Please note: This message was sent to DDS customers on August 13, 2020.
With the start of the fall semester almost upon us, Dedicated Desktop Support (DDS) has taken steps to prepare our service appropriately. In the spring, adjustments were made to the service to ensure our customers and service providers were following proper COVID-19 guidelines and the direction of our campus leadership. Throughout the summer, we have continued to work diligently to provide features that will enable us to continue to maintain a high level of service while adhering to a landscape of changing variables.
The majority of our daily support is now successfully being provided using remote support tools, and we plan to continue this method into the fall. Many software applications can be installed by using the self-service portals now available for Mac and Windows. Starting Friday, August 14, all customer computers will receive a desktop shortcut to the self-service portal. This allows most of our customers to install and upgrade software on their own. For software not available in our portal, DDS will assist with installation as we have in the past. For issues that can only be solved in-person, we now have a set of satellite meeting spaces on East campus in the Marine Street Science Center. Because many of our customers are working remotely, we will invite you to meet us in our satellite location if an in-person support call is required. This approach will reduce congestion on campus and make it easier for everyone to follow social distancing guidelines. While socially-distanced meeting locations will exist on main campus, we will prefer the use of our East campus location when possible.
For new computer deployments, we will continue to pick-up equipment from the distribution center and prepare it for our customers following proper guidelines in an effort to minimize in-person interactions. We are also working on a way to deploy new computers that we hope will be ready in mid-fall. This improvement will allow our customers to receive their new computers directly from Apple and Dell, unbox them and login using their IdentiKey. The process will guide our customers through initial setup and configuration, then install standard software automatically. A follow-up appointment via Teams and Zoom can be scheduled to facilitate any additional customer requirements.
DDS is also encouraging customers to utilize and migrate data to Microsoft OneDrive. This summer, DDS has been working with many customers to shift their home directories from the on-campus file storage solution to OneDrive. OneDrive gives the customer more flexibility in collaboration with peers, provides easier access to files from multiple devices, doesn’t require use of the campus VPN, and automatically protects user data from ransomware attacks. This also aids new computer deployments as data is synced automatically and instantaneously.
The DDS Support Portal continues to be the best way to contact us and request our services. We look forward to supporting you throughout the upcoming semester.
Sincerely,
Your DDS Team
