Description

Nanook Technology Services (NTS) provides technology support for the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and University of Alaska System Office (UA/SO). NTS delivers front-line technical assistance, computer lab operations, device lifecycle maintenance, classroom AV engineering, and enterprise application support across the Fairbanks campus and affiliated rural sites in coordination with the UA Office of Information Technology (OIT).

Availability (Hours)

Our Teams

NTS is comprised of four different teams who each provide different services. Always start a request/report by contacting the Service Desk! All other teams are escalation teams as opposed to front-line technicians, and can be contacted through your ticket once it's been assigned to them. 

NTS and OIT

While NTS serves as the local IT organization for the UAF campus, the University of Alaska Office of Information Technology (OIT) manages system-wide infrastructure across the entire UA system (UAF, UAA, UAS, and SO). OIT is made up of its own teams who oversee our networks, databases, identity federation, and telecommunications.

NTS works closely with OIT to coordinate ticket escalations and service delivery, and the NTS Service Desk is the entry-point for getting tickets to OIT!

See more information about OIT on their website, https://www.alaska.edu/oit/

Scope & Limits of Support

To ensure operational reliability and sustainability, technical support and escalations follow defined boundaries based on affiliation, device ownership, platform, and hardware lifecycle:

• Service Desk (Front-line Support): The Service Desk provides technical support, identity/account management, software troubleshooting, and connectivity assistance to all university affiliates (students, staff, faculty, and alumni) regardless of device manufacturer, operating system, or age.
  • Scope of Work: The Service Desk provides front-line troubleshooting, and routes tickets that cannot be resolved immediately to an appropriate escalation team. In-scope services include technical support for UA devices, UA accounts, and software licensed through our office and OIT. The Service Desk does not provide software training, and we encourage users to seek out official documentation and guides for the programs they use. 
  • Best-Effort Support: For services outside of our scope, our technicians will attempt to reach a resolution using available resources, knowledge, and time, but cannot guarantee a solution, specific resolution time, or formal service level agreement (SLA). Our technicians retain the right to stop working on an out-of-scope issue if it becomes too complex or time-consuming.
• TSS Escalation Boundaries (University-Managed Devices): Escalations to Technology Support Services (TSS) for hardware maintenance, configuration, and advanced endpoint servicing are restricted to UAF and UA System Office-managed devices within the following lifecycle limits:
  • Windows Computers: Supported up to 5 years from purchase date.
  • Apple Devices (macOS & iPadOS): Supported on the current major operating system version and the immediate prior version (N-1).
  • Unsupported Platforms: Linux distributions, ChromeOS, and non-standard operating systems are not supported by TSS.
  • Mobile Devices: TSS does not support personal or university smartphones or non-Apple tablets; mobile support is limited to managed iPads.
     
    Finding Your Device's Owner

    You can easily identify the campus who owns and administrates your device by locating its name.

            On Windows: Search "PC Name" in the Windows Search Bar. It will begin with a prefix such as FBK, ANC, SW, or BBC. This indicates which campus (including satellite campuses) the machine was set up under. NTS can only perform administrative actions on UAF and System Office devices.

            On Apple/MacOS: Navigate to the Apple Menu > System Settings > General > Device Management. You will see a list of rules placed upon your device, and near the bottom will be campus-specific rules. All MacOS users can become administrators on their device for 30-minute sessions by using Admin by Request.
• Student Computer Support Center (Student Personal Devices): Operated by TSS as a student-focused program delivering best-effort diagnostic assistance, operating system troubleshooting, and hardware repair for student-owned personal computers.
  • Eligibility: Limited to currently-enrolled UAF students. Personal devices belonging to faculty, staff, alumni, or outside community members are not eligible for service.
  • Cost: Diagnostics and labor are provided free of charge. If physical replacement parts are required, the student pays only the direct cost of parts.