Summer Plans 2017

[newpersn]

So what members got planned this summer?

 

For us.

 

Move 4 dcs off VMware hosts to hyper-v

Replace IT room computers and then using them to replace old classroom pcs

Tidy and scrap collect.

 

Sure there more than that as well.

[Meldrew]

This is our busiest Summer for years. 2 weeks ripping out all patch cables in our server room and redoing much tidier. Then endless CAT5 cabling in various areas, including cabling up a new building. All top priority and must be done in time for students coming back in September. Then just learned yesterday that a load of people are moving offices, so even more cabling work necessary. Yippee.

[AJWhite1970]

Upgrade the entire infrastructure to UniFi switches

New patch leads in all cabinets

Refresh all workstations

Refurb of Art block

8 projectors to replace

Reformat all laptops and Netbooks to Windows 10

Roll-out parent portal (TASC Insight)

Upgrade eyes to HD

[3s-gtech]

Windows 10 rollout to 1000 PCs

Replace some worn out stuff like projectors

A few new web projects

That'll do I think - I have far more time off this year than any before and I intend to use it.

[caffrey]

Our summer started two weeks ago, in that time I've :-

 

Ran cables for and fitted an access point and cctv in an area I couldn't do before due to the ceiling, the ceiling was replaced and I took the opportunity

 

Had contractors in to fit two new fibre runs, one was ancient and ran to the wrong cab

 

Fitted Paxton NET 2 control units to all the doors that needed it, including replacing all wiring / keypads and connecting to network. Replaced existing readers on others so they accept mifare (8 Doors in total)

 

Updated SIMS, updated Unifi wifi and NVR software

 

To do :-

 

Some switch replacements to do to take advantage of new fibre, and introduce PoE to future proof for a long overdue telephone system

 

Fit structured cable to the new cab in the admin office (hence the new fibre run)

 

I've another door to do, and another CCTV camera to install

 

Small learning hub PC's to buy and install

 

Got about a days worth of plastering to do

 

TV to install with display PC (Fit bracket , TV aerial socket etc.)

 

Visitor sign in to finish off / install

 

Build a charging station for the students

 

All the usual IT admin duties and probably a lot more (Cab refresh and preventative maintenance)

 

PAT testing guy asked if I had any old PC's I was throwing away as they were looking for some for a new school startup in Spain so I've got them to clean up and DBAN

 

Probably a tonne of other stuff that'll get landed on me / forgotten about

 

Oh and I've got to find time to take 3 weeks holiday or else I'll lose them (there's 4 proper weeks of hols left then there's a week of inset days after that then the kids are back)....

 

And I'm doing this on my own

[jmak]

Run cat 6 cable to media suites, upgrade to managed switches, migrate server to clear OS, install IP CCTV, upgrade Unifi firmware and controller software... At home 😁

[StormTrooper59]

Windows 10 Upgrade for approx 850 devices, Redoing our IP addressing scheme and adding new vlans. Looks like Access Control is changing over to Paxton Net2. Papercut upgrade to 17.2.

[hardtailstar]

Replace most of the schools projectors

Image new and old laptops

Repair classrooms with broken equipment.

 

But first I've got two weeks off 😊

[sparkeh]

First week off holidays last week, I was away. School was closed for emergency asbestos removal. Power turned off to main cab. Can't go in to start things up...

 

Plans ripped up and thrown in bin.

 

Whelp!

[dry]

Few bits of hardware to install at a school that's joined our trust

 

Re-imaging a few staff laptops due to new starters/people leaving

 

Cleaning projectors and potentially swapping over our main hall motorised projector screen

 

Quiet summer this year in all honesty!

[Davit2005]

Just on networking here we have 2 New big buildings to be ready for Sept. 600 extra AP's, 120+ switches. Buildings not handed over to us and well past due finish date, going to be a mad dash and prob going to be IT fault if not ready in time :-( .

[psydii]

Off topic, but with an install that size, what brand did you go for and why?

[mthomas08]

8 pages of jobs here...:

Projector replacements

IT the revamped 6 classrooms

Install 2 new IWBs

Endless of server updates including sims/papercut

Two lots of new laptops to sort out

 

And all that covers about 1 page.

[mdrabble]

• Replacing some computers in two IT room - moving them them to other areas of the school.
  
• Re-imaging desktops/laptop to Windows 10
  
• General Tidy up
  
• SIMS update
  
• Update Firmware on core fibre switch
  
• Replacing all edge switches with Unifi Edge Lite and taking the time to tidy all the cabinets and colour coding the cables for vlans
  
• VLans - (ouch my head hurts from thinking about this too much!!!)
  
• Re configuring Meraki to use VLANs and to use Smoothwall for DHCP - so roaming will work!!!!!
  
• Look at existing OM1 fibre runs with a view to replacing them at some point
  

I'm sure there are things I've missed off but all adds to the fun

[AlanD]

 

[*]General Tidy up

..Yes I promise myself every day to do this...and some how the end of the day arrives and its never happened.

[Davit2005]

Off topic, but with an install that size, what brand did you go for and why?

 

HP/Aruba Switches, Aruba AP's. We currently have 1500 Aruba AP's so another 600 to be added. Already have 500 odd HP Switches.

 

All managed switches.

 

Changing brand at this stage certainly for WiFi would be a big job not to mention cost and we are quite happy with the performance.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Davit2005

[jthompson]

I'm getting married in a couple of weeks so I'm off for much more of the summer than normal Our list is relatively short as a result:

 

Installing a new batch of PCs and shuffling older machines around.

Imaging a new batch of staff laptops (currently in the painful WDS driver faff stage).

Deploying the last of our new UniFi APs so that we are 100% UniFi.

Working on migrating from Exchange to GMail (I've not promised this for September, thankfully).

Start on Windows 10 if there's time.

 

I've kept the list short and kicked a lot of things (like new projectors, server upgrades) on to next year.

[karldenton]

Busiest summer for a while for us.

 

Main things:

Moving server storage off the server onto a Fujitsu DX60 SAN.

Moving servers over to VMware from Hyper V

Setup all new VM's etc

 

Other projects

Building work at main site - terminating network cables, installing PC's etc

Building work at another site - terminating network cables, installing PC's etc

Cabling for a new office at main site

 

Usual maintenance

Adding new users

Changing purple mash classes

Updating iOS on iPads

Updating door locks + changing batteries

[googlemad]

My first year not working in education and summer is...business as usual!

[Achandler]

My last summer in Education, so far I have successfully been let down by delivering that would appear to never be coming for some PCs, new 2-way radios, and incorrect whiteboards being sent. I have had issues with transition backs and our parental contact supplier.

 

I have Cunninghams in tomorrow! What could possibility go wrong.

 

The only benefit is I won't be here in September having to explain why computers and radios ordered at the start of July couldn't get to the school in time. Needless to say, I think we are going to cross a couple of well known suppliers off our list of people we order from.

 

This probably one of the worse summers I have had for let downs by suppliers, everything ordered well in advance and to have so many different suppliers fail to deliver is unheard of for me.

[AlanD]

 

This probably one of the worse summers I have had for let downs by suppliers, everything ordered well in advance and to have so many different suppliers fail to deliver is unheard of for me.

 

I think many school budgets have been squeezed so much in the last year or two, that spending on anything that isn't absolutely essentially to keep things going has evaporated to almost nothing during the year. So when some money is found suppliers are caught out.

[Achandler]

I am assuming that given the suppliers aren't bust, they trade all year with businesses as well.

[localzuk]

Replacing servers in 2 schools.

Migrating 6 schools and 2 nurseries to a single new network.

Installing wireless in 2 schools.

New ICT suites in 2 schools.

2 new laptop trollies in 2 schools.

New network switches in 2 schools.

Move server cabinet in one school.

Roll out SCCM to all schools in the Trust.

 

Done by myself, and some will be done by my technician in the last 2 weeks.

 

Far too much to do.

[AJWhite1970]

We've added replace all IP CCTV cameras with UniFi Video to our list. I've yet to tell the site team though, it can come as a surprise when the cameras arrive on Wednesday and I'm not there....