The various cited misunderstandings with end users point out the need
for a well written service contract upon entering into a service
arrangement with an area of your organization.  Such a contract needs
to define exactly what will happen, when (backup times, retention
policies, offsite schedules); what will not happen (e.g., handing TSM
tapes to end users, no data images available between backup times);
limitations (constraints on drive usage, overall throughput, media
problems, downtime, scheduled maintenance and upgrades); client
responsibilities (filespace management, assuring backups running,
restorals); periodic reports from the server; fees per usage; etc.

End user expectations should not be left to their imaginings.

   Richard Sims

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