Desktop Support

Overview

Our full-time and student staff are available to help with all aspects of desktop computing, from setup and initial configuration to help with software and printers.

Home Computers

We do not work on personally-owned computers that stay at home. We will, however, work on University-owned computers that faculty take home for instructional or research purposes. If you need technical assistance with your home computer, please contact Computer Valued Systems in downtown or another local PC repair store. If you're a Mac user, you will need to go to the Apple store in downtown or any other local Mac repair store.

Instructional Grad Labs

The instructional grad labs have been set up by the departments for use by grads, staff and faculty. They provide general use computers/printers and have the standard network applications and departmental software.

To report computer / software problems or request re-stock toner or paper, please submit a core-funded help request through the LSCG website.

General Use Computers / Printers

Department	Location	Computers	Printers
EEMB	2104 Noble Hall	N/A	Hostname: noble-2flr-bw1 Model: HP LaserJet P4014dn duplex printer
MCDB	2122 Bio 2	Hostname: b2-gradlab-pc1 Model: Dell Optiplex GX620 Hostname: b2-gradlab-pc2 Model: Dell Optiplex GX620	Hostname: b2-gradlab-bw Model: HP Laserjet P4014dn
MCDB	3216 LSB	N/A	Hostname: lsb-3flr-bw1 Model: HP LaserJet Pro M501dn
EEMB / MCDB	2139 Marine Biotechnology	Hostname: mbl-gradlab-mac Model: iMac G5 Hostname: mbl-gradlab-pc1 Model: Dell Optiplex GX620	Hostname: mbl-gradlab-bw Model: Dell Laser Printer 5310n printer

Networked Printers

The following printers are available for use by all members of the sponsoring department(s). Please only print items you need, as toner and paper costs are high, and excessive or wasteful use may impact the future availability of these printers.

To connect to one of these printers, refer to our Tutorials page on creating a printer queue.

Department	Location	Hostname	Model
EEMB	Noble 2104	noble-2flr-bw1.eemb.ucsb.edu	HP LaserJet P3015dn
MCDB	Bio II 2122	b2-gradlab-bw.mcdb.ucsb.edu	HP Laserjet P4014dn duplex printer
MCDB	Bio 2 3101	b2-3flr-bw1.mcdb.ucsb.edu	Model: HP 3015dn
MCDB	LSB 2nd floor hallway (office wing)	lscg-bw-printer.mcdb.ucsb.edu	HP LaserJet Enterprise M605
MCDB	LSB 3216 (lab wing)	lsb-3flr-bw1.mcdb.ucsb.edu	HP LaserJet Pro M501dn
EEMB / MCDB	Marine Biotech 2139	mbl-gradlab-bw.lifesci.ucsb.edu	HP LaserJet Pro M501dn
EEMB / MCDB	LSB 3rd floor lobby	lsb-lobby-clr1.lifesci.ucsb.edu	HP Color LaserJet 5550dn

Printer Repair

The LSCG staff will take a quick look at problematic printers and can usually clear paper jams, but if the situation requires diagnosis, etc., it's best to call a professional computer repair company.

We've had good experience dealing with Brandon from Laser Cartridge Company (+1-805-683-4871), a local vendor. Always be sure to check on warranty status before calling a repair company as having an outside company work on a warranty repair can impact your ability to receive future warranty service on the components serviced by the outside company.

Service Costs

Overview

A departmentally-supported device is a computer and all peripheral equipment directly connected to that computer. For example, a printer connected to the computer would be included while a networked printer would not. Labor charges (not including replacement parts) for configuration, troubleshooting, and administrative application support provided for the department-supported systems are considered core-funded.

Technical support charges for work on any system that is not departmentally supported. The hourly labor rate ranges from around $20/hour up to $45/hour. We cannot accept personal checks. All work is charged via project codes.

Many help requests result in work that benefits all users, and can be considered core or infrastructure. Infrastructure work is not generally recharged. A formal list of what work is considered core or infrastructure is located in our Scope of Services and Recharges.

Ladder Faculty

Each ladder faculty member in EEMB and MCDB may designate two computers (typically one office and one lab system) as "department-supported " computers.

Lecturers

Each lecturer may designate one device to be networked at the department's expense.

First-Year Graduate Students

Networking charges for first-year graduate students are charged to their home department. This does not include hardware, software or operating system upgrades when the existing operating system is incompatible with the Life Sciences Network server. After the first year, the PI of the lab to which the graduate student is assigned will be charged for any networking costs.

Undergraduates

Undergraduates can have their computers networked in a lab with approval of the PI when their computer meets the operating system requirements for the LSN. The undergrad needs to request a lifesci account and obtain a project code from the PI before filling out the Help Request.

Software Support

The technical support group acts as a resource assisting with the installation and use of a variety of software. The level of support depends on the type of software package in question; we cannot be experts in all aspects of using all types of software. We can provide assistance with operating systems, common applications and specialized software.

Licensing

Once proper licensing has been confirmed, the LSCG staff can then install software on a recharge basis. This will satisfy the campus software licensing agreement documentation requirements.

Software Purchases Prior to 2/1/2013

For software ordered through the Software Depot prior to the above date, the email receipt including Software Depot order number, software titles and install codes should be sent to help@lscg.ucsb.edu for documentation. To obtain this information, please contact the Campus Office of Software Licensing as they can pull up this historical information.

New Software Purchases

For software purchases made via the campus Gateway Procurement System or other vendors, please forward the name of the vendor, purchase order number, software titles and any install codes to help@lscg.ucsb.edu.

For information on how to place a software order, check out our Ordering Software page.

Information about departmental site licenses and volume purchases can be found in the Campus Licenses section of our website.

Media Distribution

Refer to the Ordering Software page of our website.

Operating System

"Home" operating systems are incompatible with the Life Sciences Network and cannot join the LSN because they do not provide the necessary network functionality such as domain authentication. Also, as operating systems become outdated and the vendor no longer provides software updates and security patches, they become vulnerable and pose a security risk, making them a threat for our network. To check to see if your operating system is supported, refer to the Operating Systems Support Guidelines page.

If a computer has an unacceptable operating system but needs to be networked, the owner will need to purchase an OS upgrade license and then install the new OS. Refer to the Software Depot for available operating system licenses.

An additional option that is worth mentioning is to purchase a Retail Anytime Upgrade license from a commercial vendor (i.e., Best Buy, etc.). This license will allow you to upgrade from a Windows 7/8/10 Home operating system to the Professional flavor without having to format and reinstall. The cost will be more than what you would pay through the Software Depot but the licensing agreement and upgrade process would be easier to deal with.

Virus Cleanup / Windows Updates

The Campus OIT is constantly scanning the network for computers that may have been compromised or that are deficient in their patches and updates. If we are notified by OIT that a computer on our network is problematic, we will send a tech out to determine the status of the computer, install any missing patches or repair infected computers. This will be done on a recharge basis. It's important to stay current on all Windows updates, patches and virus definitions and to do make sure data is backed up.

The University has purchased Sophos Endpoint Security for use on University-owned computers. We recommend Windows Defender on personal Windows computers but accept any major antivirus software to satisfy the requirement that machines on the Life Sciences network have antivirus software.

For more detailed virus information, please refer to the Resources section of our website.