Merging admin and curriculum networks into one RM CC4 network advice please

[tj2419]

Hi

 

We are currently supported by our LEA and have a curriculum network that we (Onsite technicians) run and there is an admin network that is mainly supported by our LEA support contract.

 

I have asked previously about merging the two networks but our SLT were put off the idea by our LEA.

 

Looking at RM support contracts I can see how much cheaper our support would be direct from RM and the cost and management benefits of having all staff on the same network.

 

What I wanted to ask is has anyone done this before? Moved from two domains (One RM and one Windows) to one RM network?

 

My main concerns are around SIMS and getting it to work on the RM network well.

 

Our curriculum network is teachers, TA's and students. Our admin network is PA's, office staff and finance.

 

Any advice would be great.

 

*Please don't turn this into an RM vs vanilla debate. The current proposition is just to move everyone onto the RM network.

[bobsmith]

I did this move about 10 years ago, never looked back.

 

The biggest PITA was moving the user's documents from the admin network to the curriculum network, but with the benefit of hindsight we didn't do it the easiest way - we had lots of local admins with local files.

 

SIMS is presumably used on your curriculum network already? Is it just the case that the database is installed on your admin network servers?

[tj2419]

I did this move about 10 years ago, never looked back.

 

The biggest PITA was moving the user's documents from the admin network to the curriculum network, but with the benefit of hindsight we didn't do it the easiest way - we had lots of local admins with local files.

 

SIMS is presumably used on your curriculum network already? Is it just the case that the database is installed on your admin network servers?

 

Yes. Sims is used on our curriculum network but the sims database is installed on the 'admin' server where all the admin documents are etc. So as far as I can see we would just need to rebuild the computers onto CC4.5, create accounts for the users and copy their documents over. (Not a massive task as there is only about 20 of them).

 

The only issue I can see is installing things like FMS on our network as again that is handled by our LEA SIMS support team.

[supawat1]

The cost of asking someone from LEA SIMS support team to come to do the work (SIMS migration) is only £300 ex VAT, you just need to have the server ready for them and they will do the rest. You can install SIMS FMS etc using SOLUS 3.

[sallys1305]

Not so much can you do it more why would you want to - RM !!

[Fazza]

Not so much can you do it more why would you want to - RM !!

 

I think you missed the last sentence of the OP's thread:

 

*Please don't turn this into an RM vs vanilla debate. The current proposition is just to move everyone onto the RM network.

 

I'm sure they've heard all of this before and may even be planning to move away at some point, just not at this moment in time or maybe they are happy with how the RM network works for them.

[sallys1305]

Sorry 🙄

[tj2419]

I think you missed the last sentence of the OP's thread:

 

I'm sure they've heard all of this before and may even be planning to move away at some point, just not at this moment in time or maybe they are happy with how the RM network works for them.

 

Long term aim is to move everyone vanilla but at the moment have a lot on so getting everyone on the same network is a starting point.

[Fazza]

Long term aim is to move everyone vanilla but at the moment have a lot on so getting everyone on the same network is a starting point.

 

One logical step at a time! It's pointless rushing it and getting in a mess, do it in a logical way that makes sense to you is the best way forward.

[zag]

I did this years and years ago, in fact I think i did it in the first week I was employed by the school

 

Its very easy really, just add new computers to the domain one by one and switch them over. No need to do a big move all at once in my opinion. Sims is just a domain server change. I'd pay Capita a days consulting to move everthing accross personally.

[Fazza]

I did this years and years ago, in fact I think i did it in the first week I was employed by the school

 

Its very easy really, just add new computers to the domain one by one and switch them over. No need to do a big move all at once in my opinion. Sims is just a domain server change. I'd pay Capita a days consulting to move everthing accross personally.

 

I could be wrong, but if you get them to do it remotely they might simply be able to talk you through it over the phone - I seem to recall something about them having instructions they can send you on how to do it and if you get stuck you can just give them a call and they can remote on and help you out and as it's support you dont have to pay them a days consultancy etc.

[zag]

Yes it should be quite trivial to move sims and FMS onto a new domain.

 

I've paid Capita to build our new virtual sims server in the past and found the experiencing quite a good one, if a little expensive.