RM CC5

[JazzFlute]

Just had an email and call from RM reagrding their new product CC5. Never new they were building this as last i heard they were stopping at CC4 October this year to combine with Windows 10 EOL and was just going to support vanailla networks so moved away myself last year. Anybody down for a initial install which i beleive is from April this year?

[synaesthesia]

Just... why? What purpose could it possibly serve that isn't already either outdated or replaced with other low or no cost products possibly already part of systems already in use by schools?

[paulkerton]

Was announced in September, launching officially in March.

https://www.rm.com/blog/2024/September/defining-network-management-at-schools-and-trusts-Community-Connect-5

[PotNoodleTech]

RM used to be useful back when windows was useless at managing itself but nowadays there are so many other built in tools and third party tools that CC5 just eems a bit pointless.

 

I am guessing it's just gonna be bog standard windows with like a fancy version of impero bundled on top. Can't see the pointof paying £20k a year for that.

[JazzFlute]

Agree, back in the day pretty useful and support was decent then, last few years or more not a patch on how they used to operate and when they stopped there conferences with free sausages and bacon sandwiches that was the deal breaker for me to part ways Edited February 25, 2025 by UpTheWolves

[PotNoodleTech]

Aah the good old RM Tech seminars - so good for networking and wellbeing but we never realised quite how good until its gone!!

[JazzFlute]

The goold old days. Did go to a Stone conference last year and gotta say that was good with a brilliant breakfast and dinner selection! Decent AI speaker as well

[2ilent8cho]

CC5 sounds like it's a decade too late. I use to love RM Connect 2.x but went Vanilla after that then moved to predominantly iOS/macOS just over a decade ago. I see CC5 will be able to manage iOS devices, but RM should have had this in 2015, not 2025, I feel its too late and most schools will have an MDM firmly in place and on the Windows side a lot dumped CC4 years ago to go Vanilla and/or move to InTune, cannot be that many schools to target this solution at now.

[HarryMonkey]

I spent over 20 years at RM schools and enjoyed my time with CC2 - CC4. With the list server and the excellent tech seminars and very good telephone and remote support, they did what they said on the tin.

 

Trouble is, when you then have vanilla schools to look after you have to catch up pretty darn quick.

[APMerry]

I don't even feel like they've tried to sell CC5. They just assumed anyone still on CC4 would want to move to CC5.

[theeggmaster]

Have they stopped putting DC, file, print and exchange on the same server?

[synaesthesia]

I cut my teeth in edu on CC3 & 4 - likewise with SIMS though. Similar outcomes, both dead in the water!

[Zoom7000]

Have they stopped putting DC, file, print and exchange on the same server?

 

Can't comment on if they ever did that. But I was part of the BSF implementation for my school in 2013 and that certainly wasn't the case.

[HarkNowHear]

Christ I'm having flashbacks here. My first job in education was looking after a network running CC3. Was bizarre and I leaned on RM support a lot - sometimes they helped, often they restarted servers during main school hours.

 

[Davit2005]

If you currently run CC then consider what you use it for. If you don't use CC at all then defo why bother :-)

 

First EDU job I had they used CC2.5 and CC3. We moved to vanilla windows AD and never really looked back. Flash back of issues with RM EasyMail and subsequent migration to Live@EDU. The 2U application server with a Celeron inside sticker was the talking point of the IT team, lol.

 

CC had it's uses back then :-)

Edited February 25, 2025 by Davit2005

[slugshead]

They're way too late with this one.

 

Only thing RM have been good for lately is getting good pricing on third party security products.

[theeggmaster]

Can't comment on if they ever did that. But I was part of the BSF implementation for my school in 2013 and that certainly wasn't the case.

 

I was being a bit tongue in cheek, but they certainly didn't split server roles across multiple machines as per best practices. I've used CC4 across multiple schools (albeit inherited) and they were all like this. Could be the default installation.

[JazzFlute]

Yes was definitly the default the couple of schools i supported.

[howartp]

We're due to pull out of CC4 this summer but when I went to download their Win11 image (last month) to get our PCs upgraded first, I discovered CC4 going EOL this summer and CC5's pre-announcement.

 

CC5 is a dashboard overseeing *.admin.*.microsoft.com and it's many friends, with PCs joined to Intune/AAD/Autopilot/etc and significantly lighter touch on the endpoints than CC4.

 

I'm in early conversations as to whether to move to CC5 so that they do the legwork of Cloudiness for me, then pull out, or pull out and have to sort everything out myself.

[talksr]

Aah the good old RM Tech seminars - so good for networking and wellbeing but we never realised quite how good until its gone!!

 

Bring back those RM Seminar bacon rolls mmmmm

[talksr]

One of the schools I take care of is on CC4. The first I heard of the demise of CC4 was back in October 2024. RM made no effort to announce this to customers and I only found out when dealing with their support regarding an issue. The site is already 65% converted to Intune.

 

The tech seminars used to be really good, I was a fan of the bacon rolls and thought some of the speakers were really knowledgable. I can't remember his name, but the chap who gave out the chocolate fishes was great!

 

RM may well find niche in providing a product that can sit over the top of Intune to allow for automated tasks.

Scheduled shutdowns you can easily modify or disable instead of policies that are clunky and fiddly to change currently.

An easy way to reboot stations in a particular group would also be handy.

Maybe this is some of what CC5 will encompas but for me, it has become a costly expense for not a lot and I can't say I rate the support that has been provided all that much.

We lost all communication from our account manager about 4 years ago. Account managers seemed to change with the seasons but you only found this out when you tried to contact the one you thought was yours only to find he/she had been replaced again!

[JazzFlute]

I was running CC4 about 18 months ago and was told back then when asking about Windows 11 EOl that they would not suport it and CC4 would end and theyd only install/support vanilla networks moving forward.. Then moved away from CC4 and I decomissioned sever etc. but they obviouslly changed their mind and devolped CC5 which in my opionion is a bit to late with Windows 10 EOL in 6 months and they only starting trialling installs this month. It might be a good product but think theyve missed the boat as schools would have probabbly moved away by now and it was always expensive for what it was.

[synaesthesia]

Pretty much sums it all up when the only real good thing anyone says is "bacon rolls"

[ITSystems_JamesE]

Meanwhile, over here in IT Systems…

 

We understand that not all schools want to move to CC5. That’s why we’ve developed and deployed a fully functional Windows 11 Client Pack for Community Connect 4 (CC4), ensuring schools can continue using a system they know and trust without being forced into unnecessary and costly migrations.

 

Our tailored support services include regular security updates, compatibility improvements, and even structured plans for migrating CC4 networks to newer server operating systems like Windows Server 2022. Many schools are already benefiting from our solution and support services, saving them money and allowing them to extend the life of their CC4 networks well beyond RM’s planned discontinuation.

 

For those who are happy with CC4 and don’t want to move to CC5, we provide a sustainable supported path forward keeping your network stable, secure, and up to date.

 

For more information, visit: https://www.itsystems.uk.com/cc4/ or send us a DM through EduGeek to arrange a call on how we can help your school.

James

Edited March 4, 2025 by ITSystems_JamesE

[Jcx500]

Surprised to see CC5! Thought they gave it the axe after CC4