[sims] SIMS Web Interface

[Michael]

So may I ask what is the issue? Changing the MIS altogether perhaps?

[dhicks]

Native RDS is not compatible with Chrome OS unless you go with Citrix. That will cost even more money!

 

We use Ericom's Access Now for web-based RDP access. You pay a (pretty reasonable) one-off fee per concurrent license, so the number of licenses you'll need would depend on the maximum number of simultanious SIMS users. You do still need to be licensed for remote access to the Windows servers, of course, so it might still be an expensive option in your case.

[matt40k]

Not every school has fibre, especially in rural locations

 

I hate this argument. If my mate can stream game of thrones from the middle of a field in HD in the bog end of nowhere, I'm pretty sure you could mark a few registers even in rural school. I know that's oversimplified, but I've yet to be to a school that can't run YouTube. If you can't run YouTube, then fine, onprem makes sense, otherwise its a false economy. It's like blaming your LA "forcing" you to use SIMS. No LA forces any MIS on you.

 

FYI - last time I saw Capita charges, it was £500~£1000 per year for a primary to be host, so I'm not sure the onprem is cheaper is actually correct. Not the best option, I still think picking another MIS would be better, that IS actually web based - and I'm not saying wait til SIMS 8 - we all know how Capita is with anything new, its been what 5 years to get SOLUS3 to a point where people are generally happy with it!! Anyway, just my 2p, go spend mega dosh on an add-on, just make sure you can justify whatever decide you make, especially if your an Academy!

[ITBadger]

PARS is working well here. You're welcome to come and have a look at it if you want. Teachers seem really happy with it.

[Michael]

That's an excellent analogy 'if you can't run YouTube' makes perfect sense

[SpaceInvader83]

You could use an rdp gateway like Apache Guacamole, HTML5 so works from any modern browser.

 

Can't do this because

 

1. The expense of having RDS hosts

2. Native RDS is not compatible with Chrome OS unless you go with Citrix. That will cost even more money!

[Banjo]

I hate this argument. If my mate can stream game of thrones from the middle of a field in HD in the bog end of nowhere, I'm pretty sure you could mark a few registers even in rural school. I know that's oversimplified, but I've yet to be to a school that can't run YouTube. If you can't run YouTube, then fine, onprem makes sense, otherwise its a false economy. It's like blaming your LA "forcing" you to use SIMS. No LA forces any MIS on you.

 

FYI - last time I saw Capita charges, it was £500~£1000 per year for a primary to be host, so I'm not sure the onprem is cheaper is actually correct. Not the best option, I still think picking another MIS would be better, that IS actually web based - and I'm not saying wait til SIMS 8 - we all know how Capita is with anything new, its been what 5 years to get SOLUS3 to a point where people are generally happy with it!! Anyway, just my 2p, go spend mega dosh on an add-on, just make sure you can justify whatever decide you make, especially if your an Academy!

 

Maybe I've just been round the block a few' more times. We have schools with "line of sight internet" that's dependent upon the weather. Others are on 0.5mb connections with a potential bill of £20K to dig the road and lay fibre. Backup's are a real issue as they are still uploading the next day. The Youtube analogy is a good one, but not every school can get Justin Bieber on demand :-)

 

Forgot to add> 2022 is the year!

Edited October 18, 2016 by Banjo
Cut off date

[matt40k]

We had of "line of sight" wireless broadband and I know when it came up to renewal (fyi we went fibre) they had a new updated version of the technology that was alot less line of sight - ie a tree grows into your path it doesn't knock your internet off and we were getting 300mbps off the old gen wireless.

 

 

Anyway point still stands, in this digital age, not having broadband isn't really acceptable, how can you honestly say you can prepare children for the future when you physically can't even teach the basics?

 

but not every school can get Justin Bieber on demand :-)

 

I think that's a security feature.

[FN-GM]

Maybe I've just been round the block a few' more times. We have schools with "line of sight internet" that's dependent upon the weather. Others are on 0.5mb connections

 

You need better equipment

[2ilent8cho]

To be fair its not part of SIMS

 

 

iSAMS have recommended we carry on using Nova T6 if we jump ship. When i try to run Nova T6 directly it says no, i must launch it from SIMS. Do you know away around this or how to install it standalone?

[Linfit]

You can install it standalone but you need a copy of the satellite installer. If you are running SOLUS 3 you should find this in the SOLUS3>Update Repository>Setups>SIMS folder. Its called NovaSatelliteSetup.exe You run this and it unpacks and creates an installer - it doesn't actually install the software, just creates the files that do (Capita !?) which you then run.

 

You will also need a copy of the licence file, MLicence.Dat, which will be somewhere on your SIMS server. Of course, if you are intending to no longer be a SIMS school the licence may cease to be valid, and you won't get updates to Nova-T. They haven't changed the basic functionality in years, but they do update the .exe more or less every release with odd bits of new features.

[Banjo]

You need better equipment

 

We don't manage these schools internet service, other providers do. We just have to live with the consequences.

[vikpaw]

My understanding was that the SIMS license was a one-off charge, you only pay for support and maintenance. When my last school left they effectively had a right to run the software in perpetuity; just no more support.

 

I doubt this will be the model used in SIMS 8 it will be more of a subscription / SaaS like other companies.

 

Back to topic though, various options depending on what you want access to:

 

Capita App

Sharepoint - SIMS learning gateway

Sharepoint - Salamander gateway

PARS

Groupcall Emerge App

Schoolcomms

Bromcom Teachers Webfolder

RDP

VPN

Any number of VLEs that present data - mostly read only

 

*definitely not in any order