Network Operations
Network Operations installs and maintains the City’s data network and computer systems. We support our internal customers (City employees) so that they may better serve their customers – Abilene citizens.
We design and implement the data network infrastructure using a variety of techniques to connect City employees to the computing resources they need in order to serve the public. City facilities are located all around town, and the network ties them all together into a single, coherent unit. Employees use the network to view their email and electronic documents, and to print those documents. We provide Internet access for employees so that they may conduct Internet research. We also install and maintain the publicly-accessible wireless Internet services at both libraries.
Our trained technicians perform computer imaging and deployment of PCs and laptops for use by City employees. Network Operations deploys and maintains Public Access Computers, such as those you find in your public libraries. As new computers are rolled out and old computers are removed from service, we process the old machines for public auction. Contact Purchasing for details on how you can bid on these computers, servers, and monitors.
The Help Desk provides end user support for City employees experiencing computer-related problems. Help Desk technicians receive calls and email, and provide problem resolution over the phone, through the use of remote control software, or by dispatching a field technician to address the user’s problem on site.
While many problems can be solved remotely by our Help Desk technicians, we also provide on-site troubleshooting and assistance to employees at various locations around the City. Except for the most severe hardware-related problems, we can address most issues the same day they are reported, typically within a matter of a few hours.
We maintain this website (in conjunction with other employee contributors) as well as other internal websites utilized by City employees for the operations of the City. Web technology provides a method of disseminating information on demand.
If you send an email to an employee of the City of Abilene, your message will pass through a server maintained by Network Operations. This communications medium is essential to conducting City business, and although such a method of communication is fairly easy to manage, neutralizing the evolving threats of email-borne viruses, worms, and spam keeps the staff busy.
The City stores various types of information, ranging from Court records to vehicle maintenance information on large database servers. Network Operations maintains those servers, and performs tape backups to provide for disaster recovery.
We develop and provide customized IT training for employees, including classes covering office suite components. The training is free for City employees, and it helps attendees learn how to get the most from the software we provide, which improves overall productivity.
Network Operations continually looks for ways to improve technology access to make it better, faster, and most importantly, less expensive! We evaluate new software and hardware emerging on the market, and acquire those technologies that are most appropriate and least expensive so that we can build the best computing environment possible for City employees.