Maintenance and security

Network changes

Changes to your network or security configuration that will affect the support of your Synergetic installation must be immediately notified to our Support or Systems teams.

Some examples changes that you should notify us of:

In-house server migrations
Change of remote connection or VPN details
Server name, IP address or application folder
Security or policy lockdown affecting our login on the servers we need to support.

Changes should be notified to us via email.

Database backups and maintenance plans

Our Network Technicians will configure disk based SQL database backups in conjunction with your Network Manager or Database Administrator. Backups will ideally be scheduled at a time when they will not interfere with other existing scheduled maintenance or enterprise backups.

The initial maintenance and backup jobs will be configured by Synergetic staff. The backups are tested on the day to confirm they are working; afterwards the maintenance of these jobs becomes the responsibility of your Network Technicians or Database Administrator. Each site needs to delegate a staff member to regularly monitor the backup and maintenance process and ensure that they are running correctly.

Firewall filters and remote access

Synergetic’ s external IP addresses will require a firewall filter rule on your side which enable us to log on remotely (IP ranges currently: 203.29.67.211, 203.29.67.220, 40.82.213.163, 49.255.23.112/29). We will send email notifications to the relevant administrator at the school prior to the changes being made.

To view the network diagram please view the following URL

http://synergetic.net.au/index.php/resources-main/installs-a-upgrades/

Connection methods and speeds

While Synergetic provides support and maintenance we require your site to provide a reasonable standard of connection that allows us to maintain connection speed and avoid time delays and frustration on both ends. The Synergetic Remote Access system is based on the third party product “Screen Connect” and is accessible from http://connect.synergetic.net.au and other Client installable server based Screen Connect services as provided by Synergetic.

Password policy

Synergetic staff have a strict policy that protects the service account credentials for your Synergetic installation.

This includes:

Minimum password complexity requirements
Emailing of passwords or accepting passwords sent via email is prohibited
Passwords cannot be disclosed to anyone other than the site’s Synergetic System Administrator or Business Manager.
When disclosing passwords our staff will call you back on a recorded number to avoid social engineering hacks.
Changing the ‘sa’ (System administrator) password periodically. Please advise Synergetic support via a phone call once the sa password has been reset.

Database manipulation and table/view naming conventions

Synergetic’s Support Agreement explicitly states that the client may not modify our standard database structure, as changes can interfere with the upgrade process and cause misalignment of content to table/view properties. However we do allow additional user object (tables, views, stored procedures, triggers etc) to be created, provided their names are prefixed with a “u”. This prefix rule applies to all objects that have been created at any level within a Synergetic database. Other, non-Synergetic databases that exist on the same SQL Server are entirely the responsibility of your site.

Clients should not only not change our database structure (apart for u objects), or also alter the contents of data without using Synergetic interfaces or APIs (Application programming interface). This is to ensure that direct changes to data don’t cause conflicts with other parts of the system and its designed behaviors. Please contact Synergetic support to discuss work of this nature, prior to making any changes.

When a site’s Synergetic databases are upgraded, any custom logic that a school may have is not changed or removed (providing you adhere to the naming conventions above) so you can be sure that nothing will change to your own enhancements during this process. However there is a chance that certain custom changes that link to our own standard objects may be impacted by changes to our standard structure; we seek to minimize changes of this nature but it can occur. If your custom changes behave differently after a Synergetic upgrade, it’s advised to verify the design of the custom work against the Synergetic objects utilized, to see if a modification to your own design is required.

If further assistance is required Synergetic Support may be able to assist (please note this may be treated as 3rd party chargeable task).