Service Level Agreement
Information Technology Services
The University of Texas at Austin
Effective Date: 7/15/2009
Score
Overview
The ITS Windows Software Update Service (WSUS) provides a mechanism for Windows based Microsoft hosts to receive patches and updates. This campus service enables computers that might not have access to the Internet to receive the latest patches and updates. Also, campus based hosts that use this service will not use external bandwidth to receive their updates. More information on how to setup Windows computers to use WSUS for updates can be found at: http://www.utexas.edu/its/wsus/
Review Process
This document defines the practices that Information Technology Services (ITS) will use for the Windows Software Update 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 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and reduced schedule days.
Scope
The following user communities at the university are the intended recipients for the Windows Software Update service: Faculty, Staff and Students.
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
ITS performs the following tasks in regards to this service:
- Operates the server(s).
- Downloads updates and patches for Operating Systems and a selected number of applications from Microsoft.
- Approves the appropriate patches and makes them available for use by clients.
This service does not include configuring clients to point to the WSUS server, download and install these updates.
Supported Computing Environment
This service supports Windows based hosts with updates for Microsoft products. The WSUS service provides the following services:
Operating Systems and Microsoft Office Patches
ITS will download and approve appropriate patches one day after their standard publication by close of business day. ITS will download patches for supported products as prescribed by Microsoft at: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy
Operating Systems Service Packs
ITS will download but not approve Service Packs for Operating Systems for 180 days after they are published by Microsoft. This will allow sufficient time for testing. If departments wish to apply these Service Packs before the 180 day waiting period they can request them to be approved for their WSUS groups. After the 180 day period departments can request the Service Packs not to be applied to their WSUS groups as well.
Microsoft Office Service Packs
The Microsoft Office Service packs are downloaded but not approved for 30 days to allow sufficient time for testing. Departments who wish to apply these updates to their own WSUS groups can request approval.
Back Office Server Applications
ITS will not approve patches for server software such as Exchange, SharePoint unless requested by departments who want to apply them to their own WSUS groups.
Other updates
If a department requires a certain update to be approved via WSUS, they can contact the Help Desk and request that update to be approved for their own WSUS group. If the department does not have a WSUS group they can also request the creation of such a group via the Help Desk.
ITS staff will announce the availability of new updates by sending e-mail to it-talk@utlists.utexas.edu.
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/wsus/.
Technical Support
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.
Tier 1 Support
ITS Help Desk can be contacted for information about this service and problems encountered in using the service. Requests for creation of WSUS groups and approval of certain updates for those groups should be sent to the Help Desk as well.
Tier 2 Support
ITS-Systems Windows Enterprise Support (WES) group is the second tier support for this service. ITS Help Desk will forward all requests regarding WSUS to the WES group through the ITS ticketing service. Any special requests such as creating WSUS groups and approving certain patches for those groups will be forwarded to the WES group by the Help Desk through the ITS ticketing service.
Special Support
ITS has purchased additional vendor support by subscribing to Premier Support Service from Microsoft. The WES group can utilize this service if local solutions do not resolve problems.
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
This service is available 24x7x365 with the exception of scheduled maintenance as described below.
Scheduled Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance for the Windows Software Update service is essential for service upkeep, upgrades and to maintain security, and may occur outside business hours.
Problem Reporting and Change Notification
ITS will notify customers using the ITS Services Status page of service availability and service delivery issues for the Windows Software Update. To the maximum extent possible, installation of service, application, and security updates will be performed during scheduled maintenance.
Key Service Indicators
List of Metrics/Measures
Service availability: 99.9%
ITS will download and approve appropriate patches one day after their standard publication by close of business day. Microsoft has a standard patch publication routine.
ITS will inform the IT community when a list of updates are published by Microsoft. This provides the IT community an opportunity to request that specific updates not be approved for their WSUS groups.
Requests for creating WSUS groups will be implemented within 5 business days after receipt of the request by the Help Desk.
Requests for approving special patches for a WSUS group will be implemented within 5 business days after the receipt of the request by the Help Desk.
Dependencies
The server(s) that support this service are hosted at the University Data Centers and as such are dependent on network and power at the Data Centers. This service is also dependent on the Austin SQL Service, as well as the Virtual Machine infrastructure, which includes servers and SAN storage run by the WES group. The server(s) for this service are located behind Netscaler load balancers.
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
Subscriber agrees to:
Configure their clients to use the WSUS server properly as described on the WSUS web site: www.utexas.edu/its/wsus
- Any special requests by departmental IT staff will need to be sent to the ITS Help Desk help@its.utexas.edu. These requests might include creation of WSUS groups and approval of specific patches.
- The departmental IT staff will configure the membership of the WSUS groups through Group Policies.
Departmental IT Support Staff
- See above.
Cost of Service
This service is provided at no cost to UT Students, faculty and staff.
