Having to make a policy for my sanity, software and services adoption.

[chazzy2501]

Having to say no can upset staff, so I've asked SLT to approve a policy for software adoption on the school domain. I did use co-pilot for this but I had a lot of prompts ((btw my first actually useful interaction with it))

 

School Software Installation, Cloud Services and Support Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the procedures for installing, supporting, and removing software and cloud services on the school domain to ensure security, compliance, and effective use of resources.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff and contractors using the school’s IT resources, including both on-premises software and cloud services.

3. Software and Cloud Services Installation

3.1 Approved Software and Cloud Services

• Only software and cloud services approved by the IT department may be used on school devices and networks.

• A list of approved software and cloud services will be maintained and regularly updated by the IT department.

3.2 Requesting New Software and Cloud Services

• Staff may request new software or cloud services by submitting a Software and Cloud Services Request Form to the IT department.

• The IT department will review the request for compatibility, licensing, security considerations, and the presence of a recognized legal entity behind the software or service.

3.3 Legal Entity Verification

• The IT department will verify that the software or cloud service is developed and supported by a recognized legal entity (e.g., a registered company or organization). Homemade or unsupported software and services will not be approved.

3.4 Licensing Verification

• The IT department will verify that the software or cloud service licensing terms are clear and that the school can legally use the software or service. This includes ensuring compliance with all licensing agreements and copyright laws.

3.5 Open Source Software

• Open source software must have vendor backing to ensure professional support and maintenance. The IT department will verify the presence of a reputable vendor providing support for the open source software.

3.6 Installation and Configuration Process

• All software installations and cloud service configurations must be performed by IT department personnel.

• Unauthorized installation of software or configuration of cloud services by staff is prohibited.

3.7 Implementation Timeline

• The IT department requires up to 30 days to implement new software or cloud services following approval. This period allows for thorough testing, configuration, and deployment to ensure smooth integration with existing systems.

4. Software and Cloud Services Support

4.1 Support Requests

• Users experiencing issues with software or cloud services should submit a support request via email to the IT department.

• The IT department will prioritize and address support requests based on urgency and impact.

4.2 Free Software or Cloud Services Without Support Contracts

• For software or cloud services provided for free or without a support contract, the IT department will offer best-effort support. This means that while the IT department will attempt to resolve issues, there is no guarantee of resolution due to the lack of official support from the provider.

• Users will be informed of the limitations of support for such software or services at the time of installation.

4.3 Updates and Patches

• The IT department will manage and deploy software updates, patches, and cloud service updates to ensure systems remain secure and functional.

• Users will be notified of scheduled updates and any required actions.

5. Software and Cloud Services Removal

5.1 Criteria for Removal

• Software and cloud services that are outdated, no longer supported by the developer, or pose security risks will be identified for removal.

• The IT department will regularly review the software and cloud services inventory to identify such items.

5.2 Removal Process

• Users will be notified in advance of any software or cloud services scheduled for removal.

• The IT department will handle the removal process to ensure it is done securely and efficiently.

• Alternative software or cloud service solutions will be provided if necessary.

6. Compliance and Enforcement

6.1 Monitoring

• The IT department will monitor software and cloud service usage to ensure compliance with this policy.

• Any unauthorized software or cloud services detected will be removed, and the responsible user may face disciplinary action.

6.2 Policy Review

• This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in technology and school needs.

 

 

it looks nicer in word

 

any input?

[NegativeKillDeath]

I would put something in there that explicitly mentions GDPR and DPIAs and whose responsibility they are. I would also have a section relating to the upkeep of data used in the software and especially the cloud services. e.g. who is responsible for maintaining user accounts, class lists etc. This will be on a case by case basis but as the policy stands at the moment cloud service configuration is only to be performed by IT staff and you know that it will be argued that adding a new Y7 cohort is configuring the system.

[dmj]

3.5 Open Source Software

• Open source software must have vendor backing to ensure professional support and maintenance. The IT department will verify the presence of a reputable vendor providing support for the open source software.

 

Do you mean only vendor licensed OSS?

The sentence doesn't make any sense in it's current form: if Microsoft contribute to a project that's vendor backed, but to get support you'd need a vendor licence.

[dmj]

Users experiencing issues with software or cloud services should submit a support request via email to the IT department.

 

Nice, but good luck making that a disciplinary issue.

 

edited: quoted the wrong line

Edited October 24, 2024 by dmj

[dmj]

It's somewhere between an AUP and an SLA.

I'd split them out TBH.

[sigma]

I don't know about the ages of your pupils, but I'd have something in there about cloud services being age appropriate - along the lines of any cloud services that say that the minimum age is 18 won't be available for younger pupils or whatever your appropriate age cut-off is.

[pete]

3.5 and 4.2 will be hard to enforce in the face of the lacklustre support levels from "paid" support from the likes of Microsoft, ESS, etc.

 

While I understand where you're coming from, you need a "support has to be usable and not pants" rather than a "paid support = yes" or you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

I'll take a mainstream widely-used open source tool with usable and responsive community support any day over an "education" software provider.

 

3.1 bullet 2 is creating a rod for your own back. Especially the "regularly updated" part. Make it clear that things will be added in response to requests from staff, not that you're going to proactively test "Interesting Maths Games v27".

 

Is 3.7 working days, school days or calendar days? Choose carefully.

 

As others have said, do you have the political capital to enforce 6.1? Are you willing to burn it to do so? What's your plan if the headteacher ignores the policy and lets Fred buy something off-list?