WCPS Acceptable Use Policy
Companies utilize AUPs or Acceptable Use Policies to clearly define what is or is not acceptable for users to do while utilizing their network. These policies are put in place to help mitigate risks to the organizations infrastructure, and equipment.
A school system usually has many restrictions put in place for the protection of it's organization, but also for the protection of its students.
The AUP for Washington County Public Schools has several actions that are not allowed:
1. Can't use the system for commercial purposes. This means purchasing items from amazon or ebay for personal use, this also applies to services that would be personally used.
2. Users can't employ the system for lobbying or other political activities. This means the system can't be used to rally behind a cause or candidate.
3. User's aren't permitted to post any personal information to any website.
4. No harassment of other individuals.
5. No P2P connections, or downloading of unapproved content.
The WCPS aside from these things seem to allow the use of the systems for anything pertaining to furthering the education of their students. The rest of the rules implemented closely match those in the AUP for the university of Oregon. The WCPS AUP seems more locked down simply for the fact that it's dealing with allowing minors to access their system and they don't want to risk exposing them to anything unnecessarily.
One area that is interesting to note is that Oregon allows the use of the school network for personal use as long as it does not interfere with the operation of the university. The WCPS AUP specifically prohibits the use of the network and equipment for anything personal. Users at WCPS aren't permitted to check personal email, social websites, or even news sites that don't pertain to an educational objective.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Activity 8-1
Kindle Fire vs. iPad Mini
1. Which criteria are used to compare the products?
This website uses many different criteria to compare the products, the criteria include: price, screen size, resolution, pixels, pixel density, wi-fi capability, processor, device storage, sensors, HD camera, content, interoperability, social apps, email support, web browser, x-ray for movies, Kindle Free Time, Kindle Owners' Lending Library.
2. What additional criteria could have been used?
Some of the additional criteria that could have been used is the cellular data, battery life, power consumption, and warranty information.
3. Describe the evaluation method used to do the product comparisons.
The evaluation method used in the product comparison is a side by side, component to component evaluation. It is a very basic comparison with just the features and abilities of each device.
4. Did the method(s) produce an objective or subjective result?
The most important thing to notice about this product comparison is that it's performed by Amazon, i.e. the people wanting you to buy a Kindle. The result is a very subjective product comparison. The comparison examines many of the features exclusive to the Kindle but doesn't show any of the features exclusive to the iPad mini.
5. Do you agree with the results? Why or Why not?
The results of this product comparison are honestly subject to personal preference and what you are utilizing the device for. This comparison shows that the Kindle is the better buy. That may in fact be the case for certain individuals. However, personally I find the inter-connectivity of Apple devices, along with their capabilities to be superior to the Kindle. The Kindle has very limited options as far as increasing the size of the memory, cellular data, and they offer fewer apps than Apple. That being said, another user who doesn't have a need for cellular data, or doesn't own additional Apple devices may find the iPad unnecessarily higher in cost, and favor the Kindle Fire HD.
1. Which criteria are used to compare the products?
This website uses many different criteria to compare the products, the criteria include: price, screen size, resolution, pixels, pixel density, wi-fi capability, processor, device storage, sensors, HD camera, content, interoperability, social apps, email support, web browser, x-ray for movies, Kindle Free Time, Kindle Owners' Lending Library.
2. What additional criteria could have been used?
Some of the additional criteria that could have been used is the cellular data, battery life, power consumption, and warranty information.
3. Describe the evaluation method used to do the product comparisons.
The evaluation method used in the product comparison is a side by side, component to component evaluation. It is a very basic comparison with just the features and abilities of each device.
4. Did the method(s) produce an objective or subjective result?
The most important thing to notice about this product comparison is that it's performed by Amazon, i.e. the people wanting you to buy a Kindle. The result is a very subjective product comparison. The comparison examines many of the features exclusive to the Kindle but doesn't show any of the features exclusive to the iPad mini.
5. Do you agree with the results? Why or Why not?
The results of this product comparison are honestly subject to personal preference and what you are utilizing the device for. This comparison shows that the Kindle is the better buy. That may in fact be the case for certain individuals. However, personally I find the inter-connectivity of Apple devices, along with their capabilities to be superior to the Kindle. The Kindle has very limited options as far as increasing the size of the memory, cellular data, and they offer fewer apps than Apple. That being said, another user who doesn't have a need for cellular data, or doesn't own additional Apple devices may find the iPad unnecessarily higher in cost, and favor the Kindle Fire HD.
Activity 7-9
For this assignment I created a survey sent in regards to the following scenario:
Monday morning at 9:00 am you came into work and sat down at your computer. You logged in and found that, while one of your monitors was functioning, the other would not power on. You can complete your job duties with a single monitor, however it makes things more difficult. You immediately place a call to the help desk where you explain the problem to a representative. They determine that the problem cannot be fixed via troubleshooting on the phone and they inform you they will have to create a ticket in the queue for the on-site technician. They inform you the technician will contact you shortly to help resolve the issue. At 9:15 am, Matt the on-site technician stops by your desk and attempts to troubleshoot the faulty monitor after ten minutes he determines the monitor has died and needs to be replaced. He informs you he has to go back to his office to get a replacement monitor and will return to set it up as soon as possible. At 9:40 am Matt returns with the replacement monitor. He removes the old monitor and cables and replaces them with new monitors and cables. Matt verifies that the display settings are correctly configured and that it works to your satisfaction before leaving. After he's gone you realize that everything is working great, however, Matt failed to complete the wire maintenance and you have two messy wires hanging beneath your desk.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCDN6P5
The survey asked several questions:
1. How well did the technical support representatives at City IT listen to you?
2. How quickly did the technical support representative at City IT help you?
3. Was your experience with technical support at City IT better than you expected it to be, worse than you expected it to be, or about what you expected it to be?
4. How well do the technical support representatives at City IT solve your problems?
5. What could the technical support staff at City IT do to improve your experience?
6. What was the reason for your most recent call to the support desk?
7. Any additional comments?
The responses to the survey are now in and the results are rather interesting. Everyone in the group said that City's IT representatives listen very well. In regards to the speed at which the problem was handled, one person felt it was extremely quick, two people felt it was very quick, and one person felt it was only moderately quick. With this result I think the City IT department may need to look at the expectations of their customers as to what an acceptable response time would be. In response to the question about how the experience was the majority of people said that it only slightly better or what they expected. This means that the IT department needs to examine what it can do to exceed the expectations of their customers. When asked how well did the representative solve your problem everyone answered moderately well to extremely well. This means that while the problem was solved there could have been more done. When asked what the representative could have done to improve the experience most said he needed to finish the cable management. As an organization it's important to make sure the representatives are going the extra mile to finish the job correctly.
This survey would be extremely helpful in gathering insight in what to do to improve the customer opinion of the City IT department. In this situation we see that the company is meeting expectations however, they are not exceeding them.
Monday morning at 9:00 am you came into work and sat down at your computer. You logged in and found that, while one of your monitors was functioning, the other would not power on. You can complete your job duties with a single monitor, however it makes things more difficult. You immediately place a call to the help desk where you explain the problem to a representative. They determine that the problem cannot be fixed via troubleshooting on the phone and they inform you they will have to create a ticket in the queue for the on-site technician. They inform you the technician will contact you shortly to help resolve the issue. At 9:15 am, Matt the on-site technician stops by your desk and attempts to troubleshoot the faulty monitor after ten minutes he determines the monitor has died and needs to be replaced. He informs you he has to go back to his office to get a replacement monitor and will return to set it up as soon as possible. At 9:40 am Matt returns with the replacement monitor. He removes the old monitor and cables and replaces them with new monitors and cables. Matt verifies that the display settings are correctly configured and that it works to your satisfaction before leaving. After he's gone you realize that everything is working great, however, Matt failed to complete the wire maintenance and you have two messy wires hanging beneath your desk.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCDN6P5
The survey asked several questions:
1. How well did the technical support representatives at City IT listen to you?
2. How quickly did the technical support representative at City IT help you?
3. Was your experience with technical support at City IT better than you expected it to be, worse than you expected it to be, or about what you expected it to be?
4. How well do the technical support representatives at City IT solve your problems?
5. What could the technical support staff at City IT do to improve your experience?
6. What was the reason for your most recent call to the support desk?
7. Any additional comments?
The responses to the survey are now in and the results are rather interesting. Everyone in the group said that City's IT representatives listen very well. In regards to the speed at which the problem was handled, one person felt it was extremely quick, two people felt it was very quick, and one person felt it was only moderately quick. With this result I think the City IT department may need to look at the expectations of their customers as to what an acceptable response time would be. In response to the question about how the experience was the majority of people said that it only slightly better or what they expected. This means that the IT department needs to examine what it can do to exceed the expectations of their customers. When asked how well did the representative solve your problem everyone answered moderately well to extremely well. This means that while the problem was solved there could have been more done. When asked what the representative could have done to improve the experience most said he needed to finish the cable management. As an organization it's important to make sure the representatives are going the extra mile to finish the job correctly.
This survey would be extremely helpful in gathering insight in what to do to improve the customer opinion of the City IT department. In this situation we see that the company is meeting expectations however, they are not exceeding them.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Activity 7-3
Over the course of my time employed in the information technology field I have developed many valuable skills and abilities. From my first job in the information technology field I was able to utilize my customer service and management experience to successfully manage and maintain the day to day operation for a small information technology business. During my time there I was also able to develop skills in technical troubleshooting, hardware and software installation, and basic computer maintenance. I was able to use my occupation to gather hands on experience with home users and small business owners in an technical support role. This career then afforded me the opportunity to take the skills I learned and apply them to several other information technology companies. I currently work as a technician in a medical facility where I am able to utilize all the skills I have gathered on a daily basis. Despite my current occupation I wished to further enhance my knowledge and abilities in the information technology field with an end goal of becoming a network administrator in a medical facility. In order to accomplish this goal there are several steps I am in the process of completing. My growth plan consists of the following goals:
- Completion of my Bachelor's Degree in Network Administration
- Completion of my Associates Degree Networking Technology
- Completion of my A+ Certification
- Completion of my CompTIA Security+ Certification
- Completion of my C+ Certification
- Completion of Cisco Certifications
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Ch5 DQ: 7
A manager commented at a support staff meeting, "What you know about how to solve computer problems is less important than the skills you have to locate information." Do you agree or disagree?
This is one of those broad statements that tends to draw a line right down the center of two opposing views. As someone who was mostly self-taught in the information technology field I would tend to agree with this opinion on a very basic level. The idea that being that with the abundance of information at our fingertips now, the majority of problems we face in the support field have answers published somewhere. I feel that in the course of troubleshooting if I can't figure it out on my own in a timely fashion it's equally as important for me to know where to go to find the solution to the problem. With that in mind knowing where to look for an answer and knowing how to fix something are two entirely different things.
The problem with the manager's statement is that it minimizes the importance of education, skills and experience necessary to work in the technical support field. The manager is essentially telling his team that a group of skilled researchers could come in and do just as good, if not better, work than a team of skilled technicians. I don't agree with this. I think practical knowledge of troubleshooting, and knowledge of where to seek information from go hand in hand. As I said before I am mostly self taught in the technical support field and I have become a skilled technician based on my ability to go and seek out answers and information. That being said my skills in locating information are the same now as the day I began and I would say the skills I have picked up in technical support or troubleshooting have made me a much stronger technician. I would say that my skills in solving computer problems are vastly more important than my ability to locate information. When I apply for a job they don't ask me if I am certified in locating information, even though it's a part of my job, I'm expected first and foremost to have the skills necessary to solve computer problems. It's important to realize that, as I said before, the two things go hand in hand. Knowing how to fix the problem is the best, but if you don't know how, the next best thing is being able to know how to find out. I would trade my troubleshooting experience and education for all the research skills in the world because in this field one without the other is worthless.
This is one of those broad statements that tends to draw a line right down the center of two opposing views. As someone who was mostly self-taught in the information technology field I would tend to agree with this opinion on a very basic level. The idea that being that with the abundance of information at our fingertips now, the majority of problems we face in the support field have answers published somewhere. I feel that in the course of troubleshooting if I can't figure it out on my own in a timely fashion it's equally as important for me to know where to go to find the solution to the problem. With that in mind knowing where to look for an answer and knowing how to fix something are two entirely different things.
The problem with the manager's statement is that it minimizes the importance of education, skills and experience necessary to work in the technical support field. The manager is essentially telling his team that a group of skilled researchers could come in and do just as good, if not better, work than a team of skilled technicians. I don't agree with this. I think practical knowledge of troubleshooting, and knowledge of where to seek information from go hand in hand. As I said before I am mostly self taught in the technical support field and I have become a skilled technician based on my ability to go and seek out answers and information. That being said my skills in locating information are the same now as the day I began and I would say the skills I have picked up in technical support or troubleshooting have made me a much stronger technician. I would say that my skills in solving computer problems are vastly more important than my ability to locate information. When I apply for a job they don't ask me if I am certified in locating information, even though it's a part of my job, I'm expected first and foremost to have the skills necessary to solve computer problems. It's important to realize that, as I said before, the two things go hand in hand. Knowing how to fix the problem is the best, but if you don't know how, the next best thing is being able to know how to find out. I would trade my troubleshooting experience and education for all the research skills in the world because in this field one without the other is worthless.
Case Study 5: OEM vs Refilled Cartridges
What are the relative costs of OEM versus refilled cartridges for a typical printer?
When discussing parts it's important to remember that OEM parts are always going to be more expensive. We currently utilize the HP 4014n series printers in most of our departments. New OEM cartridges on average cost about $150.00, occasionally they will cost a little more or less depending on who we purchase them from. A refilled or generic cartridge can normally be purchased for less than $100.00. With the amount of printing we generally do these savings can add up greatly over time
What factors other than cost should be considered in making a decision about OEM versus refilled cartridges? What are the pros and cons in this decision?
It is important to remember that the OEM cartridges are manufactured specifically for optimal use in their designated printers and the refilled or generic cartridges can come with some risks as they are not the exact product intended to work with that specific unit. One of the biggest factors when dealing with refilled cartridges is the quality of the ink and the lifespan of the cartridge that is being refilled. If the ink is of lower quality the internal components of the printer run the risk of being damaged. Rollers and fusers can become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are unable to be used or repaired. It can also cause the printouts to be illegible or easily smeared. Another factor to consider is that many refilled units tend to leak due to the way they must be refilled, and they usually do not carry any performance guarantee.
When discussing parts it's important to remember that OEM parts are always going to be more expensive. We currently utilize the HP 4014n series printers in most of our departments. New OEM cartridges on average cost about $150.00, occasionally they will cost a little more or less depending on who we purchase them from. A refilled or generic cartridge can normally be purchased for less than $100.00. With the amount of printing we generally do these savings can add up greatly over time
What factors other than cost should be considered in making a decision about OEM versus refilled cartridges? What are the pros and cons in this decision?
It is important to remember that the OEM cartridges are manufactured specifically for optimal use in their designated printers and the refilled or generic cartridges can come with some risks as they are not the exact product intended to work with that specific unit. One of the biggest factors when dealing with refilled cartridges is the quality of the ink and the lifespan of the cartridge that is being refilled. If the ink is of lower quality the internal components of the printer run the risk of being damaged. Rollers and fusers can become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are unable to be used or repaired. It can also cause the printouts to be illegible or easily smeared. Another factor to consider is that many refilled units tend to leak due to the way they must be refilled, and they usually do not carry any performance guarantee.
OEM Pros
Quality of ink tends to be higher
Comes with a service guarantee
Intended specifically for use in your machine
Has new, clean components that makeup the cartridge
Quality of prints tends to be higher
OEM Cons
More expensive
Refillable Pros
Relatively inexpensive
Comparable quality to OEM cartridges
Environmentally friendly
Refillable Cons
Usually do not have a service guarantee
Ink tends to leak
Potential damage can be caused to the printer
Do some printer manufacturers discourage printer users from purchasing refilled cartridges? How?
Most printer manufacturers discourage the use of refilled cartridges. HP, Cannon, and Lexmark all do not recognize refilled cartridges. The microchip sensors that communicates the ink levels with the printer are unable to be reset once the cartridge has been expended the first time these leads to the printer not recognizing the cartridge as full and constantly giving errors warning the ink is low. Most manufacturers also state that the use of refilled cartridges void the manufacturers warranty of the printer due to the potential harm than can come to the printers internal components by using lower quality ink.
How might the purchase and use of refilled printer cartridges impact the work of the support team? Are users in book production likely to experience increased problems with refilled cartridges that will result in more incidents for the user support team?
Refilled printer cartridges have the ability to create many potential problems. Ink spillage in the printer or lower quality ink on the internal components can cause the rollers and fusers to become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are no long able to be used. The holes put into the cartridge to refill it can lead to plastic pieces in the ink that can damage the cartridge and the printer. The bottom line here is that OEM cartridges are safer and come with fewer potential problems. When problems do occur they can usually be fixed by the support team quickly or they are covered under the manufacturers warranty. By using refilled cartridges the problems become more complex, time consuming, and generally won't be solved by the manufacturer.
Users in book production are likely to experience problems with cartridges that are refilled due to the quality of the ink and the cartridge in tandem with the amount of printing taking place. To cut down the potential for incidents that require the user support teams attention it would be in the best interest to continue using OEM cartridges.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Ch3-Compliant Script
Ergotronics is a company that specializes in ergonomic electronic devices such as keyboards and mice. The company offers a wide range of products tailored for comfort and functionality. One of the latest products offered is the K3210. The K3210 is a wireless, ergonomic "wave" keyboard with padded wrist rest, and quick launch buttons for the most common tasks. The K3210 has been in production for just over six months. The mouse uses a USB dongle to communicate wirelessly with the computer. The keyboard is powered by four AA batteries. Ergotronics has recently started to receive many complaints about the K3210. The engineers have requested we develop a script for generating answers about the issues with the product. Below is the script that Ergotronics is going to put into effect.
Hello, thank you for calling Ergotronics. My name is (insert your name). May I have you name please?
And may I have a telephone number in case we get disconnected?
Thank you for that information. How may we assist you today?
May I have the model of the product? The model number should be listed on the back side of the keyboard just below the battery compartment. The model number will begin with a K or KB.
Very good, thank you. I'm sorry that you are experiencing problems with your keyboard. When did you first start to experience the issue?
Is the issue happening intermittently or constantly?
When you look at the keyboard, on the right side there is a battery power indicator. Is indicator showing any light?
Have you attempted to replace the batteries?
If "no": I would recommend first attempting to replace the batteries as insufficient power could be causing the issue.
Have you connected the wireless USB dongle to one of the USB ports on your computer?
If "no": Please locate and connect the dongle to ensure a connection between the computer and the keyboard.
If "yes": Have you attempted to use an alternate USB port?
Are you experiencing issues with all the keys not functioning or only the quick launch keys?
If you go to the lower right corner of your screen you should see a KB logo in your quick launch bar. You may need to first click the upward facing arrow to display your quick launch icons. Once you've found the KB logo please right click and select 'Check for Driver Updates'.
Once the driver update is complete: Are you still experiencing issues with your keyboard?
If "no": Thank you for calling Ergotronics. We appreciate your business. If you have any further issues please don't hesitate to contact us again. Thank you, have a nice day.
If "yes": "Would you be able to hold for one moment while I transfer you to another representative who will be able to further assist you in resolving the issue? Thank you.
Hello, thank you for calling Ergotronics. My name is (insert your name). May I have you name please?
And may I have a telephone number in case we get disconnected?
Thank you for that information. How may we assist you today?
May I have the model of the product? The model number should be listed on the back side of the keyboard just below the battery compartment. The model number will begin with a K or KB.
Very good, thank you. I'm sorry that you are experiencing problems with your keyboard. When did you first start to experience the issue?
Is the issue happening intermittently or constantly?
When you look at the keyboard, on the right side there is a battery power indicator. Is indicator showing any light?
Have you attempted to replace the batteries?
If "no": I would recommend first attempting to replace the batteries as insufficient power could be causing the issue.
Have you connected the wireless USB dongle to one of the USB ports on your computer?
If "no": Please locate and connect the dongle to ensure a connection between the computer and the keyboard.
If "yes": Have you attempted to use an alternate USB port?
Are you experiencing issues with all the keys not functioning or only the quick launch keys?
If you go to the lower right corner of your screen you should see a KB logo in your quick launch bar. You may need to first click the upward facing arrow to display your quick launch icons. Once you've found the KB logo please right click and select 'Check for Driver Updates'.
Once the driver update is complete: Are you still experiencing issues with your keyboard?
If "no": Thank you for calling Ergotronics. We appreciate your business. If you have any further issues please don't hesitate to contact us again. Thank you, have a nice day.
If "yes": "Would you be able to hold for one moment while I transfer you to another representative who will be able to further assist you in resolving the issue? Thank you.
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