Birmingham Network Manager/Technician Meetings

[dhm83]

Hi All,

 

Thought I would put this out there for Network Manager's/Technicians working in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. I am personally getting fed up of the meetings being provided by Link2ICT/Service Birmingham. The conferences and meetings that are put on only invite suppliers that are already known to Link2ICT/Service Birmingham or are affiliated in some way to Capita. I have tried on several occasions now to bring in suppliers that are outside of Link2ICT/Service Birmingham and have met a lot of resistance. I have thought more than a few times now it would probably be better if we organised our own meetings, that way we could invite whichever suppliers we wanted, and could focus on any particular areas of interest that we want. Maybe if enough of us think outside of the Link2ICT/Service Birmingham box we can force change, and have a more open and free approach to suppliers and look to save our schools some money during these hard times. Let me know your honest thoughts. All comments welcome.

[SchoolsBroadband]

Hello,

 

if you're looking for any sponsors then we'd be happy to help. Do send me a PM if interested.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[RichCowell]

Plans are afoot to get an ANME meeting going in the Midlands, hopefully before Easter, definitely before the summer break... Not posted anything yet as there's no details confirmed yet, but all looking good!

[MrPstv]

Hi All,

 

Thought I would put this out there for Network Manager's/Technicians working in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. I am personally getting fed up of the meetings being provided by Link2ICT/Service Birmingham. The conferences and meetings that are put on only invite suppliers that are already known to Link2ICT/Service Birmingham or are affiliated in some way to Capita. I have tried on several occasions now to bring in suppliers that are outside of Link2ICT/Service Birmingham and have met a lot of resistance. I have thought more than a few times now it would probably be better if we organised our own meetings, that way we could invite whichever suppliers we wanted, and could focus on any particular areas of interest that we want. Maybe if enough of us think outside of the Link2ICT/Service Birmingham box we can force change, and have a more open and free approach to suppliers and look to save our schools some money during these hard times. Let me know your honest thoughts. All comments welcome.

 

Sounds like a plan..

 

I would like to be updated with info regarding this, if you would not mind....

I could ask a few suppliers that i use if they are interested.

Would need some more information first to pass over...

[dhm83]

Don't mind at all, This is for the benefit of all IT professionals in schools in the Birmingham area. I have a few suppliers that would be interested in showcasing their products if a suitable venue can be found. Looking at The Pavillion that is provided by BCU, will keep everyone updated with progress on this thread. I am also interested to see if there are any particular areas that people would like to cover, and we can then see what suppliers would be interested to support us.

[MrPstv]

Don't mind at all, This is for the benefit of all IT professionals in schools in the Birmingham area. I have a few suppliers that would be interested in showcasing their products if a suitable venue can be found. Looking at The Pavillion that is provided by BCU, will keep everyone updated with progress on this thread. I am also interested to see if there are any particular areas that people would like to cover, and we can then see what suppliers would be interested to support us.

 

Happy days....

[SchoolsBroadband]

We'll certainly be there so long as it doesn't go via ANME as Rick won't allow us to go to any of their meetings at present.

 

Happy to help fund it too.

 

Dave

[RichCowell]

We'll certainly be there so long as it doesn't go via ANME as Rick won't allow us to go to any of their meetings at present.

 

Happy to help fund it too.

 

Dave

 

That's putting it a bit vaguely... I've been clear of the reasons - because of the competition we're trying to avoid at meetings... we've only really discussed North West meetings though, I've not started looking into companies to work with for Midlands meetings yet...

Edited January 8, 2016 by RichCowell

[jedwards2]

Not sure if it is of interest, but I am a member of a group of school network managers/technicians in the south-west Birmingham area who meet on a termly basis to discuss issues/products/etc. We started as a focused group of named schools, but these days it is more open to others who wish to attend. It is a deliberately small and relatively informal meeting - we meet in a meeting room or classroom at any one of the member schools, so as not to incur costs of hiring a venue for the morning.

 

We generally don't invite suppliers in unless there is sufficient interest to see something specific, although saying that there is often a representative from Link2ICT present (as an attendee) because they supply a range of services to most of the member schools and that gives both them and the schools an opportunity to raise issues and awareness of various things (not just because it is on his way to work!)

 

Our next meeting is actually the morning of Tuesday 19th Jan. If anyone (from a school) is interested in joining us, send me a message.

[dhm83]

Just to update everyone, I have 3 companies interested in helping to support any event that can be put on. Are there any areas of interest/discussion that Birmingham Technicians/Network Managers would like to discuss? I have also contacted a few local venues to see if a potential meeting could be accommodated. I will keep everyone posted with progress and hopefully we can get something in the Birmingham area off the ground very soon.

[AlexBradley]

Would be interested in this too. Getting tired of Link2ICT only suppliers too. If you don't want to do something their way, they aren't interested in working with you.

[dhm83]

It seems to be you do it the Link2ICT/Capita way or they are not interested. I suspect the Link2ICT annual conference in March will be full of their friends once again. I am staggered by some of the price increases they are trying to make us swallow, especially Office365. I think I will be getting my own tenancy and migration at a fraction of the cost. I hope that these meetings if I can get them off the ground will give everyone some alternatives to the Capita monopoly going on in the city.

[jedwards2]

If my inbox/voicemail over recent months are anything to go by, there's a number of schools looking to jump ship! (We migrated away three years ago)

[jamin100]

We literally just have the Internet with them. Even cancelled the "helpdesk" last year. Saved about £2k in doing so

[dhm83]

I think I will be cancelling a few things with them this time around. Broadband is going this year, even with the 20% off quite a bit of the market is cheaper. The other downside is that they want to charge £1,432.00 for you to access BCC internal systems in year 1 followed by £1,005 every subsequent year. Give with a 20% discount with one hand take away £1,432 to access your own information with the other. This is why we must have our own meetings and set our own agenda's. Get all of our schools a better and fairer deal.

[CHR1S]

Don't really get any invites to meetings, so if your hosting in B'ham I would love to join you guys.

[dhm83]

I am talking to some possible venue's to see if I can get this off the ground. Will definitely be hosted in Birmingham. My goal is to open up the competition for various IT services in the Birmingham area, and to get a better deal for schools with the current financial and political climate. Schools need to know that there are more than 1 or 2 choices for services in Birmingham. I have several interested parties who want to support the event if I can get it going. I will keep everyone updated and once I have a venue I will look to do a mailshot to see who would like to come.

[dhm83]

If I can get these meetings off the ground, how many people would potentially be interested in coming?

[Trojan]

I would.

[foofighterjim]

I'm open to the idea but it depends on where, when and the agenda for me.

[Snuffkins]

I'm from a Sandwell school. I'd be interested in coming, again depending on the agenda.

[Michael]

I would depending on the agenda and dates of course.

[dhm83]

Sandwell schools are more than welcome, worked in Sandwell for 10 years myself before my current Birmingham stint. I am looking at a few venues in Birmingham city centre for ease of access for everyone. If there are any areas people would like to put on the potential agenda please let me know. I have quite a few keen suppliers who want to show their wears in then Birmingham area.

[MrPstv]

Put me down to attend please.

[dhm83]

Hi All,

 

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to pool my Birmingham Network Manager/Technician meetings with the ANME (Association of Network Managers in Education). The ANME are holding their first meeting Midlands meeting in Birmingham on Friday 17th June at the University of Birmingham (Edgbaston Campus). The meeting is being supported by big names such as Fujitsu, Impero, Groupcall and Schools Broadband to name a few. There will also be a presence from local ICT companies working within the Midlands area, and supporting the inaugural meeting are Wave 9. This is a chance to meet, chat and share good practice with fellow professionals about the issues important to ICT Network Managers/Technicians. The meeting is free for members of the ANME, if you are not a member already you can sign up for free at www.anme.co.uk. You can also find details about the Birmingham (01) meeting on the website. If that was not enough refreshments and a 2 course lunch will be provided for members attending.

 

I hope that as many ICT Network managers/Technicians from the Birmingham, Sandwell, Dudley and surrounding areas can join us on Friday 17th June.

 

Hope to see you all there.