Customer Solution Case Study
/ Students Get More Workstations While School Saves £3,000 with Desktop System
“It takes around a day to build an IT suite of 30 computers, but with Windows MultiPoint Server, 30 workstations only need six computers. That’s a couple of hours’ work and the job’s done.”
Terry McDonald, Network Manager, Hobart High School
Hobart High School needed a compact, cost-effective way to provide students with workstations that were powerful enough to run large applications used every day, such as computer-aided design (CAD) software. Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 Academic fulfilled all of the school’s requirements and more. It provides a greater number of workstations, while the school now spends less on these resources. Students like the modern interface, with its intuitive desktop.
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.Document published June 2010
Business Needs
Hobart High School is a secondary school in the village of Loddon, in Norfolk, United Kingdom (U.K.). It has specialist science college status, and has been rated “Outstanding” by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).
Technology plays an important role in the school’s dedication to provide learners with the skills they need in the workplace. Classrooms are equipped with a few desktop computers while IT suites provide a total of 120 workstations, enough for a classroom of students to work individually. All 850 students connect to the school’s virtual learning environment (VLE) in and out of school to supplement their lessons and access homework and additional learning materials.
As an educational institution, the school’s limited budget must stretch to provide the best value for money without compromising opportunities for teaching and learning. When the IT lab used for lessons on circuit board design and two-dimensional CAD work needed to be updated, Terry McDonald, Network Manager of Hobart High School looked for a compact, cost-effective way to provide students with workstations.
The overcrowded lab already had 30 computers. To replace them with updated versions of the same type of traditional desktops would have cost £14,000. “We needed a solution that was powerful enough to run the applications students use every day, yet affordable enough to leave some money in the budget to install extra computers at other locations on campus, such as the library,” says McDonald.
Solution
While researching his options, McDonald saw an announcement about the upcoming launch of Windows MultiPoint Server 2010, a solution designed for educational institutions that provides multiple workstations running virtual desktops from one system. “It looked like an ideal way to cut the number of computers the school needed to buy,” he says.
McDonald contacted Microsoft and then saw a demonstration of MultiPoint Server at the educational technology trade show BETT. “I liked the fact that it’s an official Microsoft product. That’s a massive bonus,” says McDonald. As soon as it was available, McDonald ordered six servers for 30 workstations. “They were easy to install, and take up much less room in the IT lab,” he says.
The system includes an interface that’s similar to Windows 7 and offers an intuitive desktop experience with the modern look and feel that students expect. “The desktops operate as if they’re individual computers, but instead of having 30 computers to maintain and manage, we have six machines that do the same job,” says McDonald.
To the end users—the students—the system works in the same way as an individual desktop computer, but with an improved interface. McDonald says: “They log on and access programs in the same way they always have. As far as they’re concerned, it’s business as usual.” After testing the system in one IT lab, McDonald plans to install it in the other IT labs on campus, plus other locations such as the library and food technology area.
Benefits
As one of the first schools to implement MultiPoint Server 2010, Hobart High School can provide more resources to students, while spending less. The interface offers an intuitive desktop experience with the modern look and feel that students expect to see, engaging students and increasing their interest in education.
- Easy log-on improves teaching and learning. Ian Taylor, Head of Upper School at Hobart High School, says: “MultiPoint Server speeds up the way students logon and that makes a big difference to the amount you can teach them during one lesson.”
- Modern interface engages students. “We’ve had positive feedback about the interface from students. It has some nice features that are similar to Windows 7. For example, students like the feature where they can resize a window by tapping against the side of the screen,” says McDonald.
- Cost-effective solution provides more resources. In addition to saving about £3,000 on hardware, Hobart High School has cut £300 a year on electricity costs. This saving will increase as McDonald replaces more systems with MultiPoint Server. “If we had to pay the £14,000 for standard desktops, we wouldn’t be able to afford the software we need for other parts of the school. So it’s freed up resources to put additional computers in other parts of the school, such as the food technology classroom and library,” says McDonald.
- Streamlined system saves time. IT administrators spend less time building and maintaining computer systems. “It takes around a day to build an IT suite of 30 computers, but with Windows MultiPoint Server, 30 workstations only need six computers. That’s a couple of hours’ work and the job’s done,” says McDonald.
- Compact systems improve lab environment. “Our existing IT suite was poorly laid out and cramped. The machines didn’t fit, and it didn’t look right,” says McDonald. “Consolidating the equipment down to six computers and fitting them in correctly creates a much better learning environment. We’ve still got 30 workstations, but now we have a much neater solution.”
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Document published June 2010