EMBC WAT Tool

[rush_tech]

It does say in the intrim management tool and i quote

 

"A warm welcome to the Interim Web Administration Site. This site will be superseded by the Web Administration Toolkit (WAT) before April 1st. This site will allow you to request administrative functions that will be provided by the WAT tool in the future...."

 

Just seen this in the news and alerts box on the logon screen

 

 

• The new WAT tool will be implemented w/c 31st March.
  
• A change freeze for user provisioning/edits is required from Wednesday 2nd April until Friday 4th April to allow full integration of the WAT tool.
  

So close

[katem]

So bloomin annoying all this changeover, and at year end too, who's great idea was that...

 

For those teachers who cannot remember their password it seems we cant even change their passwords, so no email until the WAT tool is up & running. I suppose something so major is bound to have some hiccups but the timing could have been better. ;-)

[rush_tech]

So bloomin annoying all this changeover, and at year end too, who's great idea was that...

 

For those teachers who cannot remember their password it seems we cant even change their passwords, so no email until the WAT tool is up & running. I suppose something so major is bound to have some hiccups but the timing could have been better. ;-)

 

We have emailed them asking for password resets, no reply yet

[kmount]

Get your changes in quick before tomorrow when it goes into a freeze.

 

It annoys me though that the interim site stipulates it would be available from today but isn't. - What annoys me more though is that we need to have a freeze in a working week when if all they need is 3 days they could have at least used the weekend!!

[GrumbleDook]

The dates for all of this are due to the end of contract unfortunately ... I don't have more information on the tool at the moment but I have been busy doing my day job.

 

If I hear anything (or if anyone else does) we will get info onto here asap.

[Wildebeaste]

With the contract to Fujitsu ending 31st March, surely that's an indication to Synetrix and other contractors that everything should be ready for the new contract? On time?

 

The tools should be ready now. For us to use now. Not "some time this week" which is more likely to end up being next week.

 

Do they not realize that we work with people who can't read or follow instructions? I've got many of the SMT who didn't bother to respond to emails telling them to get their info straight ready for the switch-over. And now not being able to get to their email is 'unacceptable' because they have important work to do. Ha! I'll have to calm down now.

 

Does Synetrix get a fine if it can't do things on time? Or do those cutely worded Service Level Agreements mean diddly squat? Probably squat.

[GrumbleDook]

Honestly? If you have issues with the service then contact your LA.

[kmount]

Or we could try and develop EduClone of Tony and send him to Notts.

[Wildebeaste]

I could talk to the LA. But as it's the LA, in combination with the EMBC who get us in this state, I might as well just bash my head against the wall until it all begins to make sense.

 

I was hoping for a 'bright new dawn', out from the clutches of Fujitsu... into the death grip of Synetrix!

 

I repeat my earlier point. All the parties to the new contract knew when it was going to start. They should have put ample resources in to have it ready. T5 anyone? A complex project, absolutely. And I'm sure that many people have been working very hard to get it right. They are after all being paid to do it.

 

At the very least I'd like to know why it's moved from 'this tool will be ready on 1st April' to a 'might be this week, as long as the cock crows three times and the hens lay addled eggs'.

 

When staff moan at me, I suppose I'll just shrug, cast the runes and mutter darkly, 'EMBC'.

Edited April 1, 2008 by Wildebeaste

[GrumbleDook]

Or we could try and develop EduClone of Tony and send him to Notts.

 

Please ... no ... don't inflict me on any more people ... my conscience could not deal with the guilt.

[kmount]

Nor could the people ....

[Wildebeaste]

Hurrah!

 

The WAT tool will be available... sometime in the future!

 

According to the latest fantastic update, the admin tools will be implemented the week commencing 7th April.

 

Wow!

 

I can hardly contain myself! Such speed! Those hamster wheels must be spinning violently down in EMBC HQ.

 

T'was as I predicted though.

[vikpaw]

i've just been logging calls with helpdesk today anyway. they don't seem to mind. in fact they dont appear to have much to do and are quite happy to chat away and joke about the switching off of the internet yesterday and how it's ironic that the news this morning centred around kids using 'dangerous' websites.

[cvl4]

I have tried today (Fri 11th) to use the WAT but whan I click on "User Management" there is an error message

"Server was unable to process request. ---> ERROR: No siteID passed"

and the local authority drop-down list is blank.

similar problem when I go to "Bulk Upload"

I reported this to synetrix who loged this, but then I hapened to speak to our LA rep. and he said the WAT would not be availiable until Monday 14th and thats why I was getting the error message! I then found synetrix had closed the call with a note saying Simon had informed me the WAT was not availiable till Monday!

Has anyone else been able to use the WAT today or have you all received the same error message.

And how about this UPN reconciliation task we are forced to carry out before we can add any new students. As it says on the website "this is no trivial task"

Edited April 11, 2008 by cvl4

[kmount]

Yes, I had the same problem.

 

I've not looked at the UPN situation, but we may have escaped it as we don't have any student accounts on there yet....

[Wildebeaste]

Just spoke to the Synetrix helpdesk and was cheerfully informed that the WAT tool will not be available until 'towards the end of the week' (Nottinghamshire LA).

 

Great. Awesome.

 

So, sometime next week then... ha ha ha ha....

[gaz350]

why am i not surprised it hasn't gone smoothly

anyone know when this contract runs out?

let me guess april the 1st in a 3-5 years time?

 

Surely they cant be that stupid again, and the fact that another migration might have to be done during Term time sometime in the future.

 

Dont know why i am moaning we opted out a few years ago.

[SteveBentley]

Somebody's brave launching a product with an acronym WAT, how long before that acquires an unofficial extra letter before it?

[cvl4]

GAZ350 - Just spotted your signature

"Why do Science get 2 Techi's to look after 6 teachers.

Why do we get 1 Tech and a NM to look after an entire school of 750 students!!!!"

 

I manage a school network with 750 students - no external support apart from for admin SIMS from the LA. There is just me - I keep being promised a technician but never seems to materialise!

Sorry off thread here!

[rush_tech]

It taken them all morning to tell us:confused::mad:

 

 

• 14/04/08 - Unfortunately the new Web Admin Toolkit (WAT) implementation has been delayed. Further updates will follow. It is not expected to be a long delay.
  
• The WAT service remains in 'test' mode for LA & Site Admins to familiarise themselves with the toolset.
  
• The change freeze remains in place but is expected to be lifted shortly.
  

[Tomkat]

I have tried to run the UPN reconciliation - I downloaded the file added all the DOBs and UPN numbers saved and renamed the file. I tried then to upload the file only to receive an error message - invalid file please recheck and resubmit. HELP!! Has anyone succeeded?

[sparkeh]

I have tried to run the UPN reconciliation - I downloaded the file added all the DOBs and UPN numbers saved and renamed the file. I tried then to upload the file only to receive an error message - invalid file please recheck and resubmit. HELP!! Has anyone succeeded?

 

No I get the same error

[Tomkat]

Thanks for your reply, I'm glad I'm not the only one - I thought I'd done something wrong

[Edu-IT]

This is probably a really daft question but with me not having much to do with the migration I'm not entirely sure what the EMBC WAT tool is and I've been wondering for a few days. Can somebody explain? I'm sure it is explained in the EMBC documents that were sent to schools but I don't have them to hand.

[kmount]

Its the 'admin' tool ...

 

And yes, I get the UPN error, not surprising because the accounts it wants to reconcile are all adults who don't have upn's....