1. Pick a standard and stick to it. Reducing the number of hardware manufacturers, operating systems, and application software packages in use in your district is a surefire way to lower costs and increase support efficiency. Although it might not be popular initially, standardization pays off through easier troubleshooting, fewer support calls, lower training costs for technology staff and end users, volume price discounts on hardware and software, and a greater number of interchangeable parts. In the end, you'll have fewer problems and users will be happier.

"Buy district licensed software and support nothing else," Vance counsels. "For example, if you buy a license for Microsoft Office, don't buy or support any other office suite that does word processing, spreadsheets, and databases." He also recommends requiring that new computers be delivered with the district's standard software already installed.

2. Lock down the computer desktop. To prevent kids from making potentially fatal alterations to the operating system -- or installing unsupported or dangerous software applications -- a desktop-management utility is a must. Vance uses Deep Freeze, a program that he says "saves our lives." The program takes a snapshot of a computer's approved configuration (settings, installed programs, and so on) and restores everything to its original state every time the computer is rebooted -- automatically. No matter what student-induced havoc befalls the computer, a simple reboot undoes the damage.

"This program has reduced the number of problems in our district to near zero," Vance says. "Kids can't do a thing to it." Although teachers were originally hesitant, Vance says the effectiveness of the program has won them over: "Now, when they walk into a classroom and everything works, they love it."

3. Don't waste your time on a broken computer. If a teacher insists on installing additional software, it is with the understanding that if the computer develops a problem, the support staff won't spend any time on troubleshooting it, Vance says. Instead, they'll wipe the slate clean and reinstall the original hard drive configuration (or "disk image") using Symantec Ghost, which takes only a few minutes. Although doing so erases any software the teacher has installed, it means that a working computer is returned to the classroom in the shortest possible amount of time.

"The trick is to have as few different images as possible and an accurate record of which image to use on which machine," Vance says. "This is accomplished through very accurate hardware and software inventory databases. If a machine needs to be reimaged, we are able to tell the staff member what software over and above the standard software is legal to reinstall." The district is about to purchase more than 250 computers, all of which will be restorable using a single disk image, he adds.

4. Be vigilant about anti-virus software. It might seem obvious, but downtime due to viruses can be a real time sink for school technology staff. Using anti-virus software on both servers and desktop computers -- and updating the virus signatures frequently -- is the only defense.

"We use Aladdin eSafe anti-virus software on individual desktops and Norton AntiVirus on servers," Vance says. "We also use Pegasus e-mail because not only is it free and multi-user, but it's also not as susceptible to viruses."

5. Don't answer your own phone. This is especially important for a small technology staff of just two or three people, Vance says. "If you answer your own phone, someone else determines what your priorities will be for the next umpteen minutes," he says. "In our office, a secretary screens the calls and completes a work order if necessary. This does not mean that we do not do phone support. What it does mean is that we can then handle the problems in the order that is best for all, instead of letting a caller determine what our next assignment will be."

Voice mail is not an acceptable method of handling support, because many times the caller doesn't know what to say, Vance adds: "A couple of questions from a qualified secretary make it easier to complete an accurate work order."

6. Don't work extra hours. Break this rule and "you'll never get extra help," Vance says. "Those in charge of staffing will only provide help when the troops get restless. Working until the job gets done doesn't work, because the job never gets done." -- L.K.