IT Infrastructure

IT Enterprise Systems and Desktop Support

Our information technology department is responsible for creating a technology infrastructure and supporting the staff members who utilize that infrastructure.

The hardware includes routers, switches, cabling, servers, computers, and other technology that is critical in every modern organization. And the software comprises of our church database management system, software from Apple, Microsoft and Adobe, and many other miscellaneous applications.

We support about 450 Apple laptops and 15 Windows PC machines. We currently refresh laptop computers every three years. Servers and other network equipment are refreshed about every five years, or as needed.

Systems Utilized

  • Arena: Church Management Database developed by Shelby Systems. Our web team moved the system to Arena in 2010, and it serves as the main repository for demographic information for our members, regular attendees and others.
  • Google Apps: Email, document sharing, instant messaging, and calendar sharing. It’s free for non-profits. We also purchase Google’s Postini services for spam blocking and virus filtering.
  • OpenDNS: We use OpenDNS for web content filtering. We also trust our employees to use their best judgement while online at work.
  • Backups: All employees are issued an external hard drive and encouraged to use Apple’s Time Machine on a regular basis. Servers are backed up using Atempo’s Time Navigator (Macs) and Symantec Backup Exec (Windows).
  • Casper: Used for Apple laptop computer imaging and deployment, software deployment, remote management, and inventory of assets.
  • Web Help Desk: Ticketing system used to track a wide range of requests from the staff (not just IT support).
  • VMware: We have the VMware vSphere Essentials edition for our internal Windows and Linux Servers (about 25 servers total).
  • NetApp: The Netapp 2020 iSCSI SAN is dedicated to our VMWare environment.
  • Apple and Dell Servers: The servers that cannot be virtualized run on Apple or Dell hardware
  • XSAN: Our SPD Media department edits, creates, and archives messages and other content on a 130TB Apple XSAN running on Promise hardware.
  • Phone System: We recently switched to a Cisco VoIP system. Most of our staff uses the Mac version of the soft phone on their computer. Cisco desk phones are deployed only if requested (models 7941, 7942, 7945, 7965, 7911).
  • Network infrastructure: all switches, routers, and wireless access points are Cisco products
  • Concur: The accounting department uses Concur Travel and Expense for employee expense reporting and for vendor invoice payment.

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Please follow these links if you are interested in knowing more about the Web Department or the technology behind Sunday Morning Services.

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