Dear Link2ICT, we need to talk........(NM meeting)

[Little-Miss]

I contacted Andy Mackey (Director of Link2ICT) to give a bit of feedback about the conference and bring up a few things i'd been mulling over.

 

My main point was i felt they were missing quite a big audience...us! I got a very positive reply and I genuinely do think they are working on this and wish to engage with us like they they used to in the past.

 

Turns out my e-mail was also very well timed. Their head of operations, Amanda, contacted me shortly afterwards to let me know they are in the process of finalising a Network Managers/IT Support meeting which is to be held on the 7th of May (venue and full details TBC, schools will be receiving info soon).

 

Items on the agenda will be Firewall, Mail filtering, Office 365 and Zimbra.

 

They're planning on it being more of a 'round table' event instead of a presentation driven one, so being able to discuss and exchange views, and listen to suggestions.

 

So there we go, they're giving us the opportunity to have our say. I'm pretty sure you've noticed how active this part of the forum is recently (and some daft posts imho) so maybe this is what we need.

 

What do ya think?

[jamin100]

I think it's a brilliant idea, we need more of a technical discussion rather than a curriculum based one. I also think that the primaries and secondary's should be mixed rather than split.

[Trapper]

 

Seriously - They need to seriously make a lot of headway quickly. For far too many years Link2ICT and EdIT have treated school IT staff like something they've found under their boot. It still continues, especially with sales. I've now been bypassed completely and our account manager calls my Business Manager monthly to sell things.

[Trapper]

Oh and I've heard a whisper that a lot of Heads have complained directly to Link2ICT about the recent Zimbra 8 cock ups - such as missing emails from official sources.

 

The cynical part of brain wonders whether the timing of this thaw in relations has any relevance to this?!

[Little-Miss]

Come and ask them...

[Tricky_Dicky]

This is a fantastic idea, well done Little-Miss for sorting this.

 

It definitely needs to be mixed between primary and secondary. I know Link aren't perfect, but we as a group as large as Birmingham are in a much better position standing together than falling apart.

[Little-Miss]

This is a fantastic idea, well done Little-Miss for sorting this.

 

Ah, i was just trying to continue the discussion about communicating with us from after the conference. The NM Meeting may have already been in the pipeline. As they were a little upset by things they'd read on Edugeek and that they now know i'm a mod on here, i guessed it was worth a try. My biggest gripe is that we seemed to have been ignored for a while.

 

It definitely needs to be mixed between primary and secondary. I know Link aren't perfect, but we as a group as large as Birmingham are in a much better position standing together than falling apart.

 

Agreed. They're not perfect no, and it's not going to be a quick fix but if they're willing to work on this i'm happy to talk to them.

 

I haven't been hired by Capita btw lol! I'm just more of a talker than a shouter.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Little-Miss

[foofighterjim]

I'm just more of a talker than a shouter.

 

I don't think this would have been the case if the conference was around Christmas time, I think we would have all been at them! Unfortunately for me the proposed timing of the meeting isn't great as I will need to have already made my decision on if we are keeping our internet with them by then. I am however meeting my account manager in the next few weeks so I will see how it goes.

 

Out of interest was it predominately the firewall comments that they were unhappy with or was it more than that?

[Michael]

I'd be up for this too, plus it's always good to get the opinions of others. I do regularly contact numerous people within Link2ICT as it is, but it's very different talking face to face as a group rather than a one to one on the phone.

 

The bigger issues are impacting everyone, so it makes sense to get everyone (who's interested) involved.

[Little-Miss]

I don't think this would have been the case if the conference was around Christmas time, I think we would have all been at them! Unfortunately for me the proposed timing of the meeting isn't great as I will need to have already made my decision on if we are keeping our internet with them by then. I am however meeting my account manager in the next few weeks so I will see how it goes.

 

Out of interest was it predominately the firewall comments that they were unhappy with or was it more than that?

 

Oh i get frustrated, very frustrated. I just tend to find going in on the offensive initially doesn't always help matters. Meh, maybe i'm too soft.

 

Dont we have to return the agreement by Monday?

[foofighterjim]

Dont we have to return the agreement by Monday?

 

Yes, but I'm looking at renewing our internet for just six months.

[chippo]

Just for everyone's information you can leave Link2ICT at any time, you just have to give three months notice.

I hope Link2ICT do get their act together, unfortunately the cynic in me thinks otherwise.

I feel the people there really want to do the right thing, but the business that is Capita restricts them?

[adamw]

A Link2ICT NM Meeting is much needed has i don't think i no any one who is a network manager in a birmingham school who is not having issues.

[foofighterjim]

Just to confirm you can extend the internet contract for just six months and they are willing to provide costs if asked. I have also asked for a copy of the internet checklist that was mentioned during the conference.

 

It would be fantastic to see more technical dialogue at the NM meetings and also some insight into the development roadmap. I think one of the biggest issues has been a lack of communication about projects and exactly why they were being performed.

Edited March 26, 2014 by foofighterjim

[Trojan]

On ebriefing this morning:

 

http://ebriefing.bgfl.org/bcc_ebrief/content/resources/resource.cfm?id=10611&key=&zz=20140327093607014&zs=n

[Michael]

On ebriefing this morning:

 

http://ebriefing.bgfl.org/bcc_ebrief/content/resources/resource.cfm?id=10611&key=&zz=20140327093607014&zs=n

 

It's a good start, but it'll be absolutely pointless if 100 network managers turn up. This needs to be split up over days, not a single day to genuinely hear what everyone has to say.

[Little-Miss]

True, but i guess not all 100 people are gonna have something to say...

[Michael]

True, but i guess not all 100 people are gonna have something to say...

 

I think the outcome will be more positive if there were just groups of 10 network managers, talking directly to the relevant people in Link2ICT.

 

My only worry with the 'schedule' is it covers the likes of Office 365. This has nothing to do with connectivity for example and should be reserved for another discussion. We all know Zimbra is less than adequate and evidently you do not need Link2ICT to move to Office 365. We do need Link2ICT when it comes to resolving the connectivity issues, seeing as it is their network. This should be the only topic on the agenda and one we need clear answers and clear expectations. Think about it - without connectivity/firewall issues properly resolved the other 'topics' won't work without it.

 

It's unclear why Link2ICT are going round with circles with this. Just migrate existing schools to Office 365 and be done with Zimbra. There's nothing more to discuss

[foofighterjim]

It's unclear why Link2ICT are going round with circles with this. Just migrate existing schools to Office 365 and be done with Zimbra. There's nothing more to discuss

 

I think it is probably because they have zero management or control over O365, if a school calls with an issue what are they to do? Sorry we cant help you because we made you have O365, that just wouldn't work. However if a school makes the conscious decision to move and has the technical knowledge to do so they will also know that in terms of O365 they are on their own (except for the wonderfully helpful people here on Edugeek anyway).

[Michael]

I think it is probably because they have zero management or control over O365, if a school calls with an issue what are they to do? Sorry we cant help you because we made you have O365, that just wouldn't work. However if a school makes the conscious decision to move and has the technical knowledge to do so they will also know that in terms of O365 they are on their own (except for the wonderfully helpful people here on Edugeek anyway).

 

I'd say logically in the context of Office 365 that Link2ICT would have one administrator account per school to resolve problems on request. It's extremely rare that Office 365 is completely down, so you continue managing it in the same fashion, but it's hosted by someone else in the background. The same could be said for VLEs or anything else - it probably makes more financial sense for one of the big UK hosting providers to physically host and maintain the servers.

[CHR1S]

My MS licencing ran out in January and we have renewed but not had anything, my phones are still on order, my re-quote for 100mb upgrade still hasn't materialised, the firewall that was supposed to work in October still does not work......

 

They have until 7th May

[CHR1S]

To add some balance, once I got hold of someone, things do get sorted quite quickly....

[Synkrox]

In North Worcs we have had a few get NM get togethers at each others schools. I now work in Brum but am still in touch with the Worcs lot.

I appreciate Link2ICT making the effort, but if we can come up with a mutually agreeable venue perhaps we should just organise our own?

[foofighterjim]

In North Worcs we have had a few get NM get togethers at each others schools. I now work in Brum but am still in touch with the Worcs lot.

I appreciate Link2ICT making the effort, but if we can come up with a mutually agreeable venue perhaps we should just organise our own?

 

Its a possibility, I used to do this when I worked in Walsall. Part of the problem is that not all Birmingham schools are represented here but may like the opportunity at an event such as this. Ultimately Link2ICT are taking ownership of organising the event and it can be organised in a central neutral venue. I remember one of the big headaches of the Walsall meetings were needing to travel to relatively inaccessible locations. Can anyone honestly say they would be able to host a large event at their site without causing mass disruption? I would be able to manage about 5 people here.

[Little-Miss]

Yeah i think we could start doing that. I was going to suggest it at some point.