Re: Software Support Contract Levels -- Which One?

[Marc Truitt <mtruitt at uh dot edu>]

Jason,

Would you mind summarizing all replies (on- and off-list) that you 
receive?  I for one would be very interested in hearing what you turn up.

many thanks,

- mt

--
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Marc Truitt
Assistant Dean for Systems                      Voice  : 713-743-8979
University of Houston Libraries                 e-mail : mtruitt at uh dot edu
114 University Libraries                        cell   : 713-443-6421
Houston, TX 77204-2000                          fax    : 713-743-9811

"I keep hearing you're concerned about my happiness
But all that thought you're giving me is conscience, I guess
If I were walking in your shoes I wouldn't worry none
While you and your friends are worrying 'bout me,
I'm having lots of fun..."
                               -- The Statler Brothers
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jvaughan at ccmail dot nevada dot edu wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> It's been interesting reading the recent thread on turnkey vs. software 
> only.  We moved from a turnkey (DEC Alpha) to software site (Sun V880, 
> sourced from Innovative) back in May, 2002.  In spring of next year, our 
> initial maintenance terms will expire, and we will need to decide which 
> maintenance contract we'd like to renew under.  We will work with Sun to 
> secure the hardware (and operating system [O/S]) support, and Innovative, 
> of course, for the Innovative software support.  However, we have the 
> choice, at cost, of continuing to have Innovative staff maintain the O/S. 
> So, my question here is not turnkey versus software only support, but 
> rather, what level of "software only" support to choose.   I'd be 
> interested in hearing from other software sites that have faced this 
> choice, and if they had any regrets in not continuing to have O/S support 
> directly through Innovative.  Some considerations for our local 
> environment:
>
> -- We have a couple of strong, technically skilled library staff that can 
> support the Sun O/S; they do so already on half a dozen other Sun boxes. 
> -- We are an Oracle site, which has proven "interesting" 
> -- We will be getting the Platinum support contract through Sun, which 
> includes 7/24 hardware and O/S support.  This is their highest level of 
> support.
>
> Specifically, I'm interested in any thoughts on the following:
>
> 1.  For those sites that are somewhat similar to ours, and have elected 
> the lowest software support contract through Innovative, what problems 
> have you experienced?  Fingerpointing in diagnosing a problem? 
> Difficulties in three-way communication (library --> hardware support 
> vendor --> Innovative)? 
> 2.  Even with the lowest software support contract, what are some O/S 
> related things that you still expected Innovative to address, that they 
> didn't?  Anything?
> 3.  For those electing to go with the lowest level of software support, 
> did Innovative provide any additional information on the processes, setup, 
> etc. related to the Innovative software, and how it interacts with the 
> operating system?  Were things ever confusing because you just weren't 
> sure how the Innopac software may have been using system resources or 
> otherwise interacting with the O/S?
> 4.  Is it generally "patch management" that Innovative expects sites to 
> do, in terms of library O/S management?
> 5.  Any regrets for choosing the lower level of software support? 
>
> Feel free to contact me off list if you wish (jvaughan at ccmail dot nevada dot edu).
>
> Thanks in advance for any feedback.
>
> Jason
> UNLV Libraries