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IT Staffing guidelines and tools

I'm looking for some guidelines and tools that I can use to gauge our IT staffing needs and then convince the higher ups if we require more IT staff. I've looked on Google and EE a bit, but haven't found anything that tells me how to gauge our needs.

We currently have about 160 PCs and 40 printers spread across 5 sites connected via VPNs, and 9 servers at the main site with me being the only IT person.

How many IT staff do you have and how much equipment do they take care of?

Also anything that I can use from credible sources would be helpful. I may believe information posted here on EE from other users however others that need convincing may not give much credit to something posted on a forum they've never heard of.

Thanks

Mark Poirier

I am not in the IT dept of our facility but I can give you some numbers.
We are 1 district geographically spread out over 8 sites with a radius of about 120miles.
There are approximately 1200 computers , laptop, and networked printers which would probably be about equal to the number of PC's, but this IT dept is not responsible for the main server systems that are set up for a wider area covering 7 districts.
They have a centralized phone support system for all districts which are partially manned by our district at main working times. This IT dept has 6 techs, and 2 supervisory with technical experience. Alot of the work is done by remote if its software and replacement units at each site which have the basic image on the hard drive, which are usually swapped out until a tech can arrive at a later date for the outlying site, using a work ticket system for referral.
My opinion is that they are severely undermanned as they cannot keep up to the demand when it becomes a hardware issue, software they can handle more easily due to the remote aspect.

Mark Poirier

Here is an interesting worksheet for a school district IT staffing guideline.
http://www.link75.org/helpdesk/techplan/m_supporting/m4_worksheetcalculatesdraft.pdf

Mark Poirier

Here is an EXCEL IT Staffing Calculator for libraries, but it may give you an idea of your requirements.
http://galecia.com/weblog/mt/archives/IT_staff_calculator.xls

Mark Poirier

And a helpdesk calculator
http://www.nanodesk.com/staffing.htm

pkutter

ASKER

Thanks for all of the info sparkmaker. I see I have a lot of info that I need to collect to plug into these. Do you or anyone else know of any more of these calculators that might have a larger scope (meaning that they might take into account procurement, meetings or other tasks) or related to the healthcare industry rather than specific for the schools and libraries?

I think I could probably take some of the formulas and plug them into a spreadsheet build my own if I need to, but any other input would be appreciated.

Thanks again

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Mark Poirier

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pkutter

ASKER

Hi sparkmaker,

Now to go about collecting information this will be a great help I think.

Thanks for all the information and for continuing to answer questions after many others would have given up.

Also I agree very strongly with your philosophy listed in your profile about making the world a better place.

Thanks again, I appreciate it.

Mark Poirier

Your welcome, good luck with your endeavors.