Currently the Department of Medicine, Medicne Network ( MNet) group helps more than 1,500 customers. Spanning mutliple campuses, the East Baltimore Medical Institutions and the Asthma and Allergy Center, as well as Lighthouse Point, Tindeco Wharf and Good Samaritan Hospital, the DOM networking group consists of an operations manager, three server technicians, six PC technicians and one Help Desk operator.
Unlike other institutional support groups, the DOM networking group offers full, PC support. Most Hopkins support groups will diagnose PC-related problems but will send PC owners to another source for repair. The DOM networking group will order your spare parts for you and will repair the problem.
In order to support the PCs that divisions order and answer software-related questions, divisions have appointed their own teams of software trainers. Led by Kimberly Fisher (kfisher@jhmi.edu), this group meets to discuss software tips and tricks.
The department also maintains software licensing for some applications. Certain applications, at no cost to you, are installed on your PC. These packages include:
Symantec AntiVirus
EPR
HIP
Internet Explorer
Adobe Acrobat
The DOM networking group also will install other preferred software on PCs you order, provided you pay for the software license. These packages may include, but are not limited to, WordPerfect, Adobe Photoshop, Reference Manger, Stata and Microsoft Office. Support of non-licensed software and custom software is the responsibility of the division.
At present, the MNet group, at no additional charge, will add a printer to the network. The MNet group does not, however, service printers. We are happy to diagnose your problem for you, but printer repair must be contracted through an outside printer repair group. If you suspect your printer has a problem, you may want to call Clinical Engineering (410-955-8805) for assistance.
Although Palm Pilot and Pocket PC support is available and it includes synchronization with the iPlanet calendar application, the MNet group is now migrating toward Microsoft Exchange. When migrating to Microsoft Exchange, we recommend that our customers choose a Smartphone running Windows Mobile 6. Contact us for help in migrating your account from JHEM or Groupwise to Microsoft Exchange.
In order to meet your remote needs, MNet group installed an VPN server so that customers may gain access to departmental files. Home-based customers may also access the network with the institutional Secure VPN software. To download the VPN software, log into JHED and follow the VPN link.
To protect your network data, the DOM networking group backs up departmental servers, five days a week. Tapes are stored in a secure location and catalogued twice monthly. File storage space (up to 500 mb) is available for individual network customers. File storage space also is available for divisional or group members. The server team also is checking your PC for the latest virus definitions and operating systems updates. These definitions and updates are pushed to your PC, sometimes on a daily basis, when they become available.
The institution has installed a server (called Fester) that allows you to transfer files up to 30 mb in size. You can also contact the SharePoint group to secure space. SharePoint is a great way to collaborate. To request a SharePoint account, please visit https://collaborate.johnshopkins.edu/sites/FAQ.
When calling the HELP Desk to order a PC, please allow four to six weeks for the arrival and configuration of the computer. Although we respond to emergency calls on a same-day basis (provided we receive a call prior to 3:00 p.m.), please allow two weeks for software installations and system upgrades. If you plan on purchasing a new PC, please consider purchasing a Dell with the Windows XP operating system. Certain standards have been passed by the Network Steering Committee, aimed at saving you money in the long run. If you are an MNet customer, we are happy to configure your new PC for you. Older PCs will be assessed a $200 migration fee if software must be uninstalled or re-installed. Please visit costs for a completing listing of our charges.
Because of its excellent support record, the DOM networking group has more than doubled its size in one year. Plans are underway to support other campuses.