New Building advice

[chris11256]

Hi All,

 

Just after some advice on a new building. We're a sixth form of 450 pupils and about 50 staff and the lease on our current building expires in 2023, so that year there entire school will be moving to a completely new building. It's looking like the new site is literally next door(tax office being knocked down & redeveloped) and we're at the stage where terms have been agreed between located, dfe & developers. So far we'll definitely be getting the ground floor plus the first 5 floors of the new development.

 

There's already flaws in the current building that I don't want repeated, there's never enough network sockets. When we opened in 2012 the builders put in 'just enough' data. So in an office each person gets one socket and they're lucky if there's a spare for a printer. Same goes with power, not enough and the IT suite relies on extension leads. I also don't like that I have a single comms/server room(in my last school we never put edge switches in server rooms), so I feel like I have one massive central point of failure if something ever happens to the room. I can't even relocate our backup NAS to another part of the building, as there's no suitable space.

 

From a personal perspective my office is tiny and with two people(myself plus apprentice who leaves annually) there's barely any additional space, it also lacks a decent workbench area. So I genuinely would like a bigger office(especially as we'd be going to 800 pupils, so I'd want a another IT person) with windows.

 

I've had an initial discussion with the Business Director and have been told that I'll be consulted when the fit out is being planned. Should I be concerned or is this reasonable?

Edited September 22, 2019 by chris11256

[elsiegee40]

Wiring, wifi, etc is infrastructure. Being consulted at fit out is too late!

 

You need influence over decisions made about electric plug points and network cabling (projectors, wifi, switch cabinets get forgotten)

 

Even the location of the server room, windows (preferably none in the server room), sprinklers (@soulfish had them directly over the servers in his server room) and air con!

Edited September 22, 2019 by elsiegee40

[chris11256]

I agree on that. I think I'm going to have to explain to some aspects of IT need doing while it's still being built!

[mikeprice]

Yes - you need to influence the design of the building from concept upwards

 

I have never been involved in a new build but I have worked in new building and seen the mistakes

 

part of the problem is having to look at the future - I was in one building with one network point per room - originally it was to be up by the ceiling for a wifi point that would cover the room and all the computers in it but at least that was spotted at fit out and oved downwards

 

It may be useful if people comment with a list of what they have seen and what they wish they had been able to change

and of good things that have happened - a good resource to the next people with the same problems

 

so what will the school need in 10 years time (and next year)

[DrBeaker]

Proper server room/MDF and several IDFs around the building, not used as cupboards but as proper IDFs with locked-down access. UPS on edge cabs too. Seperate power suply/board for the server room and a generator?

 

10Gbps fibre backbone to the edge switches and 1Gbps to the desktop from there.

 

 

We lost our "workroom" to a classroom and from then on nothing could be worked on in our tiny office shared by 3x people.

Edited September 22, 2019 by DrBeaker

[chris11256]

Proper server room/MDF and several IDFs around the building, not used as cupboards but as proper IDFs with locked-down access. UPS on edge cabs too. Seperate power suply/board for the server room and a generator?

 

10Gbps fibre backbone to the edge switches and 1Gbps to the desktop from there.

 

 

We lost our "workroom" to a classroom and from then on nothing could be worked on in our tiny office shared by 3x people.

 

 

This is top of my list. I want to get all of the edge switches out of the server room. Will have to see how much space I can take.

[rad]

Cat 6a Cabling

USB sockets

Double network

Floor sockets if installed that are useable

[mikeprice]

start with a concept of no single sockets for power or network EVER

 

then talk about concepts around backups, resiliency, networks and plan the needs around those

there should always be a proper tech office - and probably a workroom as well - maybe don;t make the workroom too big or someone will think it would make good classroom

I did have a superb workroom/office at one school - it was huge - bet it is a classroom by now!

[mavhc]

Don't leave anything to chance, get in there and control the situation, no one else will bother.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/behind-red-door/196817-so-im-going-involved-new-school-project.html

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/how-do-you-do/200336-moving-new-building.html

[XiJ]

Yep you need to get in early. They’ll never put enough network points in. Tell them where you want cabs and don’t shirk on it. Get cabs with with plenty of room for additional patch panels and switches. Think about how deep your cabs are - for big PoE or even back NAS Rackmount.

 

Plan fibre routes between cabs. It’s not as flexible.

 

Double network points in the ceilings for wireless.

 

Are you planning screens too? - make sure they have wall outlets boxes and network nearby too.

[chris11256]

Screens I have no idea. At this stage I don't think there's been any thought to it, although personally I do want to go down the screen route rather than projectors.

 

I know that terms have only just been agreed, but I want IT locations(cab locations. server room & such) sorted before the flooor plan is completed. Am going to see if I can sit on on the meetings about this building.

Edited September 23, 2019 by chris11256

[msi_school]

Check the measurements of your rooms on the plans, my 2x2 server room turned into a 1.5x1.7 with a duct in one corner, this meant you could not get round the cab on one side.

[mavhc]

Make sure you get a digital vector copy of the design files so you can make building maps in the decades to come, and also have maps of where all the ports are. And make sure every port is tested by the installers, and then by you before you pay anyone

[msi_school]

Make sure the contract covers sockets on one end of each drop and patch panels on the other. I am not joking I had an electrician put the sockets on then charge extra for not just leaving the cab end bare wire.

[KevinB]

To add to the above, on the infrastructure planning make sure you have:

 

• dedicated data riser or risers between core/MDF/IDF for future cabling growth (because it will happen!)
  
• dedicated data cable trays in any false ceilings
  
• plenum rated cabling and wifi access points (all ent class stuff should be but worth checking)
  
• server room should have raised flooring with underfloor cabling accesss
  
• fire suppression in the server room should not be fluid based!
  

 

That's a few things that jump out for starters on top of what's been mentioned.

Edited September 23, 2019 by KevinB