Business critical services

Core IT services

IST offers a variety of IT services to the University of Waterloo community. A key subset of these are deemed core IT services:

  • ADFS
  • DHCP
  • DNS
  • Exchange
  • External Network
  • Skype for Business
  • ​Mailservices
  • MS SQL Cluster
  • NEXUS
  • Microsoft 365
  • Storage
  • Physical Security systems
  • SharePoint
  • Telephones
  • VMware cluster
  • WCMS
  • Wired Network
  • Wireless
  • VPN
​

Core IT services are primarily managed by the Technology Integrated Services group in IST, and are generally offered on a 7x24 basis with 99.9% or better availability (measured monthly). For planned maintenance to core services, IST will provide the following notice:

  • Between 21:00 – 08:00 weekdays, and anytime on weekends, statutory and University holidays, with:
    • At least 24 hours notice for maintenance window
    • At least 48 hours notice for maintenance window 5 minutes to 1 hour
    • At least 7 days notice for maintenance window 1 to 2 hours
    • At least 14 days notice for maintenance window 2 to 6 hours
    • At least 30 days notice for maintenance window 6 to 12 hours
  • At other mutually agreed times if maintenance activities are requested by a department, and impact is limited to that department.
  • All other times with approval of CIO

IST's response times for service outages or degradation is immediate during business hours, with a target resolution time of less than four hours. Outside of business hours, IST's response time is one hour, with a target resolution time of 12 hours (this includes the replacement of physical components, and the identification and resolution of software-based issues).

Please see the TIS Service Level Expectations document for more specific information on any of the above items.

Report an issue

The IST Help Portal (Jira Service Management, JSM) system is used to report problems to, or request services from, various groups within IST, and some other departments/faculties.