Lincoln Technology Plan - Operations, Maintenance and Upgrades

Lincoln Action Plan -- Operations, Maintenance and Upgrades

Lincoln Community School has no plan for information technology operations, maintenance and upgrades. Currently, any service requests are handled by the Principal. When equipment fails, the Principal contracts with local vendors to repair or upgrade equipment. Software is updated infrequently, except when a new product is purchased. No routine maintenance or backup procedures are in place. Lincoln does not maintain a surplus of needed equipment, such as keyboards, monitors, mice or printers to replace malfunctioning equipment. Lincoln does not have a plan or policy for accepting donated equipment or for replacing old equipment on a continuous cycle. No person in the building, other than the Principal, has the responsibility to oversee the operations or maintenance of the computer equipment.

Technical Support Person

Lincoln needs to hire a part time person whose responsibility is to oversee this area. A technical support person is needed one day a week to perform the following tasks:

check and maintain computer equipment for proper operations;

create a periodic schedule for cleaning all computers and printers and to keep computers, monitors, and printers clean and functioning well;

maintain a current inventory of all computer equipment and software purchases;

perform routine backups of data where needed;

assist teachers with basic questions concerning the operation and care of computers and peripheral devices within the building;

catalogue computer documentation;

troubleshoot computer problems and repair or fix whenever possible;

schedule repairs and maintenance that cannot be done on site;

install software products and/or upgrades as necessary;

maintain an inventory of computer related supplies and accessories (ribbons, ink, mouse pads, mice, paper, diskettes, storage cases, etc.) and create a distribution system for faculty and staff;

advise the Principal and Technology Committee concerning needed equipment upgrades and purchases;

ensure the smooth and efficient operation of equipment to provide a reliable and efficient infrastructure.

When Lincoln creates a local area network, the technical support person's job would be expanded to include managing the computer network, resolving network problems, managing electronic mail accounts, and creating backup procedures for the network.

When a computer mini-lab is established, the technical support person would be responsible for maintaining the computer equipment in the mini-lab, installing software to support the instructional program, and assisting teachers and students with basic operations of the computer sofware and equipment, modems, projection devices, scanners, and printers.

The technical support person will need office space with telephone communications, an administrative work station (a networked computer) to manage the network, and a work table/area to repair and clean equipment. Additionally, space will be needed to store computer parts, accessories and supplies, computer manuals and documentation, backup diskettes, etc.

Contracted Technical Support

In addition to school-based technical support, Lincoln should budget money for services/problems that require component replacement and/or professional consulting services. It may be appropriate for Lincoln to enter a service agreement with area businesses that support equipment repairs and network consulting, installation and management.

District Technical Support

Lincoln's need for technical support is similar in nature to the technical support needs of all ANESU schools. As each school enlarges its computer inventory and creates local area networks within the schools, the demand for immediate and reliable technical support will grow. It may be advantageous and cost effective for Lincoln to join with the other schools in the district to hire a full time technical support person to fulfill the responsibilities listed above.

Lincoln Action Plan -- Operations, Maintenance and Upgrades

Last Revised: 10/21/97