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DeveloperNet SysOp Program

The DeveloperNet SysOp Program is a combination of Novell support professionals and volunteer industry professionals who work together as a team to answer questions and help resolve the problems of Novell developers. The DeveloperNet volunteers (SysOps) have real world experience and product knowledge enabling them to offer fellow developers a quick, accurate response.

who benefits?
The program is designed to be mutually beneficial to Novell, The DeveloperNet volunteers, and the Novell developer. Novell gains the expertise of outside professionals to give the developer quality assistance with development problems and questions. The DeveloperNet volunteer gains personal knowledge, experience, access to Novell information, and products to facilitate support. The Novell developer gains a convenient, quick, quality response from a DeveloperNet representative.
volunteer coverage

DeveloperNet SysOps read and respond to messages according to the Agreement for DeveloperNet System Operator Services. The goal of the DeveloperNet program is to cover all public messaging areas on the Developer Support Forums, and to ensure customer questions are replied to with timely, quality responses.

requirements:

  • Ensure forum traffic is covered
  • Forum message management
  • Help recruit other DeveloperNet volunteers
  • Maintain a minimum of 5 quality posts/wk or equivalent
  • Monitor quality of other Volunteer messages
  • Escalate issues as needed to Novell
  • Evaluations of Novell Developer Support Engineers and other SysOps
  • Sign Novell non-disclosure agreement.
  • Represent Novell in a positive manner.

benefits may include:

additional benefits

DeveloperNet SysOps may be awarded additional benefits at the discretion of the SysOp Program Manager. Benefits may be awarded or substituted on an individual basis. Unclaimed benefits do not carry over to the next event or next evaluation period.

join the program

The number of DeveloperNet SysOps is determined by the operating budget of the Novell DeveloperNet SysOp Program along with the number of qualified individuals**. Meeting the minimum program requirements does not guarantee entrance into, or continuation in the program.

evaluations

Twice each year, all DeveloperNet SysOps will be asked to evaluate all DeveloperNet team members. This evaluation will cover Novell Employees, other SysOp volunteers, and the DeveloperNet program as a whole. The purpose of this evaluation is to help ensure timely, quality responses to the developer, adequate support for SysOp needs, and to identify areas where improvement is needed. A multiplier will be derived from this evaluation to qualify the total number of messages and establish a 'Quality Message' number.

* All qualifications will be based on a quarterly average immediately prior to the qualification cutoff date as long as the 6 month average is at least 90% of the category minimum requirements, i.e. a DeveloperNet volunteer with a 3 month average of 10 quality posts/wk will qualify for benefits as long as the 6 month average is at least 9 quality posts/wk. Quality of messages will be monitored by the Novell and Volunteer DeveloperNet members. Quantity of messages will be measured as responses to customers mixed with the evaluation multiplier. Time spent attending DeveloperNet sponsored activities will not be counted against message numbers, i.e. if in a month with 4.5 weeks there is a week long BrainShare conference, the month will be counted as having 3.5 weeks.

** Any SysOp that does not meet minimum message requirements for three consecutive months, or fails to meet the 90% level over a 6 month period of time may be automatically be dropped from the program, and will forfeit benefits.