April came and went in such a flurry, I did not have time to reflect on all that IS the technology and education world. Our technology team spent much of March and April evaluating our hardwired and wireless networks. Next, we developed a four (4) phase infrastructure upgrade plan. We have completed Phase I which was to upgrade switches in closets where needed to provide the necessary GB ports to swap out our current 802.11g access points with the faster 802.11n access points. As everyone knows, your infrastructure must be upgraded if it is to support the influx of personal wireless devices with BYOD as well as district issued laptops and digital devices such as iPads. With our private cloud and portal for 24/7 access for students and staff, our current infrastructure is taxed. Unfortunately the funding is not always available to meet the need.
Phase II is to actually replace the current access points, referenced in Phase I. Phase III involves upgrading core switches to provide a 10 GB backbone on each campus and replace current local school servers with faster servers with 10 GB NIC cards. It should be noted that district-wide applications are housed on virtual servers located in the District Technology offices and that local school servers are used primarily for file storage and grade/course level applications. We have migrated many of our applications to cloud based applications but continue to install Microsoft Office to the local machine.
For, Phase IV, we mapped out areas that may require additional access points due to anticipated use.
To write the four (4) phase plan, we physically visited each closet to ensure that our records were complete and accurrate. I have never found a tool that did a perfect network inventory but then I am extremely detailed oriented. Next, we spent weeks researching all of the various vendors that provide wireless solutions and 1 GB and 10 GB switches. Our third step was to get preliminary quotes for possible solutions.
To date, we have secured funding for Phase I and part of Phase II but are working to secure funding for all four (4) phases. However...I am a firm believer that the time to plan is when you don't have money so that you are ready to implement when you do. More to follow as we progress.
Showing posts with label BYOD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BYOD. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Personal 3G/4G Devices in Schools
As a Technology Director in a technology savy district in Alabama, I am interested in how school districts across the country and internationally are handling the use of 3G/4G devices in schools. We currently have a WiFi network for school system owned devices and a Guest WiFi network for students, staff, and visitors who bring their own devices onto campus. We allow students to bring their personal devices including cell phones to school. In addition, we have addressed these devices in our AUP but although we do filter the access through our WiFi, we can not filter 3G/4G. We are looking into adding verbage to the Code of Conduct that specifically addresses personal devices on campus and also expectations for students and parents concerning devices with 3G/4G. Anyone with suggestions, please post your comments. I will be posting several articles addressing these devices.
Huntsville board changes policy on electronic devices in schools--Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- As part of the Huntsville school district's technological push, the school board has expanded the list of electronic devices students are allowed to bring -- and use -- on campus. The board Thursday approved an updated policy on electronic devices that addresses the use of district-issued computers. The old policy, which went into effect in May of 2008, allowed students to bring cell phones, pagers and other audio or video devices to school, but they were not allowed to use them during school hours unless given permission by the principal. The new policy allows students to use them "in the case of devices issued to students by the district for educational purposes." It also allows students to bring in their own devices. "Students may use personally-owned technology such as e-readers, tablets, notepads, laptops or similar devices for instructional purposes with specific permission of their teacher," the policy states. To do so, students will have to sign acceptable use forms, which will include conditions for the use of their own devices. The policy change was necessary after the district last fall bought more than 3,600 computers in an effort to put technology in all students' hands. The push, made possible by about $850,000 set aside in the 2012 budget, included netbooks for all fifth-graders and ninth-graders at Butler High School. Each principal also has an iPad and a laptop computer. Among the other computers distributed to the schools are 28 iPads to the elementary schools and 30 MacBook Airs to the high schools. Eventually, all students are anticipated to be assigned computers to aid their education.
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