SmartHands & IMAC: On-Demand, On-Site Tech Expertise for IT Projects

XSi SmartHands & IMAC provides onsite technical expertise and support for any server, data storage, networking, or UPS hardware projects or requirements. XSi SmartHands is available 24x7x365 and is often relied upon by clients for minimally-staffed branch or remote offices. SmartHands eliminates the need to hire full-time, expensive technicians for temporary or very short projects. Similarly, hardware Installs, Moves, Adds and Changes (IMAC) are a set of tasks that enterprise IT teams regularly perform to keep computing (networking, servers, data storage, UPS) equipment up-to-date and aligned with internal user requirements. Such tasks can be cost-effectively outsourced to XSi’s globally deployed (and Top Secret cleared) hardware technical experts, relieving internal tech teams for higher priority tasks. This XSi service is often used to save internal teams from the travel time associated with visits to offsite DR locations, branch or remote locations.

IMAC or SmartHands may refer to a small alteration, such as upgrading a single network switch or a large and involved upgrade such as decommissioning servers in one location and recommissioning and configuring those servers in another location. IMAC is a commonly used term in network administration where incremental changes occur quite frequently. However, XSi recognizes that such tasks also occur in the data center environment where internal staff may be stretched thin or unable to fully address the desired time window requirement.

Think of XSi SmartHands & IMAC as a way of extending your existing technical staff’s capabilities, yet doing so simply and without impact to your staffing budgets.

Here are a few examples of what XSi clients commonly request

• After the purchase of pre-owned servers/storage, full installation until deemed fully operational by your staff.
• OS installations, when proper authority is granted, on servers/storage along with patch updates installation, as per the agreed-upon project plan.
• Network switch/router installs and full configuration.
• Shutdown and move (or decommission) a single server/storage asset (or group of) to a new location onsite, across town, across the country.
• Re-install assets deemed fully operational by your staff.
• After consultation and agreement, deploy changes to hardware assets to meet objectives for efficiency, cost containment, greater security or resiliency.
• Tech visits to remote/branch offices to troubleshoot known issues or check on assets that are not call-home capable.
• Technical assistance to supplement your tech teams to allow for the timely completion of any server, storage, networking or UPS project.
• Technical leadership for short-term projects which your staff are unable to address in the timeframe desired or required.
• Assistance throughout the timely deployment of a new technology for which company executives have grown impatient (e.g., Cisco VoIP).