welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 I have seen several posts on Google Apps for Education (GAfE) and Microsoft Office 365 (O365) but I haven't found one comparing the two platforms, please forgive me if I have overlooked one. I am the IT Network manager for a large secondary school in South Wales and we are in the very early stages of investigating the undeniably important task of selecting a cloud platform for the school. I am by no means a Microsoft fan-boy or a Google fan-boy, although I have a huge dis-likening to anything 'Apple'. Some of you may know that in Wales the government are promoting the use of a platform that they have built, it's called Hwb and is based around Microsoft SharePoint and O365. Despite spending several weeks trying to get to grips with the Hwb system I have come to the conclusion that it is very slow, very 'clunky' and not very user friendly, which results in a poor user experience. So I decided to look at alternative platforms that could offer us cloud storage and a suitable VLE. After reading several articles on the topic I decided to give GAfE a try; needless to say I was amazed at how easy the platform was to setup and very excited about the potential of the platform for the school. As I said I am not a Google fan-boy so I am happy to concede that certain apps within GAfE lack some polish. But we are a school, we don't require a corporate style professional polish to our apps, we just need them to work well and we need them to be easy to use for all pupils regardless of age and ability. However, Google is not Microsoft; and Microsoft seems to have a 'hold' over educational institutions (at least here in the UK). Senior Staff are [understandably] nervous about 'going Google'. I am stunned by arguments such as, "Estyn have said we must use Microsoft Office". Surely all schools should be using a platform that works the best for them, that offers their pupils the best experience, and that has the most potential. It is absurd to allow one company to have a monopoly over all schools in Wales, moreover it is narrow-minded. So I am left with the task of battling with SLT to try and convince them that GAfE has a better offering than O365; or I can plod on with struggling to develop a system that I know, for us at least, will not offer us the same potential for growth, collaboration and pupil engagement. Has anyone else been in the same situation I now find myself in? How can I make SLT realise the potential struggles ahead if we go for O365? I have read so many horror stories about complicated setups, and time consuming maintenance. In my experience of GAfE, it 'just works'! Thanks.
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Think it depends what you're looking to use it for. I mean if it's to compliment a Windows network then either would work fine imho, as you'll still be using Office suites etc locally. So it's more home access/storage/email etc. If it's for a 1to1 "insert device" scheme, then what devices will it be on as obviously O365 works better with Surfaces etc, Google with Chromebooks etc If for example you wanted to move your entire domain into cloud in future would you prefer working with Azure? Depending on what situation you're in I truly think it's more a personal preference thing e.g. Do you not like the idea of Google holding data that steers people Steve
sted Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Think it depends what you're looking to use it for. I mean if it's to compliment a Windows network then either would work fine imho, as you'll still be using Office suites etc locally. So it's more home access/storage/email etc. If it's for a 1to1 "insert device" scheme, then what devices will it be on as obviously O365 works better with Surfaces etc, Google with Chromebooks etc If for example you wanted to move your entire domain into cloud in future would you prefer working with Azure? Depending on what situation you're in I truly think it's more a personal preference thing e.g. Do you not like the idea of Google holding data that steers people Steve there is also nothing to stop you running both. I have one school that uses office 365 for staff and starting to roll out google apps for kids for use with ipads etc (some of the kids also have office 365 accounts set up i just dont think they have been given them
CyberNerd Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Depending on what situation you're in I truly think it's more a personal preference thing e.g. Do you not like the idea of Google holding data that steers people I disagree, there are more education specific tools for GAFE than for O365. It puts better tools into the hands of the teachers and is actually platform independent, so doesn't really matter about what device you choose. GAFE is a better product for schools than Office365. It is more mature, has more features and costs less. The only reason you would choose O365 is if you have a personal preference.
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 I disagree, there are more education specific tools for GAFE than for O365. It puts better tools into the hands of the teachers and is actually platform independent, so doesn't really matter about what device you choose. GAFE is a better product for schools than Office365. It is more mature, has more features and costs less. The only reason you would choose O365 is if you have a personal preference. How'd you work that out? There's lots of situations O365 would be better without a personal preference. If you want hybrid mail with onsite? Surfaces? Linking into Office? O365 is free too. As I said depending on situation. Steve
CyberNerd Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 How'd you work that out? There's lots of situations O365 would be better without a personal preference. If you want hybrid mail with onsite? Surfaces? Linking into Office? O365 is free too. As I said depending on situation. Steve Notwithstanding editing Office documents online, GAFE quite clearly handles all of the above, and to get that office functionality you have to pay.
welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 I previously worked in a corporate environment for many years, and I have worked in education for the past 4 years. I can see the benefit of using O365 in corporate because it does 'portray' a more professional persona, but I believe that's only because it is the mainstay Office suite in industry and most people don't know any better. However in a school I truly believe that having a more effective suite for learning is far more important than portraying a particular image to the world. Besides which, I believe that in time the greater potential of the GAfE suite will make others stop and take note, I can honestly see Google's market share of office apps in industry growing in the coming years.
FN-GM Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 that office functionality you have to pay. What functionality is that? Office 365 you need to part for hardly anything.
CyberNerd Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 What functionality is that? Office 365 you need to part for hardly anything. MSOffice document live integration/editing. Office costs money.
welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 True the O365 basic package is free, but costs start to add up when you look at what else they offer. Take a look at this link... https://products.office.com/en-gb/academic/compare-office-365-education-plans ...I may be reading it wrong but it looks like if you want to install Office on tablets/smartphones you have to sign up to the E3 package. For our school that would equate to nearly £25000 per year! GAfE offers all that for free.
FN-GM Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 MSOffice document live integration/editing. Office costs money. Doesn't cost us a thing.... You even get a web based version of office in Sky Drive and MS now gives all schools free office licences for staff and students that don't expire. You don't even need EEES. - - - Updated - - - MSOffice document live integration/editing. Office costs money. Doesn't cost us a thing.... You even get a web based version of office in Sky Drive and MS now gives all schools free office licences for staff and students that don't expire. You don't even need EEES.
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 MSOffice document live integration/editing. Office costs money. The office you already have? As I said originally if you read it. "Situational" Obviously seems you want to slant towards Google, but still think it's a personal preference rather than an actual reason... Seeing the only argument so far is "Google's better" "you need to buy office?" Which goes back to my both are good, but depends on what the rest of your plans/network is already like Steve
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 True the O365 basic package is free, but costs start to add up when you look at what else they offer. Take a look at this link... https://products.office.com/en-gb/academic/compare-office-365-education-plans ...I may be reading it wrong but it looks like if you want to install Office on tablets/smartphones you have to sign up to the E3 package. For our school that would equate to nearly £25000 per year! GAfE offers all that for free. So does O365, Office is free on tablets/phones. Those lists are really old. You get Office 2013 installed locally free etc now too Steve
rich_tech Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 you can have both setup for your users with no costs and they can use them both if needs be (if your an EES School or your LEA have EES with O365 if you want to include faculty I understand, though dont quote me on licensing - I dont know where in south you are here, feel free to pm if you want to) We have both of them, though I understand where you are coming from with Hwb, thats being pushed out at the moment here as well.
CyberNerd Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 MSOffice is free? Send links please - I need to see this one!
welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 So getting down to basics, do you know what the free version of O365 does not include?
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 So getting down to basics, do you know what the free version of O365 does not include? Compared to Paid for one? or compared to Google? Only thing most people are going up to the paid for O365 is for Email Encryption. Otherwise everyone ("ok not everyone before someone gets upset") uses the free one as it does everything you need. Free storage, free emails, free office, free sharepoint, free lync etc etc (Ok there are more bits but nothing people generally use day to day etc) Steve
welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 What about "Exchange Online Archiving". I'm sure I read somewhere that we have a legal obligation to archive emails sent by staff for a number of years (forgotten how many) just 'in case' and incident arises in the future. Emails are backed up on our current network infrastructure and Google Vault does this within GAfE for free. The same functionality in O365 costs £0.60 per user per month. Do you (or others) subscribe to the email archiving functionality within O365?
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Change to Alumni licenses or leave as Staff and get more licenses or backup as you currently do via Hybrid etc Or just ask MS to restore if you ever need. 24,855 days retention period available if you really need Steve 1
Steve21 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Thanks Steve. No prob, as I said honestly don't think either is better than eachother by a long shot. Many schools are using each one and some both. Just need to pick what's going to work best in your environment and go with it Have a play with both on trial and see what fits in best with a few members of staff/SLT Steve
welshman Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 (edited) So has anyone tried both systems? Can I have your honest opinions? I am not against either platform, it just seems that GAfE offers more and is efficient to setup and maintain. I'd be particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has gone from GAfE to O365, or vice-versa. Edited July 2, 2015 by welshman
Mr_Jiminy Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 So has anyone tried both systems? Can I have your honest opinions? I am not against either platform, it just seems that GAfE offers more and is efficient to setup and maintain. I'd be particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has gone from GAfE to O365, or vice-versa. We happily promote both to our EDU and SME clients, whilst Office 365 ECP can take a bit of getting familiar with, I find it provides a greater sense of achievement. I like the new MDM features now being bundled into the O365 tenants. GAFE is simple and straight forward, far easier to set-up and live with, dare I say it almost child's play. I'd suggest you try both and make your own mind up. We took that imitative and tested both, created our own user help documents and got to grips with the platforms before offering to clients. It's horses for courses inni
ellsandell Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Worth considering how staff access email currently? Web vs Outlook? The Gapps plugin is pretty awful. The admin side to O365 is very powerful - You will have to brush up on your powershell however!
scholes99 Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Run both. Let them decide Personally we have both. We have office 365 for staff and Google Apps for pupils. Staff also have Google apps to email pupils but cannot email from office 365
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