Interview Questions.

Q1. Who Can Attend The Change Control Board Meeting?

The meeting is open to all CIO/OFT group of workers and personnel of Customer Agencies. Change owners or their representatives ought to attend every meeting. Please ship an electronic mail to OFT Change Board if you wish to participate.

Q2. Does Cio/oft Have A Video Conferencing Service?

Currently CIO/OFT is inside the process of piloting this carrier with numerous companies. CIO/OFT will work with any agency to lead them to part of this pilot so that it will offer video conferencing to their business enterprise. Please touch your CRM for data. Presently there's no installed charge or metric for Video Conferencing.

Q3. Can I Request Reports On The Services I Receive?

Yes. One of the principle additives of the CIO/OFT SLA Program is to offer more transparency and offer our clients with extra facts on an advert hoc basis. Your CRM will be satisfied to offer you with reports useful in your organisation and to assist along with your IT making plans. However, the number and contents of all possible reviews possible for all services may be overwhelming. We ask which you work your CRM to discuss your unique reporting desires and what you may want on a regular time table. Many reports can be created with the existing tools within the standard layout. If additional work is asked to customize a record, an hourly price to do the customization may observe.

Q4. How Often Wills The Service Level Agreements Be Reviewed And Renewed?

Service Level Agreements could be reviewed and renewed each two years through representatives of CIO/OFT and the Customer Agency. This biennial technique is designed to make sure the agreement represents the cutting-edge IT desires of the employer and to solicit remarks at the great of services presented by using CIO/OFT. In addition, the SLA can be reviewed at any time when there's a amendment to add new offerings provided by means of CIO/OFT or for dispute functions. Either celebration can request a evaluate of the SLA as commercial enterprise wishes may additionally alternate inside the two-12 months period.

Q5. Is There A Charge To Reset A Password From The Customer Care Center?

Yes. If a person calls the Customer Care Center to reset a password, the organization can be charged the Security Service price, that's the lowest price. This price and outline is defined at the internet site and in the SLA.

Q6. What Is The Purpose Of A Service Level Agreement (sla)?

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an settlement among a purchaser and a provider of offerings. In this case, IT services furnished via CIO/OFT as an IT Shared Services company to state businesses and different governmental entities who are the customers. It gives an opportunity to foster a closer running courting between the purchaser and the issuer. Expectations for offerings rendered, how they will be added and at what costs offer an open and obvious environment. It fosters smarter purchasers and holds the issuer responsibility for delivering offerings as prescribed.

Q7. Will Cio/oft Post Network Design Specifications And Requirements For Developers; As Well As A List Of Supported Products And Their Life Cycles?

Posting specific records concerning CIO/OFT networks would be a protection risk. In accordance with our regulations, statistics may be supplied to Agencies while writing RFI/RFP documents and while getting into software development contracts. Please contact your CRM for assistance.

Q8. How Are Critical Issues Handled That Require Long Term Planning And Scheduling?

CIO/OFT will paintings to fulfill service availability goal tiers as defined inside the SLA report. However, now and again there are unplanned and unscheduled crucial problems which rise up and need to be addressed as efficiently and as expeditiously as possible. Critical problems, inclusive of Severity -1 incidents, are carefully tracked within CIO/OFT to ensure offerings are restored as quickly as feasible. Staffs with the vital know-how in numerous technical talents are quickly mobilized to consciousness, diagnose, analyze and remedy the vital trouble(s). Long time period making plans and coordination of observe-up guide and modifications are facilitated by way of CIO/OFT and entails all essential guide groups with the desired technical understanding.

Q9. Who Will Be Contacting The Agency About The Sla?

Each company will receive a memo from Dr. Melodies Mayberry Stewart, State CIO and Director of OFT in mid-September. Your agency can be contacted no later than September 22 by way of a CIO/OFT Customer Relations Manager (CRM). The CRM will set up a assembly to speak about the SLA and could work with the organization till a final SLA is signed no later than December 10, 2010.

Q10. Can The Service Level Agreement Include Penalties For Various Reasons?

While a penalty paid out of earnings may match inside the private area, the economic version inside the public sector is special. All charges nonetheless want to be recovered for services funded by using an Internal Service Fund. IT shared services cannot make a earnings or loss on an annual foundation. If consequences had been enacted, it would now not lessen the entire value as there's no income margin; costs and sales need to be equivalent every financial year for a provider.

Q11. What Can I Find More Information About A Particular Service?

Each CIO/OFT IT Shared Service has a corresponding element report to fully give an explanation for the carrier, the jobs and responsibilities for both CIO/OFT and the consumer, how the provider is supported, how billing records is collected, the assets to be had to assist the enterprise and a way to touch CIO/OFT. Also, greater statistics is to be had on the SLA website.

CIO/OFT welcomes all comments. Please allow Customer Relations recognise in case you want extra records or have pointers to assist us preserve the file relevant.

Q12. How Does Cio/oft Estimate Demand For A Service?

CIO/OFT estimates call for for a service through reviewing the real annual usage from the preceding 12 months as a start line. CIO/OFT then considers the impact on provider utilization from planned initiatives, annual corporation submissions of the Annual Technology Plans (ATPs), consumer discussions, and other outside resources. CIO/OFT may additionally request clients offer information on expected essential modifications in annual utilization for important offerings asked. Predicting future call for projections is continually a mission.

However, CIO/OFT will use all avenues, and statistics assets to ensure the charges are equitable, aggressive and compliant with the rate ideas and recommendations.

Q13. What Is The Process For Reviewing The Sla?

The organization’s assigned CRM and the Agency’s SLA Representative will schedule biennial service pleasant review conferences. The CRM and the consultant will evaluation the adequacy of the offerings furnished under the settlement, speak the popularity of tremendous issues to address, and identify new problems or new opportunities.

Q14. What Is An It Strategic Cluster?

IT Strategic Clusters assist agencies cognizance on the shipping of value-green and included IT services through putting off useless and highly-priced duplication of IT investments. And IT Strategic Cluster is a coalition of IT sources, expertise and studies, formed to satisfy related enterprise demanding situations, desires and services of State organizations and components. Seven clusters had been identified, and every could have a Cluster chief, precise dreams and overall performance measurements to make certain accountability and transparency.

Q15. What Services Are Covered In The Sla Document Provided By Cio/oft?

All IT Shared Services provided through CIO/OFT are eligible for inclusion within the SLA. Each carrier is defined in designated service descriptions in a separate document.

However, the modern-day most important offerings supplied consist of the following:

Customer Care Center Operations (24x7x365 Help Desk Support)

NYS Directory Services (Our Enterprise LDAP Services)

Empire 2.Zero Web Services (Web Development, Content Management)

Data Center Operations (Mainframe, Servers, Storage, Disaster Recovery)

NYSeMail (Enterprise Email System)

Customer Networking Solutions (Desktop Support)

NYeNet Services (State Data Networks)

Technology Academy (IT Training – Classroom and Online Distanced Learning)

Telecommunications and CAPNET (Telephony Services)

Q16. What Is The Process For Handling A Problem Or A Dispute With The Bill?

Your SLA record will describe the Dispute Resolution system. Essentially, clients must notify the Deputy CIO of IT Customer Relationship Management Services, in writing, of the disputed billing amount and the purpose for the dispute inside 30 days of the dated bill. Any quantities disputed in top faith, can be deducted from the bill, as long as the written observe has been sent to CIO/OFT. The last undisputed amount should be paid by the unique due date. Within 30 days after final resolution of the disputed fees, all resolved disputed amounts should be paid by means of the patron or credit can be furnished inside the next month-to-month billing.

Q17. Does The Sla Document Contain A Confidentiality Agreement?

Yes. The Data Security segment of the SLA report defines the confidentiality provisions.

Q18. What Is The Process For An Agency To Discontinue A Service Provided By Cio/oft?

If an agency has to stop an IT Shared Service supplied via CIO/OFT, the employer need to ship a written observe as quickly as viable but no later than 60 days from date of expiration of the SLA. The notice ought to ideally be sent prior to the annual release of the fees to keep away from a widespread unfavourable effect on different customer corporations who percentage the fee to offer this provider.

Please be conscious, if an corporation’s portion is extra than five% of the full IT Shared Service fee, a written notification of rationale to terminate need to be furnished no less than six months prior to the anticipated termination date. The enterprise’s written observe of termination ought to be despatched to the eye of the Deputy CIO of IT Customer Relationship Management Services at CIO/OFT.

Q19. Some Of The Posted Metrics Do Not Accurately Reflect The Actual Time To Completion?

Some tactics require paintings from numerous business gadgets. The metrics, as mentioned, pertain to the paintings within the enterprise unit being mentioned on. CIO/OFT keeps to refine our metrics and streamline strategies among business gadgets to better constitute crowning glory of duties.

Q20. How Do You Make Changes To The Rates?

Setting rates is a balance among cost and favored functionality. Periodically, CIO/OFT evaluations costs to decide if modifications in the rate technique are needed. This may also involve subdividing a carrier into components so clients can pick out which components of the service they need and best pay a charge for his or her selected components. This may additionally result in supplying extra alternatives, inclusive of presenting tiered tiers of carrier and aid with various prices based totally on the level favored.

If a primary alternate in costs or charge methodology is proposed for an current IT shared provider, CIO/OFT will meet with clients to check the proposed modifications and gather purchaser feedback. CIO/OFT will then work with the Division of the Budget earlier than intending with a trade.

Q21. What Happens If A Billing Dispute Presented To Cio/oft Is Not Resolved?

If the ordinary manner for resolving billing disputes does not cause a resolution inside 30 days after the agency’s written dispute notification, the dispute could be noted the Division of Budget whose selection may be very last and binding. If the decision is in want of CIO/OFT, the client can be anticipated to pay the exceptional bill inside 30 days of the very last DOB choice.

Q22. What Information Is Contained In A Service Level Agreement?

A Service Level Agreement typically has the following records contained in each agreement:

A description of the offerings supplied to the purchaser;

A description of the performance provider stages used by the provider to illustrate the first-class of customer service;

Service level overall performance goals which are benchmarked against industry fine practices;

Roles and responsibilities of CIO/OFT;

Roles and responsibilities of the Customer;

Rates for offerings supplied and billing manner;

Dispute decision manner;

The technique for speaking with CIO/OFT; and

The SLA renewal technique.

Q23. When Does The Change Control Board Meet?

The Change Control Board meets every Tuesday and Thursday at nine:00 am at the forty North Pearl Street facility. The meeting concluded whilst all items are covered competently and normally ends at nine:three@Call-in attendance is available through Conference Bridge, however traces are confined and intended for those in different homes.

Q24. Where Is Information Regarding Cost And Consolidation Of Services?

Please confer with the Charter for Enterprise Information Technology Shared Services among the Office of Taxpayer Accountability and CIO/OFT issued by the Director of State Operations.

Q25. Is There A Charge To Report An Issue Related To The Cio/oft Infrastructure?

No, there's no price. Customers are not charged for calls that are troubles with the CIO/OF infrastructure and beyond the manipulate of the corporation.

Q26. Is Cio/oft Considering Offering Voip Services?

CIO/OFT is in the system of upgrading our infrastructure to house a VOIP supplying. If you are interested by this provider please contact your CRM.

Q27. Currently I Can Get Mainframe Availability Reports. How Can I Get More Detailed Reports, Such As Those On Cics And Mq Series, Db2, Opc And Ibm Cm?

The capability for customers to generate more specific availability reports is to be had for IBM mainframe customers through using SAS/MXG reports. Sample scripts have been furnished to all clients to develop reports reflecting precise enterprise needs. Contact your CRM if you want extra statistics on this option.

Q28. Must The Customer Always Be Using The Most Current Version Of A Microsoft Product? Does Cio/oft Post Support Levels Of Products Being Used And Decommissioned?

Customers do not want to be the usage of the most current model of a Microsoft product; however they ought to be the use of variations supported with the aid of CIO/OFT. Current variations of merchandise used and decommission plans are to be had through request. Please touch your CRM for help.

Q29. Who Do I Contact If I Need To Reset My Password?

NYS Directory Service affords functions to allow users to reset their very own password. Also, your agency representative or the Customer Care Center can assist with password resets.

Q30. How Is It The Sla Different From The Terms Of Service (tos) Currently Used By Cio/oft?

There are giant differences between the two files. The new SLA Program makes a speciality of customer support, specific provider stage overall performance targets, a clear description of roles and responsibilities for both the Customer Agency and CIO/OFT, a well-defined set of overall performance measurements and a clean know-how of the offerings and quotes for every provider.

The former Terms of Service application did no longer sincerely outline roles and responsibilities, provider descriptions, provider level goals, billing dispute method or a clear clarification of fees for each service. The organizations have been careworn about services and the quotes association with every carrier.

Q31. Can A Customer Agency Request Performance Service Level Targets Above The Sla Performance Targets For A Particular Service?

CIO/OFT is committed to presenting carrier tiers which are above the enterprise common and aspires to attain “world class status” within less expensive constraints for all services. The SLA provides general measures for standard IT shared services. These performance stage measurements and target degrees have been advanced with the assistance of industry experts and employer input. If an employer has a need for a higher degree of provider than the goal stage and is inclined to pay for that higher stage of service, please touch your assigned CRM. The CRM will estimate the fee for additional resources to raise a service degree and the purchaser can determine if the extra investment is justified.

Q32. What Is The Change Control Board?

CIO/OFT is dedicated to provide wonderful customer support with minimal impact to ongoing operations for an employer or the customers of other companies. To make sure an powerful program, a governance institution turned into created to meet this characteristic – The Change Control Board. The motive of the Change Control Board is to change statistics regarding any physical or logical modifications that may have an effect on the reputation of any network, laptop system, or utility that CIO/OFT is accountable for or hosting.

It is very vital that any modifications to the IT surroundings are definitely understood and the patron expectations are managed to reduce operations. This collaborative technique is designed to mitigate the ones dangers and make certain adjustments are a success.

Q33. What Are The General Guidelines Cio/oft Uses To Set The Annual Rates?

CIO/OFT is required to observe specific rate guidelines to determine the annual rates. In addition, we strictly adhere to the subsequent ideas to manual the CIO/OFT fee placing process and are:

Rates can be truthful and equitable for all customers;

Rates can be affordable for comparable offerings;

Rates might be comprehensible and surely communicated to clients;

We will continuously pursue and put in force techniques to lessen costs and decrease rates to our clients;

Federal cost healing necessities might be strictly complied with to make sure nation corporations can maximize fee recovery for CIO/OFT services;

Reconciliation may be used to ensure sales generated from costs will completely recover the cost of supplying a service, but not result in over-collection of sales; and

CIO/OFT will pursue all avenues to limit any important fluctuations in prices.

Q34. Will The Nysemail Response Time Be Measured?

We currently degree NYSeMail availability. For the beyond year it turned into at ninety eight% on an annual foundation. Measuring actual reaction time for a consumer involves a mixture of both CIO/OFT and customer furnished offerings which includes e-mail, networks and laptop responsiveness. The tools we presently use do now not provide that stage of tracking. As systems, software program and new versions of existing tools emerge as available, CIO/OFT will examine what additional overall performance measures can be introduced to the overall performance dashboard.

Q35. Who Are The Severity And Outage Notifications Sent To?

Notifications regarding severity or outages are despatched to the clients impacted by the relevant difficulty using the consumer corporation-managed distribution listing. The Customer Agency determines who should be notified and CIO/OFT will make sure all suitable individuals are notified inside the said timeframes.

Q36. Why Is Cio/oft Implementing An Sla Program Now?

As an IT Shared Services issuer, CIO/OFT wanted a stable SLA program in place to address the many worries raised through businesses in the past. This need changed into highlighted within the Enterprise IT Shared Services Charter done by using the Governor’s Office of Taxpayer Accountability (OTA) and CIO/OFT.

The Charter outlines the requirement to put in force an SLA Program along side the expansion of the IT Shared Services Model.