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The key to providing the best service for MIT users of Linux in general and Athena in particular is to focus on the few things that:

• IS&T can do better than anyone elseis the most appropriate provider.
• answer needs that are unique to MIT.

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1. IT Services, for example Email.
2. Software, for example, a site license for Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
3. Instruction in the use of services, and software; in how to install software.
4. Problem Solving when users call with questions.
5. Referrals outside IS&T for 1-4 above when appropriate.

The continuum of system customization falls into three broad categories:

1. IS&T Owned and Managed Athena general use clusters are the best example.
   Zero customization, We provide IS&T-purchased hardware of one particular config a year, a suite of services integrated on a particular distribution and version of OS for the year, all kept in sync to minimize conflict.

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IS&T offerings fit into two classes of service:

• Centrally Managed – IS&T specifies, acquires and integrates the hardware, OS platform, the services and applications.
• Personally Managed – Following the example of the Centrally Managed configurations, additional customization is done to a greater or lesser extent depending on the owner's need.

Owners:

Departments, Labs and Centers have demonstrated needs for unique software, service, hardware, or physical access requirements that are amortized across a group of systems. We provide guidance in the common elements, and some assistance getting the DLC to the point where their expertise can ramp up and make the environment successful.

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Individual users ask for a unique, custom configuration. We provide a common set of basic OS, Application, and Service offerings upon which the user builds. We provide guidance in the basics of avoiding problematic configurations or practices.

The Use Cases fall into four broad categories:

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