Linux OS

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1. Description of Service

The Information Technology Division (ITD) provides reliable and secure centrally managed Linux Operating System (OS) Services for Distributed Hosting for Commonwealth IT Services. This service offers fully managed services for the system administration of Linux Operating Systems. This service does not include the hardware platform; customers must choose a virtual platform or a dedicated physical platform for fully managed distributed hosting services.

Customers pay the initial software costs for ITD to procure the necessary operating system and other related software. Costs are included in the BAR (Business Application Request form) and identified as "one time" cost and agreed to by both the customer and ITD.

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The Linux OS Distributed Hosting Service includes:

Facilities Management

• Physical security, cooling, environment and redundant power

Systems Engineering

• Set-up of hardware and software in accordance with ITD Infrastructure Planning Group standards and best practices and Commonwealth of Massachusetts IT Technology and Security Policies
• Evaluate and/or recommend hardware and software enhancements

Systems Maintenance:

• Utilization of vendor operating system subscription services for maintaining servers at recommended patch and release levels following standard change management procedures
• Maintain current inventory/asset information and support history for each managed host that can be made available to customers
• Systems engineer's participation as needed in ongoing customer service delivery reviews (coordinated by ITD Service Account Managers).

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Systems Support & Monitoring:

• 24 x 7 proactive monitoring, identification, and resolution of technical issues for operating systems
• Ongoing security intrusion testing and monitoring
• Responsive support to incidents based on severity levels
• Responsive support to unscheduled service outages in a timely manner
• Provision of diagnostic information to assist with customer application support needs
• In case of systems failure or systems data loss or corruption onsite recovery of prior end-of-day system level configuration and locally stored data
• Access to technical Change Control information

Routine Software Audit Services:

• Software vendors who conduct business with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts contractually reserve the right to conduct periodic software audits on ITD managed hosts. ITD will collaborate with our customers and their vendors to complete audits for which the customer does not have the appropriate access to conduct the audit independently. These audits are executed to confirm compliance based on terms of software license agreements ITD and/or its customers have with these software vendors

This service does not include coverage for Disaster Recovery. This can be procured separately.

Support services include:

• A Service Account Manager to answer any questions or concerns regarding ITD Services.
• Services offered through our Operations Office; including Change Management and customer access to incident management via email, phone (CommonHelp)
• The online COMiT service management portal

ITD Refresh Policy:

When a customer agrees to fully managed hosting services at ITD, ITD commits to maintaining infrastructure per defined service level objectives. For purchased (non-leased) equipment ITD will fund the equivalent replacement of customer-specific hosted hardware that costs $25,000/per item or more, within five years. ITD does not incorporate into chargeback rates the funding to replace customer-specific hosted infrastructure components that cost less than $25,000/per item. As such customers are responsible to fund replacement of such infrastructure. Additionally maintenance costs that are incurred for supporting end-of-life customer-specific hosted infrastructure or upgrading software that is not covered by subscription may be direct charged to customers.

ITD Asset and Equipment Policy:

When a customer requests fully managed services at ITD, a BAR (Business Application Request) listing all one-time equipment and ongoing chargeback support costs must be approved and processed. Equipment to support a customer's request is then procured as an ITD owned and managed asset.

When a customer no longer requires ITD services, ITD decommissions the equipment and chargeback costs are discontinued. If a customer wants to reuse the equipment for a different ITD supported solution, the equipment remains active and chargeback costs continue. ITD determines future use of all decommissioned equipment .


 

2. Service Targets/Hours of Availability

*Incidents, requests, or changes that are outside the scope of the defined service description or normal service hours will be direct charged to the customer.

Note: System availability for a customer solution is dependent on the architecture design. 

3. Service Reporting

The following reporting information is provided to customers as part of this service:

 

4. Service Requests

*For new service requests only. To manage existing requests, please log into COMiT.
Requests related to projects are initiated through the Request Project Services process.

5. Customer Responsibilities

The customer will identify and apply customer application patches and configuration modifications, develop standards for and coordination of the move of code into production through the Change Management process, define job schedules and resolve conflicts in the job cycle. In addition, the customer will use capacity planning and management tools, recommend corrective action when needed, develop growth forecasts and develop capacity plans based on ensuring service level attainment.

For your convenience, you may view a detailed list of customer responsibilities  .

6. Chargeback Rate Information

For more information on Chargeback, including an overview of the program as well as current and previous fiscal year rates, please visit our Chargeback Services webpage.

Cost Framework: Linux Operating System Support

Direct Costs:

Direct Dedicated Resources

Indirect Costs:

Allocated Costs:

Adjustments:

Rates pertaining to this service offering include:

Download the cost framework for Linux Operating System Support 
Download a complete listing of all chargeback rates 

Updated December 10, 2012
Published June 20, 2011
Created November 2, 2010: Information provided by the Service Account Management Director and Hosting Services Business Team Lead