Last Updated: 14 Sep 2016

Making a Request

The desired mechanism to submit requests for anything is via the RequestTracker tool.

If you want to:

• request a change in the SET labs or in JOY 001/009/205:

  Please send email to request@mail.d.insttech.washington.edu.

• get help with existing hardware or installed software in SET labs or JOY 001/009/205:

  Please send email detailing the problem and the affected hardware/software to support@mail.d.insttech.washington.edu.

Planning for Use

The use of lab facilities must be planned well before the quarter starts to ensure adequate time for purchase, installation, updating, reconfiguration and testing of software and hardware and to avoid or lessen conflicts with other uses of lab facilities.

Consequently, for:

• an existing course

  At least four weeks prior to the start of a quarter, all requests for lab facilities changes must be emailed to SET lab staff.

• a new course

  All requests for lab facilities changes must emailed to SET lab staff at least six weeks prior to the start of a quarter.

Background

The lab facilities are a shared resource. General development labs are designed to support drop-in use by authorized students. The same software environment is available on each computer so that the student can choose any available seat.

Most software packages are installed locally versus on a central server. The reasons for local installation are as follows:

• network traffic increases tremendously while loading a popular application
• some software is not designed to be installed in a lab environment ( e.g., Windows registry changes are required)
• some software writes user-specific information to one location only (e.g., user-specified configuration files) -- no file-locking or multi-user support

Because most labs are intended to be open 24x7 during the quarter, changes to the labs need to be controlled. Most of the lab changes are done between quarters (during breaks). Students may not have access to the labs during the breaks to allow lab staff time to add, update or reconfigure software, hardware and furniture for use in the upcoming quarter.

All of the time during break is spent doing planned changes -- there is no time for planning during the breaks, as it takes the entire break period to implement the changes.

There are currently (15 Sep 2015) about 90 desktop computers for "general development" use (for programming projects, mostly) and about 70 desktop computers for "teaching and research use". A collection of Virtual Computing Labs allow for custom network configurations, student system administration, classroom access to unsupported operating systems, etc.

References

• general lab information: http://css.insttech.washington.edu/~lab/
• lab use policy: http://css.insttech.washington.edu/~lab/Policies/
• details on lab equipment: http://css.insttech.washington.edu/~lab/Equipment/

Change Log

14 Sep 2016	Updated mail address for RT
15 Sep 2015	Updated links and some information
19 Feb 2003	Updated means of making requests and support
29 Oct 2002	Specified location of list of available software
24 Oct 2002	Slight updating of "Planning for Use"; added approval status and "Making a Request" section
26 Feb 2002	Original document