10 user complaints about IT support

Source:Tech Republic
Apr 25 12:21 PM

Being a support pro can entail a fairly high level of aggravation, some (maybe a lot) of which can be laid at the doorstep of the very customer you serve: the end user. But IT pro Becky Roberts advocates taking a step back occasionally and considering the situation from the user's perspective.

The issue of complaints and their resolution is a perennially hot topic in the virtual world of TechRepublic, with views expressed about the peeves of an IT manager and a support tech and complaints about CIOs. But nowhere in all these discussions have the most important people in our universe--our users--been given a voice.

In an attempt to redress this imbalance and put our own complaints in perspective, I took the liberty of asking my users to provide me with their complaints about us, the IT professionals. So here, in no particular order, are my users' grievances, together with a few thoughts about how they might be addressed and/or how they could have been avoided.

#1: Applications and hardware that don't work
#2: Inconsistency of WiFi configurations
#3: Slow computer/network
#4: Frequently required password changes
#5: Not being administrators of their machines
#6: Spam filtering
#7: Restricted Web access
#8: Not being allowed to use company computers for personal use
#9: Unresponsiveness of the IT department
#10: Arrogance of the IT department

RDP falls short for over the web pc remote control accses

PC Remote Control on the Web

supports system more effectively and efficiently can simply be achieved using pc remote control on the web. The end user and computer desktop could be located anywhere in the world and by simply access the computer with pc remote control software can give a support engineer quick access to resolve the problem saving lengthy traveling time or frustrating telephone calls trying to talk an average user though screens and command to diagnose. Although Microsoft's rdp is a valuable tool for computer remote control, it has it's limitations when used over the web.

PC Remote Control over the Web

RDP is a valuable tool for supporting computer systems and is best used on the lcoal area network or a closed corporate or enterprise wide area network. It's limitation over the web stems from the need to establish an inbount session to the remote desktop requires modifications to the router or firewall at the far end prior to attempting to connect. PC remote control over the web can be achieved without limitation by using support tools that download to the remote computer by the end users initiation then the software is configured, or obtains its configuration, to connect outbound from the remote network to the support technician.

Remote PC Control over the Web

Remote pc control on the web is prevelent in almost every company. There a various uses of remote pc control through the internet. One of the uses that are most prevelent is where a computer user is at another office or location and accesses their desktop system at the office to work as if they were sitting right in front of it. This allows for a mobile work force and in many cases a dispersed work force as this permits employees to work from home during inclement wheather of even as some employers do hire marketing, temp, or part-time eployees and rather than using valuable office space for them they just set them up with internet access and a pc to control remotely to work on. Another reason for or use of pc remote control over the web is for supporting users quickly. Remote control tools have always been in use by support people looking to assist users without having to go to the location the computer desktop user is residing or working from. Some of the most common software packages,like symantec pc anywhere or carbon copy, have been in use since before the internet and consisted of dial-up. With the emmergence of the internet as the largest netowrk in the world, the reach and speed of remote support sessions has surpassed all expectations that were previous ly thought. The dial-up barrier has been broken long aago and more tools are available for assisting remote computer users with speed and efficiency to match.

EMC Takes VTLs Down Market

Source:Enterprise IT Planet

April 19, 2006

EMC on Monday announced a number of changes to its virtual tape library (VTL) product lineup.
The changes to the Clariion Disk Library family include a new entry-level Clariion DL210 model for mid-size enterprises and branch offices, and for the whole line, virtual tape "shredding" capability for deleting data to meet business and regulatory demands.
EMC is also integrating its NetWorker 7.3 backup and recovery software with the Clariion Disk Library line for better media management capabilities. The Hopkinton, Mass.-based storage giant also announced support for the IBM System i (formerly iSeries) platform, and command line interface (CLI) support.
The Clariion DL210 uses 500GB Serial ATA (SATA) disk drives and can scale from four to 24 terabytes of capacity. The appliance enables disk-based backup and restore without requiring customers to change their current operations or backup infrastructures by emulating open systems tape libraries, drives and media. It offers remote replication capabilities and up to 3:1 compression.

Instant Virtual Extranet v2

Instant Virtual Extranet v2

Plug-in Network Appliances Enable Secure Remote Access By Browser

The Instant Virtual Extranet (IVE) appliances, the flagship product line from Neoteris, Inc., are plug-in devices for network administrators that enable secure remote access to corporate network resources for employees or business partners. The appliances themselves are installed onsite, on the organization's LAN, and serve as somewhat of an access proxy; enabling remote users to access corporate servers and applications using only their Web browser as an interface. The remote users connect to the devices using their public Internet connection and existing Web browsers (no additional client software is required); and the device then communicates with the host servers or applications via its built-in support for multiple communication protocols.

Remote Support Software - PC Support Through the Web

A more dynamic approach

Today's computer support market demands faster technical support response times. With almost every aspect of individuals jobs centralized around computer use, downtime is a loss of productivity on every corporate level. There are multiple vendors providing solutions for remote support software service and software. Some with satic configuration and other with more flexible designs. With the many vendors comes numerous methods for providing online pc remote support software services. Many of which are web based and others that are standalone applications. Numerous vendors supply an ASP style approach which permits their customers to just log into their server, usually through a web browser interface. Then, their remote customers or end-users whom they are trying to support remotely in turn login as well using the same method. The remote user whom they are trying to assist by providing on-demand remote desktop support to also just login into the third party server - this in simple terms is the ASP model for online remote support software . The remote user then enters an email address or a special code on the site. Once that is successfully done, remote control software downloads to their system. Some remote technologies are built around java and other are executable files that require the user to click on run or open like a normal internet file download.

There are other remote control software vendors that require the purchase of server hardware that's to be installed and homed on their customer's own network giving them that extra feel of security. Since the equipment and software is on their premises in their own data center they always know who has access to the server gives them added protection. In addition, having the online 4RemoteSupport remote support software and server hardware located in their own office, allows them to meet certain standards imposed by regulatory bodies such as HIPPA in the medical community. Remote PC control on the web in the medical community and remote computer access in general is beginning to be more closely scrutinized and regulated.

Online pc remote support software

The third type of on-demand remote pc control support software packages would be the stand alone applications. These come in multiple flavors. One is a full blown application like the famous symantec software pc anywhere which I believe has been for many years one of the best remote desktop control products for the enterprise for decades. The other type is one which the technical person looking to provide support has a piece of software installed on their system and their remote computer user downloads an executable that's pre-programmed with networking information to get to the tech support person's network and computer. The two software pieces then connect up to each other providing the tech support personnel with remote control of the far-end computer on the web. Some of these ask fo addition security information and yet others do not. The drawback to this type of software is the fact that it's pre-programming is hard coded into the software. Usually the way to change it is to purchase another executable.

A more dynamic approach

 A more dynamic approach is to have the technician run a piece of software on their computer as before. It could even be a browser add-on like an active-x control. The remote computer side could still be required to download software in the form of a java applet or an executable but with both of these methods have the network information required to connect back to the support engineer allow for change. It either can download with updated information or can fetch the information required each time. By doing so the information is updated an not static. this permits for a more dynamic and cost effective approach that addresses changes in ISPs or change of locations.

The ultimate goal of remote control support of computers is to save time. In most cases, by saving time the cost of providing the service goes down. This tends to lead to more productivity from current staff thus decreasing the need to bring more technicians into the support group. With technology developing as fast as it does and just about all market segments moving and changing at speeds never before seen in the industrial history of the world the remote control approach lends to a faster more agile support work force.