Getting the most out of your Windows 7 managed desktop computer
05 Sep 2014
Answers to feedback about the Windows 7 managed desktop
During the Staff IT Survey in January, we received a great deal of useful feedback about the Windows 7 Managed Desktop, which will help us develop it for our staff and students.
A number of improvements have already been put in place, we have more planned and there are some existing features which you may find useful.
Administrative rights
The survey highlighted that some staff would like to be able to install their own software, or make changes to the computer which are not permitted as standard.
There are many reasons why we don’t permit administrative rights for all users. The computer’s operating system needs to be protected from being modified in case system files get changed, overwritten or deleted. This could potentially stop the computer from working. However, we understand that some people will need to occasionally perform tasks which require privileged access.
Please fill in this form if you have a particular requirement for an extra privileged access account:
We will contact you once your request has been reviewed.
Please note that there are already a large number of applications available for use on your desktop – try typing in the Windows search bar or looking on our Windows 7 applications web pages.
Recent changes to the managed desktop
We have already put some of your requests into action.
You asked if it would be possible to continue using your computer if there was a problem with the network storage system. We have made a number of improvements so that in the unlikely event you are unable to access the network storage, it is now possible to access Office programs on your computer.
There is also an ‘enhancement request’ page, where you can suggest enhancements to the managed desktop. These are monitored regularly to highlight any areas for improvement and gather future requirements.
Future changes
While an Application Request Form already exists for you to ask for a specific piece of software, we plan to release a ‘self service’ system which allows you to immediately install software from a list of approved applications yourself, without needing administrative rights. We will let you know more information when we have it.
Benefits of using the managed desktop
Increasing the use of the managed desktop has greatly improved the service that we provide.
- Support staff are familiar with the standard setup, so don’t have to spend time working out exactly how the computer has been configured
- Managing the anti-virus software helps us to contain virus infections more effectively
- Computers can be set up with the standard applications, and be ready to use within a few hours
- We can manage software updates, ensuring that the latest versions of software work properly with our business applications, before they are installed on your computer.
- It’s greener! We use power management on your computer. This reduces the carbon footprint by saving energy when it’s not in use, but it can be woken up in a few seconds by pressing the space bar. Always remember to leave your computer powered on (but logged off) when you leave at the end of the day.
There is a continual service improvement process in place, but we rely on your feedback to help us shape the future of the managed desktop. While we can’t implement every suggestion we get sent, we read every comment, and common themes are considered in team meetings.
We welcome your comments on the managed desktop and any other aspect of IT Services through our Talk To Us page.
IT Services