charge) with the Austin Data Storage option. Each one GB costs $5 per year. Individuals can purchase disk space online in one GB increments, up to 20 GB. Departments should send email to
WES-BulkStorage@austin.utexas.edu to purchase disk space (NOTE: There is a minimum allocation of 50 GB.)
