Helpdesk Off Hours Answering Service FAQ

What hours are covered by the answering service?
 
Weekdays 4:30p - 8:00a CST/DST; Weekends & Holidays.
 
Normal Helpdesk hours are 8:00a - 4:30p CST/DST Weekdays, excluding Holidays.
 
How do I contact the answering service?
 
Call the helpdesk at 630-840-2345 and the phone switch will provide instructions and route you to the service.
 
What will I need to provide the answering service?
 
Name, Fermi ID, Telephone number where you can be reached, and name of the service or system along with a brief description of the issue.
 
What if the answering service does not appear to understand my request?
 
Both Fermilab and the answering service expect the call duration to be very short (2-4 minutes) in normal circumstances. If you encounter problems or you are still on the phone after several minutes, you may ask the service to page the Fermilab Helpdesk on-call for additional assistance.
 
Keep in mind the answering service personnel are professionals who are knowledgeable about their field of expertise. They are not Fermilab employees and will not understand Fermilab abbreviations, jargon and acronyms.
 
When should I expect a call back from a Fermilab Support on-call?
 
If it is necessary for the on-call to contact you, it should be between 10 and 45 minutes, depending on how the call is escalated within the Remedy workflow.
 
Will the answering service know that I am calling on Fermilab business?
 
The answering service has dedicated phone lines so they know the call is originating from Fermilab. This triggers their software and starts a script.
 
How many calls to the answering service result in pages for high availability services and systems?
 
About 85 pages per year.

How do I request hardware repair service for high availability computing equipment?
 
Same process. Call x2345 and tell the operator that you need hardware services.

Where is the answering service actually located?
 
Two redundant sites in the Chicago area, Illinois, USA
   
What about Computer Security issues?
 
Computer Security issues are routed directly to the Fermilab Communication Center who have existing procedures and processes. If you somehow get routed to the answering service, just end the conversation, redial the helpdesk and press '1' and you will be routed properly.
 
Does the answering service use the Fermilab Helpdesk tools to page on-calls?
 
In normal circumstances, the answering service will use the Computing Division Remedy ticket tracking system and work flow to page an on-call. If there is a site wide issue and Remedy is unavailable, the answering service will use their applications with redundant Fermilab work flow information.
 
How does the Fermilab Helpdesk know about activity that occurs off hours?
 
The answering service automatically emails the helpdesk activity reports at 8:00a next business day for each call that occurred off hours. Helpdesk management may also receive a page when a ticket is cut through the answering service process.