ITACS at the Naval Postgraduate School
Jose A. Delgado
Computer Science, Hartnell College, Salinas, CA 93908
Darnell Miles, Supervisor, Information Technology Assistance Center, NPS
Abstract
Introduction
This internship was supporting students, faculty, and
staff at the Information Technology Assistance
Center (ITACS) front desk at the Naval Postgraduate
School. The ITACS is managed with a ticketing
system keeping track of each person’s individual
case. The department works towards assisting and
resolving any technological problem. To assist
resolving clients’ issues the methods used stem from
using computer software, hardware, and the NPS
network. The ITACS department provides an “ehelp”
desk, walk-in, and on-call services with a 2- tier
system. If Tier 1 phone support and front desk help
have trouble with a case, the assigned ticket and
client are assigned a tier 2 support technician to
focus on the clients issue. This system helps every
issue to be seen and resolved in the most efficient
way possible. I have concluded the most important
tasks are the overall service provided to the client;
working with the ITACS team, and using the different
methodologies and systems. Working together as an
ITAC team to reach the common goal and resolving
the issue at hand.
The ITACS (Information Technology Assistance
Center) is a technology support center for staff,
faculty, and students at the Naval Postgraduate
School in Monterey, CA. The center provides ehelp
desk, walk-in , on-call services with a 2- tier system.
Tier 1 consists of three interns working at the front of
the office; with alternating schedules. Tier 2 deals
with phone calls made by faculty, staff, and students
on campus, in addition to, off campus issues made
all throughout the world. The ITACS provides ehelp
desk service 9 ½ hours/day.
The ITACS help desk offers a variety of services
stemming front desk help with the clients mobile
devices and computers, as well as, many trouble
shooting issues and student support services. In
addition, imaging and re-imaging computers using
different pieces of software. Symantec ghost cast
server is one program used to image a computer
with a configured image pushed through the NPS
network. A cloner device is also made available for a
large group of computers, to be imaged from one
master hard drive that has been imaged with the
specifications of the client. Once the hard drive is
imaged with the desired specifications, the hard drive
is used to clone the other hard drives with no image
or writing over a previous image. This cloner device
has the ability to make up to twenty hard drives
clone from one specific image in less than ten
minutes. Saving a lot of time and effort.. The ticketing
system helps keep track of the clients issue and
activity from the point that the issue is presented to
the ITACS department. The ticketing system keeps
an up to date log of the daily activity of each
individual case. This ticketing system allows any one
person to see the progress of the case. The client
can check with the tickets case number, as well as,
any one person who wants to know an up to date
update status of the case can pick up from where the
previous technician was last working on. An informed
up to date log is included in every ticket from the
moment the case is registered, up until the point
clients issue has been resolved.
Materials and Methods
The ITACS department uses a variety of resources as
external hard drives and USB sticks to store software
made available for NPS faculty, staff, and students. The
ITACS department works with IOS and Windows
operating systems. Software is offered for both operating
systems.
Figure 1. Illustrates the two primary operating systems
that the ITACS supports.
Some of the programs offered are Microsoft Office
stemming from 2003 up until 2010 for Windows and 2011
for the Mac. As well as, anti-virus software, VPN
(Virtual Private Network), and mapping a network drive
made available for every person registered on campus,
with an allocated amount of space. Each person has an
amount of allocated space because USB’s are not allowed
on campus for security reasons. Most programs are made
available for both operating systems and can be installed
at the ITACS office. Some of the available software is also
made available through the NPS web page :
https://www.nps.edu/Technology/Downloads/SoftwareLib
rary.html. If for any reason any clients have difficulty
installing software we encourage coming to the ITACS
office to install the software with the client present
In addition, ITACS supports mobile smartphone
operating systems; Windows 7, IOS, Android, and
blackberry. ITACS helps mobile devices connect to the
NPS wireless network and configure personal and NPS
email onto the clients phone.
The Technician Monthly Scorecard
Helps to anlayze every employee in
the ITACS department and also makes
it available to see the progress of the
daily and montlhy amount of tickets
that are established and completed.
The figure below is a screen shot of the Ed Tech
Loaner Program. Made available for customers of
the ITACS. Offering temporary loaner computers for
clients that will be without their personal computer.
Computers available run a Windows 7 operating
system both 32 bit and 64 bit. Specific programs
can be installed for each individual clients situation.
The EdTech Loaner Program is made
available for all NPS faculty, staff, and students’
computers that are being fixed. The primary use of
the loaner program makes computers made
available by the ITACS department for clients that
cannot receive a substitute computer through their
department. The loaner computer is available up
until the clients computer is ready and made
available for the client to pick up. Each time a loaner
computer is returned it is imaged with a new clean
image. Erasing all of the previous users content and
information.
Conclusions
Customer service is the most important goal of
Information Technology Assistance at the Naval
Post Graduate School. Through the multi-tier
teamwork approach tech support staff grow
immensely. The assignment and ultimate
resolution of tickets assures maximum client
service. The working environment throughout my
internship has helped me to see importance of
team work. Supporting new staff is critical for the
common goal of helping the client resolve their
problems. Answering the issues at hand and
having the client pleased with the service is
essential.
None of this can be done without the
common goal addressed by the ITACS faculty and
support of neighboring departments. A constant
use of communication and updating of common
issues goes along way.
Acknowledgments
Darnell Miles and Brian Sukala in ITACS, NPS.
Alison Kerr, NPS. Kelly Locke, Joe Welch, and
Andy Newton, Hartnell College.
This internship was funded by a Title V
Strengthening Transfer Pathways Grant.
For further Information
Please contact jadelgad@nps.edu