TECHNO GEEK
I C T M AT T E R S
Techno Geek On-premise IT systems in schools – time for change? NIGEL MILLIGAN – provider of proactive IT support to schools – on the mysterious reasons why schools are still nervous of stepping into the cloud-based world that is waiting to improve almost everything
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or many years it’s been very difficult for school This was an ideal opportunity to migrate to the cloud staff to be able to access everything they need but, again, IT support companies didn’t promote the move when working from home or at off-site meetings; to Google or Microsoft Cloud options for free; they set up the use of a VPN and remote access is just messy, complicated, VPN access to on-premise servers. another set of things that can go wrong and create In April 2019 the DfE published guidance on cloudmore problems for IT support to have to fix. based options for schools. The information provided clearly There are a number of different reasons why an highlights the benefits for schools in moving away from organisation – a business or a school - will opt for onon-premise devices. The main benefits are: ● Economy - saving money. premise systems and servers that are based on site, ● Efficiency - saving teachers’ time. physically in the building; the traditional Windows ● Effectiveness - what you can do. domain server and client machines remain a very ● Security - can be much more secure. common solution for many organisations. One of the reasons schools choose this approach is As an IT support professional I find it difficult to that they only know what they know. Many IT companies comprehend why anyone wouldn’t consider retiring on supporting schools still want to up-sell expensive, onsite servers and opting for cloud-based solutions instead. premise, servers and do their best to There are so many benefits to not having hold schools back from advancing into a server on site that needs to be kept a cloud-based world that will enable physically secure as well as having to staff and students to work anytime and maintain the hardware and software. There are so anywhere they wish to. For example, the free option of Google many benefits I often hear, when in conversation Workspace for Education has everything to not having a with schools, “We’ve always done it a school needs, and works on any device. that way!” and I’ve often been told, There’s also the option to convert older server on site “We’d love to do that but we haven’t got Windows devices into Chromebooks to someone like you who can help us do save schools even more money. that!”. At the moment there are occasions At the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, in March where the school MIS and finance still need a server on site 2020, it quickly became apparent that those who to host their applications but many MIS providers now have were already cloud-based, had no problem making fully cloud-based solutions and others have longer term the transition to home working and remote learning plans to migrate their solutions to the cloud. for students. Many non cloud-based schools quickly So, in a few years time, there will be no reason at all realised they had been provided with an ineffective onwhy schools cannot be 100% cloud-based. What will the premise solution by their IT provider. reasons for not making the change be then, I wonder…
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