I've been meaning to start a (semi-)regular blog for quiet a while. The problem is having something of interest, at least to myself, to blog about.

Well as it turns out I have several projects on the go. Some are in a very embryonic stage, others are nearing completion.

I thought I'd start with a list of projects under way and then over the next how ever many blogs tackle each subject as the mood takes me and the projects progress.

Goodbye WinSuite

Perhaps the single most important project I am currently working on. To remove WinSuite - excise the demon - from our network and replace it with a proper vanilla Windows 2003R2 AD infrastructure.

Windows 7 Migration

This is a very long term project that takes in a number of 'mini' projects along the way. In fact the previous project, Goodbye WinSuite, is one of the so called 'mini' projects to this goal.

The plan is to move from Windows XP SP3 on the desktop to Windows 7 in 2011.

Server 2008R2

The move from Window 2003R2 to 2008R2 is really a 'mini' project for two others. It is to support the Windows 7 Migrations and support the server rooms move into Virtualisation.

Office...

The move from Office 2000 (yes, that's right I said 2000) to Office ??? Okay, I'm trying to push OpenOffice. Office XP seems to have come along as a consensus. Can I ween the school off of M$ or do I have to re-write the budget canceling, or seriously crippling a number of other projects?

Virtualisation

One of the most important projects of in modern server room. The move from a Physical to Virtual server environment. This is quiet a mature project know and I am blessed to be involved with planning the move completely from scratch for this second time (the first being my last schools Virtualisation project).

VLE's, Websites and Fronter

If Virtualisation is the new buzzword in the Server Room, then VLE is the new buzzword in the classroom. Our school is tentatively treading these boards, along with a new website, and Fronter is the name of the beast we are taming.

Room Builds

All schools have a refesh program. These can be interesting too. Ours is over four years. One lab a year. It's Lab One this year!

Desktop Virtualisation

This is an old paradigm made new, and quickly becoming the successor to Server Virtulisation for those in the know. The very idea, if implemented correctly, strikes a chord with every Systems Admin. The problem is implementing correctly! We're currently looking at 'Multi-Seat Computing'. nComputing and SoftXpand are the two key players here. Is this all gonna end in tears?

MIS

Okay, a bit behind the times here. But we are at least talking about changing our MIS. Maybe we'll do it before finding out the current one is not Windows 7 compatible? XPM mode?

Inventory

I may have one or two words to say on this subject, I don't know.

NetBSD

A personal project. I want my own OS. Linux From Scratch involved to much compiling. NetBSD on the other hand, now there's a good starting point for your own bespoke OS install.

Well that's the current list. As you can see there is a lot going on. Certainly a few things that could be worth blogging as these projects mature.

And I get to use big words like 'paradigm'...