Basic Support of Small Computer Systems
Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-2008.Support Activities
1. Support (or maintenance) activities include answering users questions about using hardware and software, resolving basic problems, doing some basic training to staff, ensuring data backups are done, writing procedures for basic/routine tasks such as how to do backups and following basic procedures for computer security, etc. The support person is sometimes called the system administrator.2. This person should be the primary person who calls with problems to the software vendor (the company who made the software), the company that holds warranty on the computer, etc.
3. Always record the problems you're experiencing. This information will come in handy when trying to figure out what's the real problem and when the maintenance person comes in.
4. Doing system support will usually require more time and energy than you realize. For example, a system configuration with 8-15 networked computer systems will likely require 4-8 hours of someone's time per week to do support for the first three months or so. This is almost always more time than management prefers. (These internal people often develop highly needed skills and leave every 12-18 months.)
5. Keep documentation about all software and peripherals.
6. Have an internal staff person write procedures for all basic and routine computer operation tasks, e.g., doing data backups.
7. Develop an internal staff person be able to train on the very basic tasks.
8. Basics Computer
System Security.
For the Category of Information Technology:
Related Library Topics
Recommended Books
General (For-Profit and Nonprofit)
General (For-Profit and Nonprofit)
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.
The Accidental Techie:
Supporting, Managing, and Maximizing Your Nonprofit's Technology
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. This hands-on guide walks you through five projects that, when completed, will give you a comprehensive and usable support system, including for 1) conducting a technology inventory, 2) assessing and supporting staff, 3) assessing and buying technology, 4) protecting your organization from disasters and data loss, and 5) managing your role. Includes ready-to-use templates, worksheets and sample policies, and also 135 resources on topics such as funding, discussion groups, application service providers, web site development, donor management software, and a security policy checklist. Also explains steps for creating a database that gives you the reports you need. Includes a glossary of terms every techie should know.
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