Unit 12: Tech Support introduction (post ahs moved from L85 Post)

Introduction

We have IT support because systems need maintenance and support so they work efficiently and what the user needs the system to do. IT Support there so when there is a problem with a system the IT support can fix the issues. IT support can support computers, phones, appliances and servers to keep them run as a lot of businesses and home need to keep these systems, whether its business to entertainment.

There are 4 support lines, level 1 will take very little time to sort out the problems and deal with mainly everyday issues e.g. printer is not printing. Level 2 will take a day to several days to find out and fix issues, users tend to know a lot more about computers and will have more advanced problems. Level 3 and 4 may take several weeks to several months to fix. 

Level 3 IT support will look at problems with large networks or server problems, they tend to manage these networks. Level 4 IT support will handle a business networks and server farms.

Faults
Hardware issues 

Software issues 

End User problems or causing the problems 

Error messages can appear

Network connection problems

Server issues

Unit 12: Constraints and Impact of IT support

Constraints

Accents - hard to understand certain accents  

Secuirty    

Strict access to Internet sites, the terms and constraints of the company or fire wall access. May not be able to access more resources to help fix any problems.

Time constraints

Amount time taken to do a task. Maintenance must be performed in out of hours time. tech support usally over week ends. Recording how to fix problems takes longer than fixing the actual problem

Social and culture

Financial

Restrictions to funding and going over budget

Employee skills 

Lack of training and experiencing new technology and training for it

Freedom of information act (UK Law)

Data protection act (UK Law)

obscene obligation act (UK Law)

Technology - compatibility issues, new technology can be buggy

Esclation - the level of techsupport needed to solve a problem

Impact

Down time

- Negative image to customers

- Maintenance incoveancing end users

- cost of over time for IT staff to do maintenance tasks
- system overload
- bottle necks
- damage servers and enviromental problems

Reduced down time with backup servers and use a unix server. Have test servers for new software tests before installing to the main server. Server types (main, test and backup servers). Make sure the technicans speek and write the lanuage the server uses e.g. English.

Unit 12: Tool and Techniques

Diagnostics tools

Email integration

Escalation rules

Notifications
Data base
Event viewer
Administration tools
Manuals
Search engines
Specification

Unit 12 My speicaization and other tasks

Class Tasks

Task 1

I am very good with graphical applications, making 3D models to use in, editing and drawing software. I use alot of drawing software e.g. Adobe photoshop, Coral Painter, MS paint and sketch draw 3. Blender is my main 3D modeling software but I have experiance on Autodesk CAD and Autodesk 3D max.

I would talk to Dan Rowe on the the 3 main gaming platforms as he has the most experiance in gaming in the class. 

Task 2

Books

Manualsare good source for find about a computer

Professionals in that area of expertise

Leafletsfor people who need 'low level' help

Videos/DVD/Blue ray help disks, good source of information.

FAQs

Diagnostics on the actual computer diagnose problems

Phoning tech support, this depends on what level tech support your need, Tier 1, 2, 3

Manufacture website, the manufacture will know the item inside out, only proble is the item may no longer be supported or the manufacture may no longer exist.

Forums - good for instant information, but anyone can post information or the information maybe irrlevant

Review sites

Fault logs

Computer retailer websites

Online manuals

Online tech support

Online tutorials

YouTube videos

Online Diagnostics websites

Chat rooms

Networking sites

Email

Fault website 

Task 3

Sources of Inforamtion

Product specification and manuals

Collegues with specialist expertise

Manufacturers knowledge base/resource sites

fault records showing previously found soloutions

knowledge libraries/documentation within helpdesks

What would we need to consider when making a product recommendation?

Need to consider a budget, a specification and what components are needed to build a computer. All the peripherals needed with the computer and the software needed for the user to operate.

Budget

 - Corsair Power supply 750w

Motherboard

Processor dual core or i3

Low grade Graphics card

Case

Samsung Optical drive

2890145 - Fan cooling system

3541089 - Windows 7 operating system student addition

0157632 - Ben Q 17” inch monitor

Task 4

Computer randomly crashes with no error messages

Driver for the graphics card needs updating, download the driver from the manufacture website.

Blue screens of death

Switch the computer off and switch the computer back on to fix the problem

Corrupted Data

Some memory-intensive program crash on start up

Unit 12 Tech support information gathering end users

FAQ example the tech support can make for

FAQ on computer system Level 1 Problems

1.      Why is my computer not turning on?

Make sure both PC and monitor are switched on or check mains are plugged in and switch on.

2.      My monitor isn’t working but I have lights on my PC?

Make sure the cable to the monitor is plugged into the back and the power from the mains is switched on.

3.      My printer is not working?

Make sure printer is switched on and make sure the printer you have is set to default.

4.       Why can I not get on to the internet?

Make sure that the ethernet cable if fixed to the back of computer and there is a lights on in the port. If cable is connected with lights, check bottom right of the screen to see the monitor icon. Does this icon have a warning sign, if so check you internet provider if they are having a problem.

5.      I can’t save my documents?

Click on the icon on the top left of the screen that has a picture of a floppy disk, that will save you document

Unit 12 Tech Support

Fault Logs

To keep a maintenance record of computer systems to view passed problems, they also list how each problem was fixed and to fix them in steps.

Diagnostic and monitoring tools

Diagnostic and monitoring tools are used to monitor and show the status of a computer (using program applications) and the status of each component. They are used to check if a component is working properly or in need of maintenance.

Network traffic, i.e. bandwidth, speed

Hard drive quotas of user files

Server performance – CPU, disk space

User internet usage

Printing – PaperCut now in K College

E-safety monitoring in schools/colleges, e.g. Securus

Remote Diagnostic Tools

Remote access utilities help support users in distant locations

Helpdesk agents can:

¨View a remote user’s screen

¨Enter commands on user’s system

Symantec pcAnywhere
Logmein
TightVNC/RealVNC

POST - Power on Self Test

POST is a built in program that will check a PC's hardware on boot up. It is designed to check every componet is there and that they are functioning properly. The system bleeps when POST is being used.

1 Beep: DRAM refresh failure

2 Beeps: Parity circuit failure

3 Beeps: Base 64K RAM failure

4 Beeps: System timer failure

5 Beeps: Processor failure

6 Beeps: Keyboard controller / gate A20 failure

7 Beeps: Virtual mode exception error

8 Beeps: Display memory read/write failure

9 Beeps: ROM BIOS checksum failure

10 Beeps: CMOS shutdown register read/write error

11 Beeps: Cache memory errors