The table below outlines the various event driven IT change freeze periods throughout the year. A freeze on changes to the IT environment is imposed during critical events to minimise the risk of system failures and downtime impacting critical and high profile events.
Hard Freeze:9th - 20th August
Soft Freeze:21st - 23rd August
Note: The timetable will be aligned to the calendar published on the ARCS website regarding QMUL specific annual events and periods.
Exclusions: Pre-approved, standard, low risk changes are excluded from change freezes.
Targeted or Soft freeze: Some services are more critical during certain periods such as clearing or enrolment, where the impact of a service interruption due to a change would be greater. A targeted freeze period will apply to such critical services.
Hard freeze: During a Hard freeze, no non-standard changes will be implemented to ANY IT service.
Change Freeze Exception Process: If it is essential for a change to be made during a freeze, it will need to follow the Change Freeze Exception Process which requires assessment of the risk of delaying the implementation and Assistant Director approval.
Change Schedule: To check dates specific to a particular year please refer to the shared calendar in MS Outlook/Office 365 (from your Outlook calendar > click on Open Calendar (under the Home tab) > click on From Address Book... > search for ‘[Shared] ITS Change Schedule’).