EMBC WAT Tool

[GrumbleDook]

The problem with SLAs with schools directly is that the schools don't pay ... the LA does. If the school does not pay directly then it *cannot* have an SLA.

Your LA should have setup, or be setting up, a process so that poor service and support can be dealt with. This is likely to be a minimum of quarterly reviews with representation from staff at a variety of levels in schools, teachers, NMs, senior manglement, governors. This meeting will also allow schools to talk about how they require the service to be moved on, the increasing needs of schools, access to additional NEN resources.

In Northants part of this is the IT Managers' Meeting. This is now to be held on the first Friday back after each break.

Also, remember that representation does not mean everyone can attend the review meetings ... it means a sample. Some LAs will decide the sample, others will ask for volunteers, but the idea is to get a braod range of experiance and circumstances. I'll try and have some more information on theis for Northants members for Friday's meeting.

[kmount]

The problem with SLAs with schools directly is that the schools don't pay ... the LA does. If the school does not pay directly then it *cannot* have an SLA.

So, normally we'd be paying directly but not this year as its top sliced?

[GrumbleDook]

I wish it was that simple.

In previous years, in line with what a number of other LAs / RBCs do, Northants CC invoiced schools for the money to cover the costs of their connection to EMBC. EMBC then invoiced Northants CC. Schools that opted out of the RBC had the money to do with as they wish (all 2 of them from 330). This was partly done due to Northants having a number of GM (and subsequently Foundation) schools ... who were against top slicing. You never paid directly.

This was stupid red tape to some extent. Schools Forum (a collection of Heads and governors) opted to agree to the request that it was pointless to get schools to do extra paperwork and shuffle the money around. The money now gets top sliced.

As they keep saying ... there is nothing new in education, just an ever changing set of goal posts.

This is not unique, either for Northants or for RBC connectivity.

[kmount]

...Ah

[katem]

Has anybody actually got the password reset tool to work on this piece of cr*p?

All I get is "Unable to reset password, make sure the password meets minimum requirements, if the problem persists contact support".

Everytime I want to change someones password I have to contact support and get them to change it.

I'm getting really peeved with this new system, if feels like a backward step, its mind numbingly slow, doesn't work and half the old features seem to have gone.

[sparkeh]

@Katem

Yes the password reset works for me - luckily as one of my Heads constantly needs this feature

And yes I understand your frustration, I am still waiting for an answer about getting the UPN reconcillation to work.

[rush_tech]

Has anybody actually got the password reset tool to work on this piece of cr*p?

All I get is "Unable to reset password, make sure the password meets minimum requirements, if the problem persists contact support".

Everytime I want to change someones password I have to contact support and get them to change it.

I'm getting really peeved with this new system, if feels like a backward step, its mind numbingly slow, doesn't work and half the old features seem to have gone.

yes not working here also!! what is the minimum password requirement?

[rush_tech]

Has anybody actually got the password reset tool to work on this piece of cr*p?

All I get is "Unable to reset password, make sure the password meets minimum requirements, if the problem persists contact support".

Everytime I want to change someones password I have to contact support and get them to change it.

I'm getting really peeved with this new system, if feels like a backward step, its mind numbingly slow, doesn't work and half the old features seem to have gone.

yes not working here also!! what is the minimum password requirement?

[Pottsey]

At least you have the WAT tool I still don’t have it. Also I just got an email saying they are setting the passwords of various staff members to random passwords so they can do some migration work and that I can reset the passwords after the work. Great planning there, what with there being no one in school with WAT access.

Another thing that bugs me is when I ring up they ask me for my username and password. They also asked me for other staff members username and passwords. This has happned a number of times now.

[kmount]

WAT Tool is useless.

We can't reconcile UPNs because the only ones it wants to fix are admin staff ...

We reported this issue, and in turn, one of our admins earnt himself LA Admin access and could edit any school in the LA. - Reported this and they changed his password without telling him.

Made a new account, doesn't come with email, nor will it actually log into the platform at all. - Doesn't allow you to specify ANYTHING about the email, be it syntax or whatnot.

Can't delete old accounts (no button) but can 'disable' ... so much for housekeeping.

Frequently get sharepoint error messages telling me to refresh.

Made DL enquiry some days ago, not even had a response.

Makes me wonder why we even bother given its now 3 weeks PAST migration day and the simplest of functions aren't available.

</RANT>

[katem]

WAT Tool is useless.

We can't reconcile UPNs because the only ones it wants to fix are admin staff ...

We reported this issue, and in turn, one of our admins earnt himself LA Admin access and could edit any school in the LA. - Reported this and they changed his password without telling him.

Made a new account, doesn't come with email, nor will it actually log into the platform at all. - Doesn't allow you to specify ANYTHING about the email, be it syntax or whatnot.

Can't delete old accounts (no button) but can 'disable' ... so much for housekeeping.

Frequently get sharepoint error messages telling me to refresh.

Made DL enquiry some days ago, not even had a response.

Makes me wonder why we even bother given its now 3 weeks PAST migration day and the simplest of functions aren't available.

</RANT>

Much the same problems as us then, glad its not just me.
I cant believe they've got the gall to keep advertising their launch event on the log in page when half the system doesn't even work!

[katem]

yes not working here also!! what is the minimum password requirement?

No flippin idea!! It doesn't even give you a clue, like min 8 chars etc...

one word to describe the new system - useless.

[katem]

At least you have the WAT tool I still don’t have it. Also I just got an email saying they are setting the passwords of various staff members to random passwords so they can do some migration work and that I can reset the passwords after the work. Great planning there, what with there being no one in school with WAT access.

Another thing that bugs me is when I ring up they ask me for my username and password. They also asked me for other staff members username and passwords. This has happned a number of times now.

Yeah great security that! I had to get my Administrator account reset because they'd changed the password so for a while I had no access whatsoever, and they asked me for my old password - why? just change it!

Have you got access to Talk2Synetrix, EMS or Netsweeper? If you have, you've got more than I have!:P

[Pottsey]

”Have you got access to Talk2Synetrix, EMS or Netsweeper? If you have, you've got more than I have! ”
I got access to Talk2Synetrix, EMS and Netsweeper and while setting up some mail redirections for our staff I spotted some mail rules to do with your school which I found odd. Tims email redirections e.c.t

Was wondering if I added a redirection to say tims email to your or my email would it work. I really hope not. It in the dark grey area which I assume means global and cannot be edited. But who knows what you can do. So far there security hasn’t exactly been top notch.


EDIT: Great now they have posted my email/account password in the Talk2Synetrix Journal.
EDIT2: Account name and password listed.

[sparkeh]

EDIT: Great now they have posted my email/account password in the Talk2Synetrix Journal.

Me too, I am not happy with that at all.