Service Level Definition: Database Hosting

Description

The Database Hosting service provides College of Education units a place (a host server) on which to develop, store and serve databases to their students, staff or associates.

Information Technologies (IT) offers hosting services for two database products, Microsoft SQL Server and Filemaker Pro.

Examples of databases hosted on our servers include the backend database for the HRE Online program, the Instructional Programs Filemaker Pro degree tracking database, and the Educational Psychology MS Access budget database.

For more details on the service, see "what can I expect of this service" below, or see the Database Hosting Web Page.

Who can use this service?

Database Hosting is available to any College of Education Unit or affiliated unit at the discretion of the Chief Information Officer (CIO)
and Associate Dean for Online Learning.

How does one request this service?

To submit a request for database hosting, please contact User Services at 265-6053 between 8am and 4pm , M-F. If you prefer to leave them e-mail, please use their contact form.

What is expected of me and my unit?

Patrons must have a commitment from unit executive(s) to the relevant resources required to implement and support the database including possible fees and appropriate staffing for...

  • implementation planning and database management
  • database development if needed
  • documentation and support of end users of database

Unit will be asked to identify the following to facilitate communications regarding changes or disruptions to the service:

  • Name of patron contact(s)
  • Preference of contact method (email, phone, pager, etc.)

When appropriate, the patron may be expected to articulate a plan for developing and maintaining the database and supporting its intended audience to ensure that responsibilities of patron unit and CIO are clearly defined.

For direct service fees, see cost section, below.

What can I expect from this service?

IT offers consultation to assess your database needs and make recommendations. IT provides you with the server resources and access privileges to allow you to develop and deploy your database. IT administers, services, and backs up the database server and your database.

Administration of the host server environment may include the following:

  • Computing resources on an IT database server in a climate controlled environment with appropriate power management and network availability.
  • System Administration including disk and power management, network configuration, security
  • Database Administration including access privileges and backups

Problem response: Responses to problems, requests or feedback can be expected within 24 hours. Resolution is dependent upon type of request and our ability to respond to it.

  • In the event of an emergency, contact the User Services during business hours for appropriate routing.
  • Patrons or IT may request to have assigned a Service Manager to serve as a liaison.
  • Emergencies are service interruptions during an application's period of critical availability and will be addressed immediately.
Non emergencies will be addressed only as time permits.

What are the limits of the service?

This service does not include design, development, programming or end user support for the hosted database unless contracted for separately.

When will the hosting service be available for use?

The hosting service will remain available except during system or other dependency failures or when routine maintenance is required. Routine maintenance, including OS and environment updates and patches will be performed as needed during scheduled maintenance periods:

Maintenance periods: Daily 11pm-7am (negotiable)

Further, the patron will be asked to identify times of critical availability to help us make judgment calls regarding availability during crises.

How and when will patron be notified of changes or disruptions to this service?

How can I determine the status of issues the service?

Service interruptions and outages will be published to the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) web site under Service Alerts.

When possible, unit contact(s) will be notified 24 hours in advance of interruptions as arranged.

Service changes will be coordinated with contact.

What kind of assistance is available?

Consultation with patron on.

  • Needs assessment
  • Best practices for our environment

Training and support (patron only) for.

  • appropriate access to filespace
  • appropriate interoperability between server environment and patron's desktop tools

How do I get help?

Different members of IT are responsible for different elements of this service. To reach the appropriate member based on the type of need you have, please contact User Services at 244-6053. Feel free also to use the web form at http://education.illinois.edu/cio/userservices/form.html

Dependencies on other services

SQL Server (if applicable), IT

Filemaker Pro Server (if applicable), IT

Server and Network Infrastructure, IT/CITES

Cost

To Be Determined

Date created

Date created

Date reviewed

November 24, 2003