CSIS Technical and Hardware Unit

We are also involve in the purchase of IT infrastructure, staff training, database applications and daily support and we ensure that all analog/digital and broadband circuits are operational in accordance with vendor specifications.

It is also our duty to ensure that networks, workstations, servers, software, peripheral devices, phone systems, copiers, printers, electronic door locks etc. are operational and secure. We also coordinate technical processing required before the purchase of any computer or electronic equipment. Spatial distribution of all computer, electrical and electronics facilities of the University are equally overseen by this unit.

Part of our operations is the installation and maintenance of the University’s VSAT and other internal and external communication equipment. We also see to the effective operation of e-learning and e-payment operations of the University.

Sub-Units in CSIS Technical and Hardware Unit

We have three main sub-units; these are Network, Support Services and Telecoms Sub-Units.

1. Network Sub-Unit of CSIS Technical and Hardware Unit:

At this sub-unit we:

• Design and deploy suitable networks for the University.
• Administer network workstations, utilizing one or more TCP/IP or non-TCP/IP networking protocols and/or one or more UNIX-based or non-UNIX based operating systems.
• Evaluate and/or recommend purchases of computers, network hardware, peripheral equipment, and software;
• Investigate user problems, identify their source, determine possible solutions, test and implement solutions.
• Install, configure, and maintain personal computers, Novell networks, UNIX workstations, file servers, ethernet networks, network cabling, and other related equipment, devices, and systems; add or upgrade and configures modems, disk drives, data acquisition boards, CD ROM units, printers, and related equipment.
• Perform and/or oversee software and application development, installation, and upgrades.
• Maintain site licences for department/University
• Plan and implement network security, including building firewalls, applying cryptography to network applications, managing host security, file permissions, backup and disaster recovery plans, file system integrity, and adding and deleting users.
• Troubleshoot networks, systems, and applications to identify and correct malfunctions and other operational difficulties.
• Develop and conduct various training and instruction for system users on operating systems, relational databases, and other applications; assist users in maximizing use of networks and computing systems.
• Identify utilization patterns and their effect on operation/system availability and performance expectations.
• Anticipate communication and networking problems and implement preventive measures.
• Establish and perform maintenance programme following company and vendor standards.
• Ensure timely user notification of maintenance requirements and effects on system availability.
• Investigate, recommend and install enhancements and operating procedures that optimize network availability.
• Maintain confidentiality with regard to the information being processed, stored or accessed by the network.
• Document network problems and resolutions for future reference.

2. Support Services Sub-Unit of CSIS Technical and Hardware Unit

At Support Services Sub-Unit of Technical & Hardware Unit of CSIS, we have different sub-units, such as systems support, Help Desk Operations, Computer Lab Support, Electronics and Technical.

We perform the following functions:

• Distribution of personal computers and the peripherals (i.e. printer, scanner, ups, web cameral, photocopiers e.t.c.), to all computer laboratories, departments, sections and units of the University.
• Assistance in the distribution of hired purchased laptop by the student from the University’s laptop acquisition scheme.
• New installation of all distributed computers / accessories, setting them for both Intranet and Internet connections for both staff and students.
• Maintaining all the installed systems in every section of the University by carrying out predictive, preventive and corrective maintenance as the case may be.
• Repairs of all personal computers by our systems repairs unit in the workshop for:

1. Laboratories
2. Department / section
3. Students
4. Faculty staff

• Servicing and repairs of all photocopiers, printers in the entire University by our copier expert in the CSIS Workshop.
• Repairs all the University’s IT equipment even to the circuit level by our Electronic Support Unit in the Workshop and where we need to reconstruct the circuit we do it to make our equipment working perfectly.
• Through the first line help desk we receive all technical complains (Intranet connection, Internet surfing and connection, application packages challenges e.t.c), solve those we can on the phone through technical instruction to the user, logged the unresolved issues for the attention of second line help desk and support engineers.
• Second-line helpdesk attends to all user complaints ranging from application operation challenges, surfing Internet problems, Internet connectivity challenges, power challenges, printing/scanning challenges and many more as the need arises.
• Providing assistance to users who have challenges in using some applications and computer peripherals operations by giving them short time training through the second-line help desk.
• We attend to both wireless and wired Internet connectivity challenges for students, and report major faults to the network administrator.
• Individual Internet connection problems are also attended to by the support engineers and virus issues too are resolved.
• We troubleshoot network challenges, connection problems, and system visibility challenges on the network.
• We see to the effective distribution of Internet facilities in the staff offices and running of cables to each client on the network.
• Distribution of internet voucher to both staff and student in order to connect to wireless signals for Internet surfing.
• Through the lab attendant, we control the students’ activities in the computer laboratories, computation laboratory, research laboratories, and multimedia laboratories and so on.
• We assist the lecturers during computer-associated teaching software lectures, professional application packages, programming languages, Auto-cad, e-view, sage accounting packages and so on.
• We keep all the computers and projectors for lectures in proper working condition, ready for maximum utilization at all times.
• We keep all the computer laboratories neat and conducive for lectures for both students and lecturers.
• CSIS support services also cover all the e-classes in the University, and the installation and maintenance of all the E-class equipment in the classrooms.
• Maintenance of E-boards, E-systems, projectors, stylus and E-boards interconnectivity with others in the other classrooms.
• Provision of cyber cafe` for the students, staff, and visitors.
• Day-to-day running of the cafe` services, printing, ticketing, and assisting the users who may have difficulties in surfing the net.
• Assistance in managing the corporate systems in a racked Windows/Intel environment, including the following: Windows 2003, Windows XP, Active Directory, MS Exchange, MS Terminal Services, Version 9/23/082, DNS services, spam filters, intrusion detection systems, Cisco VPN and firewalls and VMWare servers.
• Maintenance of automate systems monitoring tasks using standard monitoring tools.
• Server hardware provisioning, including configuration and deployment
• Data backup management, scheduling and reporting for both internal corporate systems and data centre system
• We build and deploy virtualization servers for corporate and data centre environments.
• We provide technical assistance in preparation for various reports and maintenance of system Documentation.
• We maintain current procedure manuals for system users.
• We are responsible for system back-ups and recovery procedures for all applications, including hardware and software malfunctions.
• Enhancement of current systems as authorized when upgrades become available.

Management Support

Management supports the Director, provides administrative support to CSIS and supports internal and external CSIS communications and provides ICT training for staff and students.