windows server Ratio of IT staff to users

[Guest Sanjay Mehta]

Hi,

 

I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

servrices) and also helpdesk role.

 

I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

 

Thanks

[Guest Frankster]

"Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>

> Thanks

 

What you will find is that there is no standard. Good luck. Just suck it

up. LOL.

 

-Frank

[Guest Danny Sanders]

> What you will find is that there is no standard. Good luck. Just suck it

> up. LOL.

 

I agree. This job has 4 systems admin. 3 network personnell and 6 helpdesk

personnell to support 6000+ users around the world.

 

The job I had before this was about 6 servers, 40 users and I was the entire

support team.

 

Before that 2 servers and about 80 to 90 desktops and me for support.

 

If you are looking to get help you should start by documenting your time

very meticulusly. Show them where you are spending 40 to 50 hours a week.

Then show them what is not getting done.

 

 

hth

DDS

 

"Frankster" wrote in message

news:0vydnbHY1Kuzj13UnZ2dnUVZ_jWWnZ2d@giganews.com...

>

> "Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

> news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

>> Hi,

>>

>> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003,

>> terminal

>> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>>

>> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>>

>> Thanks

>

> What you will find is that there is no standard. Good luck. Just suck it

> up. LOL.

>

> -Frank

[Guest Frankster]

"Danny Sanders" wrote in message

news:C842EED6-67C8-4405-8191-09FB292D1C27@microsoft.com...

>> What you will find is that there is no standard. Good luck. Just suck it

>> up. LOL.

>

> I agree. This job has 4 systems admin. 3 network personnell and 6 helpdesk

> personnell to support 6000+ users around the world.

>

> The job I had before this was about 6 servers, 40 users and I was the

> entire support team.

>

> Before that 2 servers and about 80 to 90 desktops and me for support.

>

> If you are looking to get help you should start by documenting your time

> very meticulusly. Show them where you are spending 40 to 50 hours a week.

> Then show them what is not getting done.

>

>

> hth

> DDS

>

> "Frankster" wrote in message

> news:0vydnbHY1Kuzj13UnZ2dnUVZ_jWWnZ2d@giganews.com...

>>

>> "Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

>> news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

>>> Hi,

>>>

>>> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003,

>>> terminal

>>> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>>>

>>> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>>>

>>> Thanks

>>

>> What you will find is that there is no standard. Good luck. Just suck it

>> up. LOL.

>>

>> -Frank

>

 

Good suggestions.

 

Funny, this is always a catch-22. Show them what's not getting done and

sometimes they'll think that they must have the wrong guy doing it. LOL...

 

-Frank

[Guest Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]]

Hello Sanjay,

There are no fixed standard. How many users do you currently support?

 

"Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>

> Thanks

[Guest Dave Harry]

> Funny, this is always a catch-22. Show them what's not getting done and

> sometimes they'll think that they must have the wrong guy doing it. LOL...

 

Not if you got to them saying "this is what is not getting done *AND* this

is what I need to fix it"

As opposed to them coming to you with "Frankster, you are failing here."

 

 

--

Dave Harry

[Guest Leythos]

In article ,

SanjayMehta@discussions.microsoft.com says...

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

 

Most of our customers have 100-300 employees with computers, they have

no full time IT Staff, and we normally spend about 4 hours per week

supporting their people, monthly we spend an extra 4 hours doing server

updates.

 

Small shops, 1-15 employees, we spend about 1 hour a month, and then

more when new apps are needed or a drive fails.

 

--

- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.

- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a

drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"

spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)

[Guest Phillip Windell]

"Leythos" wrote in message

news:MPG.242a6428ff5dd3ca989a24@us.news.astraweb.com...

> Most of our customers have 100-300 employees with computers, they have

> no full time IT Staff, and we normally spend about 4 hours per week

> supporting their people, monthly we spend an extra 4 hours doing server

> updates.

>

> Small shops, 1-15 employees, we spend about 1 hour a month, and then

> more when new apps are needed or a drive fails.

 

That's because they don't call you for every little thing because they have

to wait for someone to get there,..and it costs $$$ for them, so for some

problems they just "live with it" till you are there. So they only call you

when they really have to,...so you spend less time there.

 

It isn't like that for an in-house staff. They're calling all the time for

something because I am right there. I have around 100 machines/users and

there is maybe only a couple hours out of a whole day where there isn't

anything actively happeing. But during those times I am doing other "care

taking" that no one here is probably even aware that I'm doing (oh yea,..and

then there is these newsgroups :-] ).

 

--

Phillip Windell

www.wandtv.com

 

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,

or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.

-----------------------------------------------------

[Guest Phillip Windell]

"Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

 

The limit is one user less than it takes to get the IT Staff to jump off the

roof.

 

--

Phillip Windell

www.wandtv.com

 

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,

or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.

-----------------------------------------------------

[Guest Dave Warren]

In message "Phillip Windell"

was claimed to have wrote:

>It isn't like that for an in-house staff. They're calling all the time for

>something because I am right there. I have around 100 machines/users and

>there is maybe only a couple hours out of a whole day where there isn't

>anything actively happeing. But during those times I am doing other "care

>taking" that no one here is probably even aware that I'm doing (oh yea,..and

>then there is these newsgroups :-] ).

 

Lets face it, the internet doesn't surf itself.

[Guest Anthony [MVP]]

The standard is exactly x per 100 users.

You will have to outsource to find out what x is,

Anthony

http://www.airdesk.com

 

 

 

"Sanjay Mehta" wrote in message

news:CEE16B23-A0EA-46CB-86F0-4D53A60B1DCE@microsoft.com...

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>

> Thanks

[Guest Jennie]

Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

Any advice of server staff vs hardware ratio's?

We have over 500 servers located in regional and central sites, multiple hardware platforms and OS, applications and 10 server staff. Does this sound reasonable?

 

Oh yes, and then there are the hundreds of projects, reports, builds, support, daily changes and requests and maintenance with the same 10 people)

 

 

 

SanjayMeht wrote:

 

Ratio of IT staff to users

17-Mar-09

 

Hi,

 

I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

servrices) and also helpdesk role.

 

I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

 

Thanks

 

EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice

Notify Client Applications Using WCF Callbacks

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspne...pplication.aspx

[Guest techstress]

Re: Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

I thought i read somewhere on Techrepublic that it's ideal to have 50

employees to 1 support staff member. Must have been another site

though.

 

Here's two articles

 

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-...11-5174092.html

 

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/technology.../268319-5665531

 

 

On Oct 13, 5:19 am, Jennie wrote:

> Any advice of server staff vs hardware ratio's?

> We have over 500 servers located in regional and central sites, multiple hardware platforms and OS, applications and 10 server staff.  Does this sound reasonable?

>

> Oh yes, and then there are the hundreds of projects, reports, builds, support, daily changes and requests and maintenance with the same 10 people)

>

> SanjayMeht wrote:

>

> Ratio of IT staff to users

> 17-Mar-09

>

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>

> Thanks

>

> EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice

> Notify Client Applications Using WCF Callbackshttp://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspnet/b5ada8df-58c5-492f-b368-4...

[Guest Leythos]

Re: Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

In article , foscsamuels@gmail.com says...

>

> I thought i read somewhere on Techrepublic that it's ideal to have 50

> employees to 1 support staff member. Must have been another site

> though.

 

We have customers with more than 100 employees, most of them have 4-8

servers, they have no-onsite IT staff, and we normally bill them about 4

hours per month once the network/firewall/av infrastructure is setup.

This has been their history for 5+ years, including upgrades, etc...

 

The secret is in locking down the network and systems so that users

can't screw them up.

 

If you take a typical site, that doesn't lock things down, I could see 1

full time staff member to start, when you have 10+ users or more.

 

You also have to consider the level of the IT support, not just the

Body.

 

In most places, they could hire a $30K-$40K grunt for the basic daily

work and subcontract the advanced things and save a LOT of money over

the year.

 

--

You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little

voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.

Trust yourself.

spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)

[Guest techstress]

Re: Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

> We have customers with more than 100 employees, most of them have 4-8

> servers, they have no-onsite IT staff, and we normally bill them about 4

> hours per month once the network/firewall/av infrastructure is setup.

> This has been their history for 5+ years, including upgrades, etc...

>

> The secret is in locking down the network and systems so that users

> can't screw them up.

 

Different stokes for different folks. Some companies will have more

resources, others will have less. Management will have an impact on

the decision making process. Some companies rather have more

functional systems than tightened security.

[Guest Anteaus]

RE: Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

I can't even begin to imagine how ten people can service the requests from

all the users you must have on 500 servers. Or, do they cover the servers

only?

 

As for how many support staff in general, that depends on so may factors

it's hard to generalize. Some of our sites run with almost no intervention,

others generate a regular stream of calls.

 

Locking-down desktops is a good way to improve reliability in a large

organization with standardised software. On smaller sites with diverse

software it tends to have the opposite effect, with the IT guys having to be

called-out for every trivial change.

 

"Jennie" wrote:

> Any advice of server staff vs hardware ratio's?

> We have over 500 servers located in regional and central sites, multiple hardware platforms and OS, applications and 10 server staff. Does this sound reasonable?

>

> Oh yes, and then there are the hundreds of projects, reports, builds, support, daily changes and requests and maintenance with the same 10 people)

>

>

>

> SanjayMeht wrote:

>

> Ratio of IT staff to users

> 17-Mar-09

>

> Hi,

>

> I am working as a network admin (ISA, windows2003, exchange 2003, terminal

> servrices) and also helpdesk role.

>

> I wanted to find out what is the standard ratio if IT staff to users?

>

> Thanks

>

> EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice

> Notify Client Applications Using WCF Callbacks

> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspne...pplication.aspx

>

[Guest Leythos]

Re: Ratio of Servers vs Support Staff

 

In article , foscsamuels@gmail.com says...

>

> > We have customers with more than 100 employees, most of them have 4-8

> > servers, they have no-onsite IT staff, and we normally bill them about 4

> > hours per month once the network/firewall/av infrastructure is setup.

> > This has been their history for 5+ years, including upgrades, etc...

> >

> > The secret is in locking down the network and systems so that users

> > can't screw them up.

>

> Different stokes for different folks. Some companies will have more

> resources, others will have less. Management will have an impact on

> the decision making process. Some companies rather have more

> functional systems than tightened security.

 

I would have to say that "More Functionality" is in the eye of the

beholder. If you can do all your work, that which is needed for

Business, then you are not missing any functionality.

 

We tend to approach networks with the idea that you (employees) have no

natural rights, not right to Internet access, no right to install

anything on COMPANY computers, no right to check your personal email,

etc...

 

Yea, that approach often ticks off the "ME" generation, but, in all

these years we've never had a compromised network, and the networks that

cater to the "ME" generation are compromised frequently.

 

--

You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little

voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.

Trust yourself.

spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)