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New Arrangements for Support of Perqs and Suns
P Kent
19 December 1985
Common Base Programme: PERQ User Note 1
INTRODUCTION
The arrangements for support of PERQs and SUNs will be changed from Monday January 6th in order to try and improve the service to users.
SERVICE Line
Instead of phoning the SUPPORT office direct, users should phone the SERVICE line on 0235-44-6389. The SERVICE Line will be open for calls during normal working hours, ie 08.30 - 17.00 Monday to Thursday and 08.30 - 16.00 on Fridays. The answerphone will only be used as an emergency measure during periods of staff shortages.
SUPPORT OFFICE
If SERVICE line cannot handle the problem themselves they will log your call and transfer the call to the SUPPORT office. The SUPPORT office will be guaranteed to be open for three hours a day, 09.00 - 10.00, 11.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 15.00. Outside these times SERVICE line can take a message for the SUPPORT office.
Hardware Faults
- PERQ: If SERVICE line believes that the problem is due to faulty hardware they will make a note of the machine number, location and name of person to be contacted and telephone the ICL engineers direct.
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SUN: Hardware faults on SUNs will be handled by SUN UK. You should telephone the SUN engineer on 0990-23300, extension 340. This extension will normally be answered by Julie Bryant who will ask you for the following information:-
Customer name (SERC) Contact name (person who will be there when the engineer calls) Machine Type (eg SUN2/120) Serial Number of the System (on a plate on the processor cabinet) Type of Contract (on site hardware) Problem to be reported.
In the log book for your SUN you should log the time and date when you report the fault, a description of the fault, and the time and date when it is corrected. A list of the previous months faults should be sent to Fran Childs. R32, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton. Didcot. Oxon at the end of each month. Please send a report even if there have been no faults.
Although SUN will handle hardware faults themselves, you should still call the SERVICE Line if you are unsure if it is a hardware or software fault or if SUN have not fixed the fault within 48 hours of your call.
Software Faults
Software problems on both PERQ and SUN computers will be handled by the Single User Systems Support staff. If they are not able to solve the problem themselves they will pass the problem onto other specialist sections in Informatics Division. The SUPPORT office will however be responsible for monitoring progress on these problems.
Electronic Mail
Whenever possible users should pass software problems to the SUPPORT office via electronic mail to the mail address CBP@RL. It is far easier to pin down a problem if the actual input and output can be seen and checked on our machines.
User Notes
In future, two series of notes will be issued, PERQ User Notes and SUN User Notes. When a note is relevant to both machines (as in the case of this note) the same note will appear in both series. Periodically a note will be issued giving an index of the previous still relevant notes.
Purchase of Equipment
- PERQs: PERQs will continue to be ordered by RAL through Harwell Contracts. The SUPPORT Office will therefore be able to check expected delivery times of new machines.
- SUNs: In future, SUNs will probably be ordered by Central Office, Swindon. In which case any queries regarding delivery of SUN equipment should be directed to Jack Sawyer, telephone:0793-26222, extension 2146.
Summary
- SERVICE Line Opening hours:-
- 08:30 - 17:00 Monday - Thursday
- 08:30 - 16:00 Friday
- SUPPORT Office opening hours
- 09:00 - 10.00
- 11:00 - 12.00
- 14.00 - 15.00
- SERVICE Line
- Telephone Number: 0235-44-6389
- Central Office contact
- Jack Sawyer, telephone 0793-26222 Extension 2146
- SUPPORT electronic mail address:-
- CBP@RL