Service Strategy

This service has been developed in order to rationalise and unify the printing infrastructure used within the IT Services Department.

Prior to the deployment of this service approx 40 network and standalone devices were located across the department.

These devices included inkjet printers, mono lasers, colour lasers, photocopiers and all manner of multifunction device (MFD).

By deploying a fleet of highly capable Ricoh MFD's backed by a managed contract with clearly defined costings and support commitments the benefit to the department is clear.

Where once we had to support 10+ different models with their many support nuisances including varying consumables, software drivers, functionality and performance levels.

We now have 1 model, with 1 driver, 1 type of consumable and a single level of functionality and performance.

The deployment of this service has also helped to drive the development and testing of Novell's iPrint technology. This underpins the software infrastructure used to provide access to the new MFD's.

It is the ambition of this service that it be seen as a model for how a fully intergrated managed solution can be deployed, it can be used as a case study for other departments looking to modernise and simplify their own network printing, copy and fax infrastructure.

Service Objectives

• To set a maximum number of active printer agents (printers) on each manager (server) to ensure high levels of performance and response.
• To regularly publish service performance metrics and SLA's to demonstrate quality of service (QoS) information.
• To hold 3 Service Board Meetings per calender year to ensure that the service is held to account and is aligned to our customers requirements.
• To look to modernise and streamline the service at every opportunity, whether that is through the use of new software and hardware technologies or by better working practises, utilising process management and cross team collaborative working.
• To develop server and printer monitoring and managment technologies to provide faster first time fixes and reduce service outages.
• To look to new technologies to provide sevice refinements, resilience and flexibility.
• To design, develop and publish service mapping and linked dependencies documentation to aid incident and problem management.