Pros and Cons of BSF Remote management & who will help?

[sjpage10]

OK from my other post and moving on
Ok I know not one individual has the time to do this, but if we work together
We could set up a generic response so that it can be used as

1) A proposal that can be used by all schools that will better BSF's

It should not be hard to better any remote service

In fact a lot of business must be loosing out to others with long term contracts with BSF

I know the company we buy our computers, whiteboards etc... From relies heavily on schools for its business
I’m sure they would help out with a proposal that beats BSF but does not include remote management

You guys must have access to companies that will do the same, what do you think?

What we need is a list of suppliers that would be willing help!

2) Pros and Cons

From reading

1) If you get a new build and it's all thin client- Virtual desktops and you choose to opt out after the contact ends you will have buy all new kit

2)

[Jamman960]

I think the main aim of managed service is to standardise IT accross schools, at the moment school A could have a great IT setup and spend £100k whereas school B could have a slightly worse setup and spend £150k/year for instance - at the moment both schools will simply carry on as they are with no one disputing the fact that School B isn't getting the most for their money or providing the best IT setup possible.

Maybe school IT management should be taken away from individual schools and be done at a higher level - Techs and Net managers could be employed directly by the LA rather than by the schools themselves, I get the impression this is how the American school systems already work, they appear to be managed in districts.

The managed services being put forward are an extreme example of this, if only there were a middle ground.

Edit: A techies life in a US school is a very interesting read

[jimmy_2k]

I agree with Jamman, this would be a good idea. I have whitnessed two mergers, one University and one College IT system. Network managers became 3rd line support staff, front line techs first/second etc. No one lost their jobs, it just became one big network with more expertise and greater buying power for hardware and licensing etc.