Unidata Support by Topic

Unidata User Support
Summer 2007

Tom Yoksas
July 2, 2007

Unidata Inquiry Tracking System

Since January 26, 2006 over 7700 user support "transactions" (new inquiries and follow-ups) have been processed through the Unidata inquiry tracking system. It is our intention to allow non-UPC, domain-specific, expert users access to the tracking system if they are willing to assist in the direct support of community members.

The UPC's successful transition to use of a new inquiry tracking system was announced to the community in Unidata Transitions to a New Inquiry Tracking System. End-user, web-based access to the support system will require integration with our single sign-on management system (CAMS) and conversion of the user interface to the look-and-feel of our website.

Unidata User Support Inquiry Metrics

Support for One Year and by quarter

Above are histograms that portray the number of Unidata email responses for categories of support for a one year period ending July 2 2007. The histograms are arranged by yearly activity averages with the highest on the left and lowest on the right. Each quarter year within the period is depicted from oldest to newest from left to right. The number of responses has been normalized to weekly averages so that the support load over the various periods can be easily compared.

Total support averaged 139 responses/week over the entire year; 124 for the first quarter; 109 for the second quarter; 163 for the third quarter; and 159 for the current quarter.

Individual support activities included in the categories depicted above are listed in the following table.

Category Packages, Groups, and Lists
data casestudies, casestudies-list, conduit, c2-linda, craft, craft-nws, craft-ty, datastream, difax, level2, level2-linda, level2-ty, noaaport, noaaport-ty, noaaportldm
dods dods, dods-core, dods-list, dods-tech, dods-team, linda-dods, opendap, opendap-core, opendap-list, opendap-tech, opendap-team
gempak gempak, gembud-list
ldm ldm, ldm-users-list
lead, leadusers lead
idd cluster, idd, idd-antarctic, idd-brasil, idd-caribe, idd-inject, idd-status, scoop, suominet, tigge, venezuela
idv idv, idvlist, idvsteering, metapps, visad-list, visad-renderer
mcidas mcdevelop, mcidas, mcidas-list
miscellaneous esupport, fxlinux, license, misc, network, notrack, platforms, wxp, wxp-list
netcdf data-models, libcf, ncml, netcdf, netcdf-miss, netcdfgroup-list, netcdf-hdf-list, netcdf-java, netcdf-perl
nws-changes nws-changes
outreach agu-linda, agu-ty, ams-linda, announce, barbados-ty, cbmet-ty, chile-ty, egrants, egu-linda, external, iai-ty, meteoforum-ty, noaa-linda, nws-linda, unidata, workshop
thredds java-dev, java-dev-list, thredds
utilities decoders, ldm-mcidas, udunits

Comments:

Some tentative conclusions: Notes:

These numbers and conclusions should not be taken too literally, for several reasons:

by Tom Yoksas