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Systems Engineering - External Linux Support Changes

Linux Pricing Changes

ServicesCurrent Pricing (OIT Supported)Post-migration Pricing through June 30, 2024 (Supported by Crafty Penguins)Pricing from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 (Supported by Crafty Penguins)Pricing after July 1, 2025 (Supported by Crafty Penguins)
Proactive Support for Virtual Systems (Normal monthly maintenance such as OS Patching, break-fix, monitoring, and alerting)$30 / month$0 / month (OIT covering cost)$0 / month (OIT covering cost)$190 / month
Proactive Support for Physical Systems (Normal monthly maintenance such as OS Patching, break-fix, monitoring, and alerting)$229 / month$0 / month (OIT covering cost)$0 / month (OIT covering cost)$190 / month
Reactive Support for Virtual & Physical Systems (Software installations, configuring new web servers, software upgrades, and system modifications at your request)No additional charge$0 / month (OIT covering cost)$150 / hour (15 minute increments)$150 / hour (15 minute increments)
24/7 support for Virtual & Physical Systems$20 / monthAdditional $115 / monthAdditional $115 / monthAdditional $115 / month
Emergency or outside of business hours rate for Virtual & Physical Systems$20 / month$300 / hour$300 / hour$300 / hour

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is OIT discontinuing external Linux support?

For many years OIT has been absorbing most of the cost of providing this service, but we no longer have the resources or budget to continue providing this service.

What do I need to do between now and June 30th, 2024?

OIT will begin meeting will customers to ascertain the services being run on their servers in an effort to discover whether some or all of those services can be moved to a different platform.

 What is the service provided between February 1 - June 30, 2024?
  • A Linux consulting company will manage your server(s).
  • OIT will provide a business analyst who will work with you to determine a new path forward for your impacted system(s).
  • Before June 30, 2024 OIT will work with customers to set up a direct relationship with the company managing the servers.
  • Please continue to email trouble@colorado.edu or oithelp@colorado.edu for support.  Requests for server support will be processed by the OIT Systems Engineering team and shared with the Linux consulting company who will perform the work.
  • Cost: 
    • You are responsible for the monthly virtual server resources (CPU, memory, storage) if using the OIT Private Cloud Service.
    • OIT will fund proactive and reactive server support costs provided by the Linux consulting company.
What is the service provided between July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025?
  • Customers will contact the Linux consulting company directly.
  • Cost:
    • You are responsible for the monthly virtual server resources (CPU, memory, storage) if using the OIT Private Cloud Service.
    • You are responsible for the reactive server support costs provided by the Linux consulting company.
    • OIT will fund proactive server support provided by the Linux consulting company.
       
What is the service provided after June 30th, 2025?
  • Customers will collaborate with the Linux consulting company directly for support of your server(s). 
  • Support costs will be charged directly to you from the Linux consulting company.
  • Cost:
    • You are responsible for the monthly virtual server resources (CPU, memory, storage) if using the OIT Private Cloud Service.
    • You are responsible for all proactive and reactive server support costs provided by the LInux consulting company.
       
What is the difference between proactive and reactive support?
  • Proactive: Operating System patching, monitoring, and alerting.
  • Reactive: Software installations, configuring new web servers, software upgrades, and system modifications at your request.
     
What is the emergency or out-of-business hours rate?

Twice the hourly rate, which at this time is $300/hour.

What is the charge for 24x7 support?

An additional $115/month.

What are we expected to do?

We are establishing a relationship with a third-party company, Crafty Penguins (CP), to support these systems. OIT will cover the CP cost through June 30, 2024. Then will cover the cost for CP proactive support through June 30, 2025. It costs more than what OIT was charging. We'll see how this support works over the next few months. We have a project established to leverage a BA that will meet with the customers of these 61 systems to help them determine a path forward and support options.

Who will negotiate the contract for support in the future?

The long term plan is that OIT will maintain the contract for all customers and charge back customers for both proactive and reactive support.

What is the plan for transitioning the server to third party support?

There will be a collaboration between Crafty Penguins (the third party support company) and Systems Engineering to ensure the proper access is in place for management.

Are system upgrades proactive or reactive support?

System upgrades are charged for at the hourly rate, so could be considered reactive. However, system upgrades are necessary, both to adhere to our Secure Compute standard as well as to avoid running end-of-life operating systems. So they will be scheduled and will happen without necessarily being requested.

Can we retain local sudo and perform our own software installations or upgrades?

Yes. However, if through your use of sudo something breaks there will be the hourly charge to fix it.