SupportNet History & Mission 

Established in July 2005 by REMC #1, SupportNet is an Onsite Information Technology support consortium created to serve schools, local government, higher education institutions, and other non-profit agencies in the REMC1 constituent areas of Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon Counties.

The joint effort was conceived to improve technical support services in small, rural schools where enterprise-level educational technology support is nearly impossible to find and prohibitively expensive.

Through SupportNet and economies of scale we intend to meet numerous needs, including:

• Broad coverage spearheaded by REMC1 Helpdesk staff, supported by systems engineers – who also deploy during IT-related emergencies – and onsite technicians
• A deeper knowledge base: the a dedicated team of seven office Systems and Network Engineers specialize in Enterprise fiber WAN and Server systems technology
• Increased documentation
• Improved reliability and technology systems usability
• Support continuity
• Implementation of best practices, including those related to Cybersecurity
• Real-time, on-demand support through a centralized, full-time Helpdesk
• Enhanced technology integration, all with transparent reporting and consortium direction

One of the key underlying premises is more efficient use of limited district tech support funding through standardization and economies of scale.

REMC 1 is a service agency of the Copper Country & Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School Districts.