Post Leeds Learning Network / ICT4Leeds....

[themightymrp]

Does anybody know whether or not the ICT4Leeds service is actually going ahead?

 

The deadline for schools to pick them has now passed and the last I heard, the uptake was REALLY poor! We have got our replacement solution lined up (Virgin) but I was wondering what will happen with regards connecting to FAB, SAP and all the other services?

 

As far as I know we were going to be paying for some 'tokens' to access these services, will this still be the case? If so who do we buy them from if ICT4Leeds is a no-go?

 

Has any school who has already moved achieved access to these services? Are there any snags/caveats or problems we should be aware of?

 

Many thanks

[IrritableTech]

ICT4Leeds is going ahead. They installed their first line the week before last at one of their schools. Didn't go very smoothly from what I hear with numerous people sat around waiting for virgin to convert the line.

 

Other schools are being contacted to be informed of some downtime. The 'routers' in schools need to be reconfiged prior to migration day. The email claims around 15 minutes outage.

 

As for as I am aware, the only plan for FAB, SAP etc. is vasco tokens - which have ongoing costs. Also infobase will be chargeable.

[themightymrp]

That's exactly what I needed to know cheers! How many schools did they get in the end? Anyone know? I imagine it must be mostly primaries as I don't know any secondary's who have opted for them?

[IrritableTech]

I've recently heard two numbers. Either of them or neither of them might be correct.

62 schools in total - two of them high schools

60 schools in total - one of them is a high school.

[themightymrp]

Similar to what I expected then, primary schools being the main users. Not too surprising really as most won't have dedicated ICT support staff to make the better choice for them

[hallb15]

We've been discussing similar issues on this thread:

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/internet-related-filtering-firewall/123425-moving-away-lln-how-did-go.html

 

 

All requests for access to SAP, etc are still being handled through the LLN Servicedesk at the moment. I've had the pricing through on an email, as below.

 

One off-set up cost per school (for 1 or more accounts) £25

 

InfoBase Account per user £30

SAP, FAB, Energy Account (token access) per user

(includes InfoBase if required) £60

Postage of tokens per Order £5

 

For staff members that require InfoBase and/or token access to Council services, the Service Desk requires the person’s name, pay number and email address and the services they require.

Please submit any requirements with a copy of the Purchase Order (payable to Leeds City Council) by email to [email protected].

If a school would like a back-up of their

• Share Point site on a secure USB hard drive,

• Email and calendar content (PST file) for all users on a secure USB hard drive

This can be arranged but will be at a cost to the school of £790+vat for one or £990+vat for both.

Please note that we require a minimum of 3 weeks notice for data extraction.

[SchoolsBroadband]

I've recently heard two numbers. Either of them or neither of them might be correct.

62 schools in total - two of them high schools

60 schools in total - one of them is a high school.

 

I've seen an email which says 67 schools are signed up with LLN.

 

Out of interest we're on about the 100 mark.

 

They certainly didn't hit their target. I remember being in the initial meetings saying they'd get at least 80% of all schools when I think they are going to be nearer 20%.

 

Dave

[sted]

i thought it was nearer 35 have a list somewhere. you can understand why people tell them to take a hike when it takes them a month to open ports for target tracker and their interim solution was basically go home. had a school needing it for parents evening using my phone to get the data beforehand

 

i actually dont see how it can be financially viable

[morator]

We had the ICT4Leeds service installed at our school before Christmas. We have 1:1 contention on our line as there is no longer a single 700mb connection. Each school gets it own dedicated point to point link. The service has been fantastic so far and we have the ability to manage our own office 365 and Smoothwall.

[sted]

We had the ICT4Leeds service installed at our school before Christmas. We have 1:1 contention on our line as there is no longer a single 700mb connection. Each school gets it own dedicated point to point link. The service has been fantastic so far and we have the ability to manage our own office 365 and Smoothwall.

but the schools i have with it now have effectively an 8mb connection rather than the old 10 as 20% is reserved fpr council services and getting logmein enabled was a faf their reasons they dont like it are what makes it useful. not impressed ep after being told a school has 1 network not 2 in all the docs they had no idea now to make it work right when on site and had to spend hours massaging settings

[themightymrp]

We still have an LLN line in use but are gradually moving people over to our new Virgin connection (100Mb line ) which seems to be working great! We moved everyone onto Office 365 ourselves almost a year ago now - not LLN/ICT4Leeds provided, just ours. We are also using a combination of Bloxx web filtering and a Palo Alto firewall, both of which can be managed by us.

 

Can't wait to get rid of the old connection once and for all!!!

[IrritableTech]

We had the ICT4Leeds service installed at our school before Christmas. We have 1:1 contention on our line as there is no longer a single 700mb connection. Each school gets it own dedicated point to point link. The service has been fantastic so far and we have the ability to manage our own office 365 and Smoothwall.

 

I'm genuinely pleased that you're pleased. My worry for those schools that stuck by the council would be continued poor service and a long contract. Long may your happiness continue. One of the schools we support have gone this way - they're not live yet but communication has been poor up to now.

 

but the schools i have with it now have effectively an 8mb connection rather than the old 10 as 20% is reserved fpr council services and getting logmein enabled was a faf their reasons they dont like it are what makes it useful. not impressed ep after being told a school has 1 network not 2 in all the docs they had no idea now to make it work right when on site and had to spend hours massaging settings

 

Have you looked at the smoothwall VPN rather than logmein? Surely as SW is ICT4Leeds approved product this should be easier to convince them of it's worth?

 

We still have an LLN line in use but are gradually moving people over to our new Virgin connection (100Mb line ) which seems to be working great! We moved everyone onto Office 365 ourselves almost a year ago now - not LLN/ICT4Leeds provided, just ours. We are also using a combination of Bloxx web filtering and a Palo Alto firewall, both of which can be managed by us.

 

Can't wait to get rid of the old connection once and for all!!!

 

We're in a very similar position (as you probably know!). We are keeping a few users on our LLN connection for two reasons. Get some value out of the SLA we've already paid, and defer the cost of vasco tokens & infobase account (Oh, have you all heard infobase is being replaced now before April?) for as long as we can.

[themightymrp]

Oh, have you all heard infobase is being replaced now before April?

 

Not heard about InfoBase being replaced?? Heard about a change to AVCO and how they are opening it up for any school in Leeds regardless of ISP. You got any details you can share?

[sted]

Not heard about InfoBase being replaced?? Heard about a change to AVCO and how they are opening it up for any school in Leeds regardless of ISP. You got any details you can share?

 

you have pm not sure its something i ought to post in public

 

got logmein working its because we support schools in leeds and bradford so we want 1 standard for all servers logmein is the best weve used so not interested (much) in smoothwall vpn as i dont want/need vpn access just console access to the server(s)

Edited February 6, 2014 by sted

[themightymrp]

I'd got that info about AVCO already thanks mate, it was more what @IrritableTech said about a change to InfoBase I was interested in. Unless that's what he meant?

[IrritableTech]

A mailing went out to schools last week. The long and the short of it is infobase is rapidy being rebuilt on sharepoint (Office365). Testing to start in late Feb - Live by April 1st! They plan to run some training in March and April to show people the new service.

@themightymrp I'll PM you an email address of someone who can ensure you're added into future mailings.

 

I believe the council are having lots of trouble with EFT too. They have extended their licence for AVCO until September, and are going to move the servers out of the current LLN datacentre, so they can open up avco to all Leeds schools.

[morator]

spoken to ICT4Leeds about these services this morning. AVCO, SAP, FAB and Infobase are not and have never been LLN services. These are services provided by LCC Children's Services or corporate finance teams. LLN has traditionally been the secure route to access these services. Given the fact there is no longer LLN, LCC Children's Services are looking at ways of making Council services available securely for all those schools which have opted out of ICT4Leeds. Any schools who stay with ICT4Leeds will continue to access these services without the need for additional secure tokens. Hope this helps.

[morator]

I have heard this morning that some of the companies who signed up school on mass are now at the 11th hour turning schools away as they cannot provide the services that they signed schools up for. This is breach of contract and leaves schools high and dry.....

[SchoolsBroadband]

oh dear. Well if any of them are here do send them our way as we are still taking orders and are able to provision primary schools no problem.

 

We also have some special "expedite" installs in the bag just in case for new leased line customers.

 

Dave

[morator]

It is interesting you say that David. Rumour is that it was actually Schools Broadband who at the last minute informed the school you were no longer able to provide them with a service. It is also apparent that you yourself visited the school in question as they were unahappy about Schools Broadband informing the school at the 11th hour that they could not provide a serivce!!

 

Not good at all!!!

[SchoolsBroadband]

No that's not quite right. That said school does have a service from us which is in and working. However even though BT's checkers initially said they could get FTTC as the exchange and local cabs were being upgraded that's not going to be the case unfortunately as the school actually has a special "mini cab". Said school has been offered an upgrade to a leased line at my cost instead to give faster speeds and as an apology. It's also my old primary school so I want to make sure the school is 100% happy. I'm also paying for an expedite install free of charge for the schools as well as lots of other extras.

 

Some things don't always go to plan but its how you respond to them which sets your company out from the others. I'm personally doing everything in my power to make this school happy and not penalise them. The school has Internet access from us which will still be working when LLN gets turned off and I'm hopeful that as we have some expedite installs reserved with BT that we'll get an even faster leased line installed in time. The school will not be without Internet access. This would be terrible.

 

I should also point out that the leased line offering is about 25% less than LLN's cost with many more additional extras included in the cost.

 

Dave

 

 

Dave

[sted]

I have heard this morning that some of the companies who signed up school on mass are now at the 11th hour turning schools away as they cannot provide the services that they signed schools up for. This is breach of contract and leaves schools high and dry.....

 

and ict4leeds demand 4 free rack space which costs money and is only needed short term as old kit comes out then fit cabs that arnt really deep enough for smoothwall boxes, so are making schools spend money they dont need to to make their life easier. no company is issue free. another school i know of is having issues (neither ict4leeds or sbb) bt cant get their act together and get a line put in ducting in road has collapsed but they keep sending engineers to fit modems and its approaching cutoff point