Computing and Information Services (CIS) offers consulting services for departments who need in depth IT support beyond the scope of existing channels, both within CIS and their own departmental IT Staff. These IT support needs are secured with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between CIS and University departments. Currently over 40 departments have dedicated consultants who are familiar with their environment, staff, and specialized needs.

The TSCG consulting service was born in 1998 in response to client requests. Since then, it has grown to offer a wide-range of services. These include extensive software support, hardware consulting for desktops (Macs and PCs) and servers, system administration support for departmental servers, and ad hoc customized services. Services cover everything from software installation, configuration, and technology management to data backup/restore services. Consultants also provide how-to consulting on specific applications, and coupled with a deep-working knowledge of the University and detailed work environments, help their clients prioritize IT tasks. Onsite consulting SLAs range from two hours every other week to 20 hours per week, from departments with just a few staff to departments with 75+ staff.

The TSCG Consultants are part of CIS Telecom and Client Services. This team, managed by Scott Lauziere, proves to be a tremendous benefit to departments and the University. Cost savings and efficiencies are realized through sharing in the investment of professional IT staff, as departments are able to receive customized IT support without hiring and managing IT staff. Each TSCG Consultant provides services to multiple departments, distributing their technical skills across the University.

“Our consultants help optimize our clients’ systems, which minimizes downtime. This frees up staff time to focus on the business of their work,” Lauziere said. “Clients don’t end up spending time fussing with technology. Instead, we provide stable IT tools and support, which creates efficiency in terms of productivity. All of this translates into cost savings for our clients.”

The TSCG Consultant team is self supporting, with all operating and salary costs covered by the departmental SLAs. The team consists of several technologists who pool their collective knowledge on a daily basis to develop solutions for their clients. “The consultants constantly use each other as resources and help each other troubleshoot problems,” Lauziere said. “It isn’t just one technician providing services for a department, it’s an entire team of knowledgeable folks working together to solve IT-related problems.”

Consultants also work with clients to provide equipment audits and desktop replacement plans, which enable departments to accurately budget for equipment replacement, and also to extend the life of their current hardware. “If a department can get an additional year or two out of their computer, that benefits everyone,” Lauziere said. “Part of the consultant’s job is to help educate our clients, enabling the client to make sound decisions about technology. For example, we teach our clients safe computing techniques to help prevent virus and malware infections, and also help them identify phishing scams to avoid accidentally exposing confidential information. By providing these tools and knowledge to our clients, we also allow them to help themselves.”

As University departments are faced with budget constraints, creating new positions to address the ever-increasing technological needs at UNH is a challenge. TSCG Consultants offer a cost-effective alternative, providing a wide range of institutional knowledge and skill sets needed to support and stay current with technology at UNH.

Please visit cis.unh.edu/tscgconsulting for more information.