The business of higher education is more competitive than ever. Today’s students are technically savvy and actively search out institutions that can support their computing needs. From campus-wide networks that must support all types of systems to cutting-edge technical research tools, higher education institutions face what is perhaps the most complex of technology integration challenges. Yet many universities lack the depth of the technical resources and proficiency required for successful integration of these technologies into a single learning environment.

Custom offers our higher education customers a comprehensive suite of cost-effective technology solutions and expertise, allowing them to gain control of their computing environment and turn it into an asset that supports their faculty and staff, attracts the best and brightest students, and ensures data security and the physical security of the campus.

Services

Consolidation/Virtualization and Data Center Consulting Services
Most PC-based servers utilize only 8-15% of their space. Virtualization consolidates the information stored on your servers, which will save your institution significant money on hardware, power, cooling, and space costs. In addition, virtualization will save your IT staff a tremendous amount of time in provisioning and maintaining the servers in your data center—freeing them to focus on other technology projects. Through this technology, we have helped many of our clients reduce their overall data center costs by approximately 1/3.

Custom offers an assessment program that shows institutions the exact savings they can realize from virtualization. This assessment determines which servers are able to be virtualized and provides utilization metrics and ROI scenarios that demonstrate how virtualization would reduce costs for your institution.

Networking and Consulting Services
The lifeblood of an IT environment, an organization’s IT investment is ultimately only as good as the transport upon which it operates. Custom’s extensive expertise in designing and/or installing thousands of LAN/WAN and wireless networks allows us unique insight into the most cost-effective and optimal solutions for your infrastructure requirements, whether for its networking for student dormitories and other locations or for video surveillance. Additionally, as networks are constantly faced with new and innovative ways their data can be compromised, we also offer a suite of standard security products and behavioral-based products (known as day-zero defense) to protect your critical information.

Help Desk/ Service Desk Consulting Services
Your service desk or help desk is the “public face” of your entire IT operation. How well are your operations perceived by the stakeholders at your institution? Custom offers an assessment program for institutions that want to know how their program rates against industry standards. Through this assessment, we provide an objective and transparent view into the current state of your operations by compiling a comprehensive gap assessment and recommendations for improvements. Each assessment is unique and provides feedback on how your institution can raise service levels, lower your costs, get better customer satisfaction ratings, and improve your staffing structure.

Managed Services
Higher education institutions rely on their computing networks to facilitate anytime anywhere learning, research, curriculum, and operations. In addition, competition between institutions to recruit high-performing students is fierce, making a robust technology system a huge differentiator. With these requirements, it is necessary to have IT support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep networks running optimally. Custom Managed Services supplements your existing IT support personnel to ensure the full functionality of your network at all times. Our services provide your staff with the latest support tools to protect your network and data and enable them to perform day-to-day support functions in less time and at a lower cost than hiring second and third shift personnel.

Staff Augmentation
During the rush at the start of the new semester, to fulfill responsibilities of a team member on leave, or for institutions that have difficulty retaining experienced staff, sometimes it is necessary to outsource. Custom provides support services that supplement your existing technical staff and address the functions and/or gaps that exist in your IT support infrastructure. We retain some of the finest IT professionals who combine technical capabilities, solid business expertise, and extraordinary customer service skills. These proven professionals are all Custom employees, not contractors. They have undergone an extremely rigorous and comprehensive pre-employment screening process; only personnel of the highest quality and with the highest integrity will be assigned to your institution. As a testament to our services, Custom has enjoyed a 98% renewal of all staff augmentation clients since 1996.

Product Procurement
A critical part in the success of any technology roll out is the selection and procurement of the right products at the right price. As one of the largest privately owned technology providers in the Northeast, we have the buying power to make major technology purchases, extensive warehousing space to facilitate orders, and experienced teams of professionals that seamlessly provide procurement services to ensure completion of technology projects as expected.

Desktop Deployment
Custom provides a host of services to assist your institution with technology refreshes. Our team handles the set-up of desktop computers and laptop carts in computer labs or other locations, network and domain integration, data migration, and all necessary testing to guarantee workability, as well as assistance with product procurement. For all deployments, we assign each client with a dedicated project manager, who ensures adherence to timelines and efficient scheduling of resources.

Repair Services
Custom provides expert diagnosis and repair services of notebooks, desktop PCs, printers, and other peripheral devices, both in and out of warranty. We also provide tailored services such as parts stocking, loaner equipment, service level upgrades, and software support. Our partnerships with the most popular industry manufacturers including Apple, Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo and Lexmark, technical certifications, and adherence to strict service level agreements ensures your institution receives the best quality service available. We complete most work at client locations, but also offer carry-in service at our Depot Repair Facility on Long Island. Overall, Custom completes over 5,000 repairs per year.

Other Services

• Technology program marketing support to incoming freshman classes
• On-campus technology stores and repair facilities
• University specific training and awareness campaigns