Policy:Network Governance

Designed from inception to provide a stable multi-purpose community, built around an IRC network, DareNET is well structured for both growth and user satisfaction. Our organizational management of an all volunteer staff is a multi-layered approach, with no individual linchpin holding the network together (one reason we do not have CEOs, COOs, or grant outrageous powers to "founders", etc.).

DareNET's network staff, as a whole, are responsible for the vast majority of the network's day to day operations. This includes answering user queries and requests, maintaining various server resources, and, if necessary, acting in response to any threats to the network or violations of the network's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

Specific duties and tasks have been delegated to established teams, which are comprised of various staff members, and in some instances users. All staff members are encouraged to participate in any such entities for which they are eligible.

Organizational Makeup

Our diverse Executive Board comes from a wide background of both technical and managerial experience and has successfully been running large scale IRC networks and Internet communities for many years and bring a collective experience that will provide the oversight that will allow DareNET to maintain its mission of providing quality community related IRC services without compromising its core beliefs.

Our Executive Board's goal is to create a streamlined staff organization, not unneeded bureaucracy, by creating positions that oversee specific areas of responsibility with specific duties attached to them. Four distinct teams have been created each with its own manager: Development, Infrastructure, Support and Training. Those managers appoint and manage individuals to fulfill the needs of our users and serve to maintain the network.

The current makeup is as follows:

• Executive Board

  • Development Team
    • Development Manager
      • Developer(s)
  • Infrastructure Team
    • Infrastructure Manager
      • Infrastructure Administrator(s)
        • Server Administrator(s) / Server Coordinator(s)
  • Support Team
    • Support Manager
      • Support Operator(s)
        • Network Helper(s)
          • Support Helper(s)
            • Trial Helper(s)
  • Training Team
    • Training Manager
      • Trainer(s)

The Teams

Tiered below our Executive Board, as shown above, are a few teams which are responsible for the day to day operations of DareNET:

Development

What network would be complete without its own in house development gurus? The Development team, lead by the Development Manager, oversees a few development projects -- including: ircd-darenet, services-darenet and website-darenet

IRCd and Services Developers

These bit magicians are responsible not only for our professional quality IRC services system, services-darenet, but also maintain patch sets and fixes for our IRC daemon, ircd-darenet (based off of ircu).

Web Developers

What happens when you put web designers and web programmers into the same room? You get a highly functional, well designed web experience. Our web development team is responsible for the design and development of our end user website, as well as our integrated staff intranet, which will soon provide the solid operational basis for our network to run. Managing a network requires copious amounts of information management and these web divas and gurus turn bleeding edge into rock solid stability allowing for multiple teams and staff members to co-manage and provide the best possible network experience to our end users.

Infrastructure

Building a geographically diverse, yet well structured network is both an art form and science. Lead by the Infrastructure Manager, these fine folks have both aspects down. Their responsibilites include reviewing prospective servers, integrating them into the existing network, maintaining DareNET's IRC pool using its integrated IRC<>DNS management service and collectively reviewing the network on an ongoing basis to ensure link stability.

Support

The Support Team is lead by the Support Manager, and is also made up of well respected individuals in our community who over a period of time have shown great dedication to the network and propensity for management. These fine folks are responsible for the customer service end of our day to day operations. Managing a few sub-teams and a volunteer staff, these cat wranglers work to keep the end user experience on DareNET a positive one.

Training

The Training Team is responsible for ensuring staff posses the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively do their job here on DareNET.

Staff Additions

O-lines

As stated in our linking guidelines, only one o-line is granted to the server's administrator. Any additional staff that the server administrator has in mind will need to apply for a DareNET staff position. Their applications will receive the same consideration as those of other users. When a staff application is accepted, no minimum level of privilege is guaranteed or offered.

All other o-lines are granted based upon a staff member's need for such access, as decided by network management.

Teams:

Staffing of teams is done through an application process, as determined by the respective team itself -- in accordance with any network guidelines, and with the assistance of DareNET's centralized training team.

Staff Conduct

ALL members of network staff are expected to conduct themselves in a civil, professional manner at all times. You are reminded that your actions reflect not only you, but DareNET as a whole. Network staff are also expected and required to act in accordance with all network rules and policies, including the following:

• All staff members must have a registered NickServ account.
• All staff members must register their primary nickname with their NickServ account.
• All staff members must be subscribed to the staff mailing list, and keep up-to-date on issues discussed on this list.
• Staff members will NOT interfere in channel matters, unless it is absolutely necessary to do so in order to ensure network rules and policies enforced.
• Staff members are advised to keep timestamped logs of all their actions, as they may be requested by higher authority if those actions are called into question.
• Staff members must not use their position or authority to intimidate, threaten or harass users.
• Staff members are only permitted to use staff commands, usermodes, and services access for the enforcement of network rules, to aide network users or as required for maintenance of the network's servers. We operate on a zero-tolerance policy in regards to such matters. If you abuse it, you will lose it.
• Your access limitations are set by network management, not what you or users think it is set at.

Staff Complaints and Misconduct

Should a user or staff member observe a member of staff acting in a manner contradictory to the network rules or the network's best interests, a complaint may be submitted to the Abuse Team. If the Abuse Team determines that a complaint is justified, it will be referred to the competent authority for disposition. Upon receipt of complaint, the Abuse Team may also take temporary action against the staff member in question if they feel it is necessary to prevent harm to the network. Such temporary action will be rescinded once a decision is reached by the competent authority.

In the rare event a staff member is observed to be acting in a manner detrimental to the network and their actions warrant immediate action, any member of staff with equal or higher access may take any corrective actions deemed necessary, including revocation of access and removal from the network. Staff members with lesser access are encouraged to approach a staff member with higher access if necessary.

All actions of this type must be immediately reported to the Executive Board who will discuss the action and its suitability. Should the Executive Board determine the action was unwarranted, they may take disciplinary action against the instigating staff member.

What is the Chain of Command?

The chain of command is laid out as follows (first entry being the highest):

• Executive Board member
  • Team Manager
    • Infrastructure Administrator
      • Support Operator

You are required to respect the judgment and authority of the people above you in this chain.