Standard Operating Procedure: Systems Support Policy
Background and scope
The Poole College of Management Information Technology Services (Poole IT team) will provide full support for a limited number of operating systems running on two major platforms: Windows and Macintosh OS.
The Poole IT team recognizes that non-standard or non-current versions are sometimes necessary to run legacy equipment or software. If this applies to you, please consult the Poole IT team about seeking approval for an exception to allow the system to remain in service.
Supported Operating Systems
| Full Support | Limited Support | No Support/Not Allowed on the Network |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 (Professional, Enterprise) Windows 11 the(Professional, Enterprise) Mac OS (Big Sur through Ventura) | Mac OS 10.15 (Catalina) Linux- RHEL 8, Centos 7 Windows 10 Home Google Chrome | Windows 8 or earlier Non-enterprise Versions of Windows Mac OSX 10.14 (Mojave) or earlier Non-English Installed operating systems |
| These are recommended versions of Operating Systems for the platforms in question and the manufacturer; The Poole IT Team fully supports all aspects of these operating systems. | The Poole IT team will continue to provide advice and make a solid effort to resolve issues; however, some might require unreasonable resources. | The Poole IT team will continue to provide advice. Users who wish to keep installations of these versions of operating systems will have to take full responsibility for managing these devices. |
Definitions
CRP Machines or centrally funded machines – Poole IT purchased these machines centrally with Poole College of Management Technology funds or research funds for faculty and staff use and conform with the Combined Pricing Initiative at NC State University.
Personal Machines – These machines were purchased with personal or non-University funds.
Hardware support
| Machine type | Imaging/Setup | Maintenance | Priority for support |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRP machine, during the warranty period | Full support | Full support | High |
| Other University- purchased machines on the list of supported hardware (see below) during the warranty period | Full Support | Full support during the warranty period of the device. After the warranty has expired, 30 minutes best effort support; no hardware support is provided | High through the warranty period; low after that |
| Personal machines purchased by user *Full-time faculty and staff are not allowed to use personal machines for University business | Not supported | 30 minutes best effort support; no hardware support provided | Low |
OS and Software support
- Installing and troubleshooting problems with operating systems and work-related software will receive high-priority support. The list of supported software can be found here.
- Installing and troubleshooting issues with operating systems and software not generally supported by Poole College of Management Information Technology Services will be given low priority
- Operating systems that the vendor no longer supports will not be supported by Poole College of Management Information Technology Services
Exceptions
All Exceptions must be approved by the Poole College of Management, Director of IT; examples of possible exceptions are:
- In rare cases where outdated systems are required to support older research or lab hardware
- Software critical to faculty and/or staff work runs ONLY on unsupported operating systems.
List of supported hardware
Per the University Combined Pricing Initiative (CPI) policy:
- All supported desktops and laptops are required to be selected from standardized CPI configurations
- All purchases are required to be processed through the Poole IT team utilizing the MarketPlace e-procurement system; NO purchases can be processed directly online through the consumer website or using University Pcards
- No Purchase orders (POs), vouchers, or campus Pcards can be used.
- Purchases must be selected from the UNC-approved list of vendors and products
- Dell, Lenovo, Pogo Linux, and Apple
- Windows tablets and Apple iPads can be purchased through any vendors on the marketplace
Additional notes
- All computers registered to wireless or network ports on the NC State campus are subject to the Poole College of Management IT Security Policy; this includes machines purchased with University funds and personal funds.
- The user is responsible for backing up all data and work-related files on the University provided file servers (Google Drive, One Drive, OIT-managed file servers, etc.). Poole IT staff cannot be held responsible for lost files by damage, corruption, or the repair itself.
- The user must regularly back up all vital work-related files to the managed file servers.
- Please submit an IT request if you are in need of help with a backup solution.
- Users must arrange for all computers off campus to be transported to campus for service.