Introduction The New Model for Computing Services Across Penn is grounded on the idea that end users are central and that the best mechanism for delivering computing support to them is through local support providers, located as near to them as practical. All in all, the model clarifies the division of labor under Responsibility Center Management. The center concentrates on secondary services.
Standards help tie the structure together.
In consultation with the Implementation Steering Group, the Support for Local Providers pilot has been working to investigate and understand the problems, opportunities and consequences which follow from widespread adoption of the New Model for Computing Services Across Penn as it relates to support for local providers. This report summarizes the results of the preliminary phase of the pilot project. It begins by defining the relevant terms used in the report. The next section enumerates a series of principles for organizing, delivering, and funding support for local providers. This is followed by a description of a high-level framework which, we believe, incorporates the principles for services for local providers as well as the principles from the New Model for Computing Services Across Penn.