Customer Solution Case Study
/ Dutch Schools Enjoy Multiple Gains by Centralizing IT Infrastructure
Overview
Country or Region: The Netherlands
Industry: Education
Customer Profile
The Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs (OVO) Haarlem organization is responsible for managing public education for the municipality of Haarlem, the Netherlands. It administers 7 schools at 10 locations, which employ almost 500 staff members. The schools have 3,800 students enrolled.
Business Situation
Compatibility problems arose when new applications were introduced. The organization's management wanted to increase the use of IT in education, but the existing situation made this difficult.
Solution
OVO decided to standardize on a common environment. A centralized IT environment was created based on Microsoft® Windows Server System™, and schools were connected through a high-speed network. The server solution was deployed by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Wortell.
Benefits
n A more cost-effective solution
n Increases effectiveness of IT in education
n Simplifies IT management at school level
n Ready to develop an advanced framework using Microsoft Learning Gateway / “Windows Server 2003…met our requirements, and offers more added value than the alternatives….[T]he education market is moving towards Microsoft. There are fewer compatibility problems, and it is extremely user friendly.”
Albert Strijker, Director, OVO Haarlem
Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs (OVO) Haarlem is the organization responsible for managing public education for the municipality of Haarlem, the Netherlands. OVO provides IT services for 7 schools at 10 locations, which altogether employ almost 500 staff members. Total enrollment at all schools is 3,800 students. OVO's older distributed system using multiple operating systems was expensive and complicated to maintain. The patchwork system was replaced with a centralized solution based on Microsoft® Windows Server System™ integrated server software. The new solution enables IT managers in schools to better serve education. System security has been improved, and all staff and students now have their own e-mail addresses. The new IT infrastructure supports both teaching and learning. At the same time, costs have been cut and the number of servers has been reduced by 70 percent.
Situation
The organization, Openbaar Voortgezet Onderwijs (OVO) Haarlem, is responsible for managing public education for the municipality of Haarlem, the Netherlands. It performs administration services for 7 schools spread over 10 locations. The schools employ nearly 500 staff members and have 3,800 enrolled students.
One of OVO’s objectives is to create and manage a centralized information technology (IT) infrastructure, while helping each school retain its own identity as much as possible. In the past, each school maintained its own network infrastructure, servers, and workstations.
Albert Strijker, Director of OVO Haarlem explains, “These environments were very varied. Some were Novell-based; others ran on different versions of [the] Microsoft® Windows® [operating system]. A few schools also had Linux-based machines connected to the network. This meant overall management was complicated and costly.”
The organization's management wanted to increase the use of IT in education, but the existing situation made this difficult. Compatibility problems arose when new applications were introduced. Also, there were two physically separate networks for teachers and students, which made it difficult for teachers to provide information and assistance to students. “IT is becoming increasingly important in education, but maintaining three different environments was impossible,” observes Strijker.
Solution
OVO's management decided to standardize on a common environment. Strijker explains, “The Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 operating system, part of Microsoft Windows Server System™ integrated server software, met our requirements, and offers more added value than the alternatives. The Novell option would not have been a complete solution. Overall, the education market is moving towards Microsoft. There are fewer compatibility problems, and it is extremely user friendly.”
A centralized IT environment was created, which connected schools over a high-speed network. The server solution was deployed by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Wortell. Administrative applications and a centralized student monitoring system are delivered from the centralized environment. The school servers run education applications locally. Separate domains were created for students and teachers, using the Active Directory® directory service.
Benefits
Simplifies IT Management at School Level
New applications and updates for schools can be installed remotely, through Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003, which is also part of Windows Server System. Systems Management Server 2003 also helps manage Active Directory administration, assets, and security updates across schools and from a central point. Danny Burlage, Technical Director, Wortell, says: “Network management is carried out through the centralized environment, which means IT managers in schools can concentrate more of their time on supporting education.”
Increases Effectiveness of IT in Education
The solution has given OVO Haarlem and its schools a more stable environment, with improved system availability. Security has also been improved. “A big advantage of Windows Server 2003 is the increased security, as a result of controlled access to the network through Active Directory,” points out Burlage.
Authentication and Internet security is strengthened with Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004. ISA Server 2004 helps detect and prevent inappropriate Internet usage within school environments.
Together, these improvements have helped increase the use of IT in education. “Students are identified in Active Directory, and can now sign on as individuals. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 communication and collaboration server makes it easier to give all teachers and students their own e-mail messaging addresses. This means homework and study guides can be sent through e-mail,” explains Strijker.
A More Cost-Effective Solution
Standardization in the Microsoft software-based environment also reduced the number of servers OVO required by more than half. Only one application manager is now needed to manage the student monitoring system. This has resulted in considerable cost savings.
Burlage advises, “Windows Server System offers a complete environment with much more added value, and at a better price than Novell or Linux, which in my view is much more of a management system with some additional products.”
Ready to Develop an Advanced Framework with Microsoft Learning Gateway
The solution deployed consists of several ‘building blocks’ that are found in the advanced framework for Microsoft Learning Gateway. A key element of this approach is that components can be added one at a time to suit the particular needs of an institution.
OVO Haarlem is about to join in a pilot project using Microsoft Class Server and other core elements of the advanced framework that uses Microsoft Learning Gateway to explore how it can further pursue its goal to improve the use of IT in education.
Microsoft Windows Server System
Microsoft Windows Server System is a comprehensive, integrated, and interoperable server infrastructure that helps reduce the complexity and costs of building, deploying, connecting, and operating agile business solutions. Windows Server System helps customers create new value for their business through the strategic use of their IT assets. With the Windows Server 2003 operating system as its foundation, Windows Server System delivers dependable infrastructure for data management and analysis; enterprise integration; customer, partner, and employee portals; business process automation; communications and collaboration; and core IT operations including security, deployment, and systems management.
For more information about Windows Server System, go to:
www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem