RSC Northern Technical Services

All UK FE Colleges, Higher Education and Research Council Institutions, and many other educational establishments, are linked to JANET.

• JANET(UK)
  • Full JANET services list.
  • Computer security and incident handling, JANET(UK) CSIRT.
  • News Feed of Newsgroups across the world, JANET(UK) Usenet News Service.
    
    
• ATHENS - Has up to now been the means of registration to use many JISC Services with User Authentication. However, JISC is now supporting a move to using Shibboleth. There are more details available in a JISC Briefing Paper.
  
  
• Software Mirroring is available from two sites: EANet (Dublin) and University of Kent
  
  

top

JANET(UK) Services 

All queries related to use of the JANET(UK) network should be addressed to the Regional Support Centre helpdesk, who will log calls, refer them to appropriate experts and track them to completion. This includes both technical support and curriculum support matters.

There is one exception to this rule:
Faults in the JANET(UK) connection should be reported directly to the specified fault-reporting service. This will be either the Janet Operations Desk (JOD) or the regional network operations desk, as indicated in the annual fault-reporting letter from JANET to the college, first sent at the time of connection. These faults must be reported by the fault-reporting contact for the site, or their personal deputy. If in doubt, the RSC will advise whom to contact.

Regional Support Centres will carry out work in support of the JANET(UK) connection, which includes:

1. Configuration of the routing equipment.necessary to the operation of the JANET link.
2. Providing advice and assistance with other network service equipment.
3. A regional programme of awareness raising and training events.
4. Some assistance with diagnosis of LAN problems and, where appropriate, some assistance in negotiating with other bodies for resolution.
5. Advising and assisting with network security issues, with reference to CERT where appropriate.
6. Providing appropriate general networking advice to colleges through email, phone call or site visit.
7. Assisting with the completion of a JANET(UK) Connection and Upgrade application form, and registration with the Internet authorities.
8. Providing a helpdesk that is staffed between 9.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday excluding public holidays and Christmas closure. A re-routed service such as an answer phone will be provided when either the host institution is closed or staff are involved in training etc.

top

 To support the provision of service by JANET(UK), the RSC will: 

1. Liaise with JANET(UK) on behalf of colleges, on a regular basis, including staff attendance at connections workshops, at most quarterly, and a twice-yearly national JANET(UK)-RSC liaison meeting.
   
   
2. Help college nominees to understand JANET(UK) fault-reporting mechanisms.
   
   
3. Ensure that any complaints received which relate to services provided by UKERNA or its sub-contractors (e.g. regional networks) are immediately passed on to the JANET(UK) Customer Service desk, who will respond within four hours.

top