[sims] Latest Technical Roadmap

[Ghostgame]

Latest technical roadmap for SIMS has been released.

Resource: 17910

 

The support dates.

 

Office 2013 support started from Spring 2014

Support for Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1 commenced from Spring 2014.

 

SOLUS2 support has been extended up until 31st August 2015 for the Independent sector.

SOLUS2 support has been extended up until 31st March 2016 for the Maintained sector.

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SQL2014 support for SIMS & FMS will commence from Autumn 2014.

SQL2008 and SQL2008 R2 support have both had their support extended to include Spring 2015

Edited July 1, 2014 by Ghostgame

[vikpaw]

Awesome news on SOLUS 2 support, but i think the SQL 2008 support will be critical for many.

We were just talking about this yesterday - @bossman can breathe a sigh of relief

[synaesthesia]

It's like watching a racing car go backwards. Not like F1 where you can see obvious reasons why development goes in a different direction, but a bit closer to Indycar where they just keep tripping over their big-mac fuelled feet every year just for the sake of it.

[tmcd35]

Great news on Solus 2, I can dodge the Solus 3 bullet a while longer

[vikpaw]

Great news on Solus 2, I can dodge the Solus 3 bullet a while longer

You and me both - i might add 'bullet dodger' to my LinkedIn profile I'm sure countless people will endorse me

[TheScarfedOne]

On the solus front...ive seen the work on 3.8, which is a massive improvement (not that 3.7 wasnt already). I had been avoiding it as well, but with the new versions - I will actually be moving to it.

[SHimmer45]

good that they have published it, i was speaking to them last week and they had said the dates had been changed.

the proposed changes to support net cant come quick enough

[localzuk]

I'd say people should stop avoiding SOLUS 3 now and move to it - its pretty darn good. I've been using it since September and its been very stable!

 

Happy about the 2008 R2 extension, as it means I won't have a sudden rush to swap to a new version come Autumn.

[Ghostgame]

I'd say people should stop avoiding SOLUS 3 now and move to it - its pretty darn good. I've been using it since September and its been very stable!

 

Agreed, it has been getting more stable with each release.

 

Annoyed that they took the search functionality out of the update libriary.

It now takes ages to find a specific patch or release to authorise to a school.

[tmcd35]

I'd admit that it's been some time since I last tried Solus 3. It was gawd awful. No doubt it's improved a lot since then. I'm now of a mind - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Solus 2 works for us. I'll stick with that now until a change is forced.

[zag]

I'd say people should stop avoiding SOLUS 3 now and move to it - its pretty darn good.

 

Are we using the same software?

 

I've had problems with continually having to enter a user/password for every new machine I add, and random workstations not being updated for no obvious reason. Not to mention the convulted user inteface that looks like its been designed for an entire Local Authority rather than individual schools.

I wouldnt exactly call it "good".

 

I assume the reason they have extended the solus 2 deadline is that others have also had these problems.

Edited July 1, 2014 by zag

[matt40k]

Suppose the extension will give the other MIS suppliers time to catch up. Capita is stuck waiting 3 months to roll out an application fix\new feature for (almost) another 2 years!! Add the fact they can't setup contained databases (requires SQL2012 or higher) - this will allow them to store SIMS SQL logins within the database so you don't have to de-attach, re-attach the database and lose half the logins when you move servers - SQL Server 2012 Partially Contained Databases Part 1 - Contained Logins - SQL Server Premier Field Engineer Blog - Site Home - MSDN Blogs. I hope one of the other suppliers sent them a thank you gift.

[bossman]

@all:

 

Solus 3 has been very stable here for last 3 years, we will be moving to SQL2014 shortly but on a 2008R2 Server unless I can afford Server 2012 licenses?

 

Anyone know how much Server 2012 license is on EES licensing scheme?

 

What do people think is the best way to license server 2012 for virtualisation? Datacentre? or Seperate standard licensing which covers 2 VMs?

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

thanks

[vikpaw]

Are we using the same software?

 

I've had problems with continually having to enter a user/password for every new machine I add, and random workstations not being updated for no obvious reason. Not to mention the convulted user inteface that looks like its been designed for an entire Local Authority rather than individual schools.

I wouldnt exactly call it "good".

 

I assume the reason they have extended the solus 2 deadline is that others have also had these problems.

Exactly my reasons for avoidance. Why bother when they are still 'polishing' and ironing out bugs.

I suspect the reason for extension is that Primary Schools will not be able to put up with the major headache you have been dealing with and that is the larger part of their user base.

[matt40k]

Exactly my reasons for avoidance. Why bother when they are still 'polishing' and ironing out bugs.

 

Chicken and egg. Going by that logic, you'll never progress and as you'll never start as you'll always be waiting.

 

I suspect the reason for extension is that Primary Schools will not be able to put up with the major headache you have been dealing with and that is the larger part of their user base.

 

Mmm... most primary are LA and they just do what the LA says, so they follow a standard, so once the LA has got something with their standard, it just works. Again and again. I guess it resource base, have Capita hired one person to visit each school

[vikpaw]

I'm not waiting, I don't want it, as others said, if it ain't broke...

So I don't need to be in the chicken egg cycle and don't want to be tested on.

 

As for primary, well they will suffer if it doesn't work so good, but that's a problem for you and your sort

[matt40k]

So you manually patching discover and waiting for the next major release for a simple little application fix? Nice. Suppose it keeps you busy

 

S3 been in for over 2 years mate. Nicely bedded in. Nice to see ALL the machines are working and not just the server too. S2 on the other hand, well lets just say the helpdesk use to take the mick every time a release came out, or as they put it, Capita have released another digital signature plague then

[localzuk]

Are we using the same software?

 

I've had problems with continually having to enter a user/password for every new machine I add, and random workstations not being updated for no obvious reason. Not to mention the convulted user inteface that looks like its been designed for an entire Local Authority rather than individual schools.

I wouldnt exactly call it "good".

 

I assume the reason they have extended the solus 2 deadline is that others have also had these problems.

 

Entering a password when you add a computer isn't such a burden - if, like us, you added all your machines which are to use SIMS when you started using SOLUS 3, you only enter the username/password once for the lot. Then for any new ones you add. Takes an entire 10 seconds.

 

The interface is a little obscure, but 3.7 has a new interface which looks a little less esoteric. That said, it was still useable - both myself and my tech managed to pick it up pretty quickly.

 

Only had one laptop not update itself properly since September, and that turned out to be the laptop being odd. A re-image sorted it and away we went.

 

Its a heck of a lot more reliable than SOLUS 2!

 

Those avoiding it are making their lives more difficult IMO.

[vikpaw]

Each to their own.

I don't have problems with reliability or upgrades, or waiting on fixes.

So for us it's an unnecessary thing to learn, rollout and troubleshoot, IF, it requires it.

My mileage varied

[matt40k]

Each to their own.

I don't have problems with reliability or upgrades, or waiting on fixes.

So for us it's an unnecessary thing to learn, rollout and troubleshoot, IF, it requires it.

My mileage varied

 

I would love if one of your teachers started handwriting everything.

[vikpaw]

They do! What world do you live in?

Until this year all primary did paper registers amongst other offline tasks.

[matt40k]

SQL2008 and SQL2008 R2 support have both had their support extended to include Spring 2015

 

Odd.. Mainstream Microsoft support ends this month (08/07/2014) - Microsoft Product Lifecycle Search

[matt40k]

They do! What world do you live in?

 

One where I haven't seen a handwritten report for... umm... I think I was in primary school?? Not sure I've ever seen a letter sent home handwritten!!

 

Yer, paper registers, got to love a paper register\markbooks in primary schools. Sloooowly dieing out now.