Student computing labs are owned either by a faculty, by Student Housing & Residence Life or by the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED). ICTS has been contracted to manage the majority of these student computing labs. This includes staffing the labs as well as the management of the computers in those venues. A standard image is applied, using configuration management software, to all centrally-managed computers in the labs under contract to ICTS.
The base image is contains standard software and configurations. A faculty can ask for more applications to be added (at an additional cost) to the base image, either for one lab only or for all the labs under their control. Changes to the lab configuration can be made at almost any time of the year by logging a call with the IT Helpdesk.
Costing model for additional configurations and applications
| Model | Detail | Annual cost | Cost per additional application |
| A | Base image | R150 per machine | R3000 |
| B | Base + up to 15 Apps | Base + R30 000 | R3000 |
| C | Base + up to 30 Apps | Base + R50 000 | R3000 |
| D | Base + up to 45 Apps | Base + R75 000 | R3000 |
| E | Base + unlimited Apps | Base + R250 000 | N/A |
Examples:
- Lab 1 has 10 Machines, only running the base image.
This is a Model A lab, therefore the cost is 10 x R150 per year.
- Lab 2 has 10 machines with Model B configuration.
The cost is 10 x R150 + R30 000 per year.
- Lab 3 has 10 machines with Model B configuration, but has 17 applications (over and above the base image).
The cost is therefore 10 x R150 + R30 000 + R6 000 per year.
Request a change to the lab image
Any UCT staff member can request a change to the lab image by logging a call with the IT Helpdesk. You will, however, need to get approval from the lab owner.
View a flowchart showing the standard operating procedures for configuration updates in ICTS-managed student labs (PDF document).