Web support service definition for User Services

Service Definition

A 2nd level user support person (otherwise called "the analyst"), is responsible to follow users' problems, escalated by the computing helpdesk, until they reach a satisfactory solution.

This includes web browsing, editing, publishing and programming (cgi, javascript, java, ASP, VB, VBScript, etc) tools available to users through the selected set of CERN supported user interfaces. More specifically:

• Grant extra quota for users.
• Grant or manipulate permissions to the web sites hosted on NICE, AFS or Central Web Servers.
• Recover lost bookmarks and favorites from backup tapes.
• Restore broken links or notify to the web site's author.
• Recover a web page or a entire web site from backup tapes.
• Manage the user's web site (delete site, create alias etc).
• Help users with problems like:
  • using and configuring Mozilla under Linux.
  • using and configuring Internet Explorer under Windows 2000.
  • creating, deleting, modifying web pages/sites stored in home directories (Linux or Windows) or in the Central Web servers.
  • authoring  web pages.
  • publishing web pages.
  • editing web pages using Frontpage or Dreamweaver.
  • making suggestions to the users.

Task description

• Investigation and resolution of user problems, excluding from the simple cases and compiled Questions and Answers that should be solved by the helpdesk. This could require occasionally going to the users' desktop, or using remote diagnostic tools when available.
• The analyst will get in touch directly with the user whenever (s)he needs additional details about a case.
• Communication with the users and with the other support levels is done using the CERN Problem Reporting system, called CPRMS and based on the Remedy/ARS system.
• Write documentation of known problems and their solutions (in Q&A form)
• follow-up of user 'problems' detected via server-side monitoring and simple interventions to fix them. Analysts are given some privileges by the services to perform trivial operations on users' data.
• The analysts participate in the testing phases of products before release in production
• They have to use tools and documentation offered by the US and IS groups that help isolate and understand the users' problems.
• It's the analysts' task to keep the QA database up to date (by adding, deleting or editing Questions and Answers).
• Procedures and deadlines for reminders to other support levels, i.e. the helpdesk (1st) and the service specialists (3rd) are defined in the IT Service Level Agreement (SLA), e.g cases which can easily be answered looking at the QA DataBase, if escalated to the 2nd level, will be sent by the analyst back to the helpdesk
• The analysts should participate in the weekly meeting (1hour) organised by US group, where problems and workplan for the week are agreed.
• Analysts work in a shift (alias 'rota') system agreed in their weekly meeting, mentioned above . A handbook contains instructions to peer analysts, for backup purposes. Analysts on shift should participate in IS group's problem review meeting.
• It's the analysts' task to keep the above mentioned handbook up-to-date.

Operational logistics

Problems escalated to the 2nd level should be treated within HALF A WORKING DAY, i.e.

• a notification should be sent to the user that work started on the case
• escalation to the 3rd level, if needed
• if unclear, the problem should be put "on Hold" for "Requestor Information".

For the rest of the problem's life the SLA deadlines apply for reminders at regular time intervals.

Volume figures

• interventions/week: Average:15, peak:20, low:10
• time spent per intervention on average: 0.4 hour or discretional as is appropriate.
• The service covers user request resolution at a desk as well as field intervention; both tasks will have to be load-balanced according to user requests.

Qualification required

• good technical engineer Experience/Knowledge required
• competent user of both Windows, Linux and other Unix flavours.
• advanced user of one or other, able to configure applications to local environment
• good analysis skills to isolate problems in a complex environment
• good knowledge of English (mandatory) and French (desirable)
• good communication skills are extremely important.
• ability to work in an international team environment.

Related documentation

1. Service Level Agreement protocol between User Support and divisional services
2. Web Support (2nd level) description