Action plan

[chrbb]

Apologies if in wrong forum, but I'm preparing an Action plan for hardware replacement for 2010-2011 budget.

Currently have Server 2003 on HP proliant server that will be three years old in Feb 2010, 22 suite computers of a similar age.

Would it be more sensible to replace server first with brand new server running 2008, then replace computers (probably half one budget year, half the next) with windows 7?

Does server 2008 support windows xp group policies without too much hassle?

[Michael]

Yes generally speaking you should replace/re-new your server hardware before workstations if they were all purchased at the same time. And yes 2008 Server does support XP, but of course there are more policies to play with for Vista/Windows 7.

[witch]

We have just replaced our server with a lovely HP running Server 2008 and yes, it works fine with XP.
Lucky you, to have a school that actually realises that computers don't last for ever - mine are 3 or 5 years old and there are no plans to replace them!

[chrbb]

I'm just preparing the action plan, so that when the ICT budget is set for the next two years the school realises we will need to replace certain items, I have no illusions as to whether the money will be forthcoming

[stariq]

Im just about to write mine - its for about 60-90 wokstations thinking of thin clients etc. but not got the experiance not the know how so will need to read up on that me thinks

I know for a fact we have no money but as long as the plan says we need them my jobs done

[Ric_]

I wouldn't suggest upgrading half a suite to Windows 7 and keeping the other half at XP - two environments in one room could making teaching difficult never mind GPO management.

[OverWorked]

We have just replaced our server with a lovely HP running Server 2008 and yes, it works fine with XP.
Lucky you, to have a school that actually realises that computers don't last for ever - mine are 3 or 5 years old and there are no plans to replace them!

On Wednesday evening I am to make a presentation to the governors for funding to replace 50 8-10 year old machines. I kid you not.

Sorry for veering off topic, but it's grim at our place at the moment.

Ric - this is thanks to you BTW. I'm going for a mixture of thin client, remote desktop, and 2nd hand fat clients from ICT-direct. Will save about £20k off the whole thing.

[chrbb]

I'll probably keep them all as XP until all the suite computers have all been replaced, then upgrade them at the same time.

[silver]

Those of you who are living with very old kit - it is worth asking around to see if anyone nearby has anything you could use. I have kitted out a whole IT suite with reasonable machines donated by someone from Edugeek
I have also got kit from other local schools. It is always worth a shot as schools approach their IT budgets very differently.

[GrumbleDook]

If you are doing your action plan for 2010-11 I would suggest you do it for the lifecycle of *all* your hardware at the school.

If you have a 4 year replacement for desktops then plan it over 4 years, 5 years if you need to. If you can plan longer then do so ...

Your Bursar / Business Manager has to plan for at least 3 years to meet finance regs in schools so the more information you can get to them the easier it is to plan. You don't have to religiously stick to the plan but it is the base from which to work from.

Schools are told they are not meant to stockpile funds so you should not be in the situation where the school puts money to one side each year so they can do a massive spend every 3-4 years. It is meant to be evenly spread ... so if you have 400 machines you might do 100 a year for 4 years.

In your case I would definitely do the server first, get it in an play with it on a test network with a few workstations to help plan for when you go live. It might be worth getting it in asap after you get your budget to give you time to work on it and plan for swapping servers over the summer hols.

[nicholab]

Yep you can show that the budget can only support so many workstations or it has to increase. Or you need to take away IT suits they don't like that!!

[chrbb]

Sorry more questions - how often do you reckon to replace your DC server (only got one server, apart from old workstation running wsus) and workstations, in

1. ideal world
   
2. real world

[Michael]

Ideal world, 3-4 years and no more than 6 years in real world. Upgrading should also be taken into consideration which can be more cost effective.

[CSI_Leasing]

On Wednesday evening I am to make a presentation to the governors for funding to replace 50 8-10 year old machines. I kid you not.

This is staggering! What's the maintenance like on these? And how long does it take for a class to log-on / log-off - would that not almost take up the entire lesson?!

[elsiegee40]

@chrbb.. your action plan sound s very much like mine, produced last summer:

Summer 2010: new 2008 server to succeed current 2003 server (installed Jan 2006)
Summer 2011: Replace ICT Suite machine with Win 7 kit
Summer 2012: Replace all the other PCs

I've also built in a rotation of projector replacements over the next 5 years.