For example, IT has an automated Intrusion Detection System (IDS) that identifies and heads off potential problems before they have the chance to do any damage to the university’s computer-based assets. The IDS also creates reports of attempted attacks on the network. During the reporting period of December 25, 2004 through January 24, 2005, IDS reported 10,182,150 attacks on the Cal State Fullerton network. The onslaught ranged from attempts at network vandalism to distributed denial of service attacks. Most, however, were attempts to compromise database servers with WORMS or other exploits. In any event, none of the more than ten million attempts succeeded. In baseball numbers, that’s batting a thousand. On the email front, the system’s viruswalls knocked out 72,604 virus infections and blocked 617,021 suspicious attachments, a whopping 20-fold increase over last year.

Like the network’s IDS and viruswall, the Help Desk, too, works to keep the university’s computers up and running, and to help users solve technical problems as they arise. And, like the network, the Help Desk keeps track of its numbers. While not in the millions, the numbers are still impressive. Between July 1 and December 31, 2004, the Help Desk opened 12,411 job tickets and closed just as many. Most problems (69%) were resolved within in an hour. Another 13% were resolved between one and eight hours. Problems ranged from questions about accounts or passwords to repairing, either remotely or in person, desktop virus infections that slipped into the system. On the phones, the Help Desk logged 18,485 incoming calls, 84% of which were answered within 12 seconds; only 16% of callers had to wait more than 12 seconds to speak with a consultant.

When consultants make field visits to campus offices, they leave a questionnaire for users to rate their “service impression.” These questionnaires tell their own story: 95% were rated “great,” 5% were rated “good,” and 0% were less than good.

The numbers seem to add up.

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