New US Edugeek Users - Introduce yourself here :)

[ZeroHour]

Post your intro's here along with any other info you (such as the state/region you are in) want be you techie or teacher.

Above all enjoy EduGeek and hope to see you post in the future.

 

Cheers

[LCPSWolf]

Hey!

 

My name's Damian - I'm a lead tech in a smaller Virginia county school system.

 

We're currently running a Novell network, but planning a change over to Windows this summer. So long Zenworks!

 

But otherwise, I'm really glad to be on here - the help I've gotten in the past has been solid, and everyone is friendly. Great site.

[A5Ben]

Hi, I'm Ben and I am in a medium sized district (in my state at least) with 18 school's and 12,000 students.

 

I'm a Network/Systems Engineer. We currently run a dual network with Novel and Microsoft but are in pilot mode for a windows only system. Working through all of the changes and testing testing testing.

 

I'll tell you this, my machines are SO much faster without all of the Novel 'stuff' installed. Can't wait!

[MkII]

Welcome chaps!

 

Funny to hear that you're soon to be Novel veterans like my local authority. Likewise looking forward to the reduced traffick here!

Edited February 21, 2009 by MkII
sp

[EduTech]

Welcome guys!

[LCPSWolf]

Hi, I'm Ben and I am in a medium sized district (in my state at least) with 18 school's and 12,000 students.

 

I'm a Network/Systems Engineer. We currently run a dual network with Novel and Microsoft but are in pilot mode for a windows only system. Working through all of the changes and testing testing testing.

 

I'll tell you this, my machines are SO much faster without all of the Novel 'stuff' installed. Can't wait!

Ben,

 

Awesome to hear we're not the only ones. I have to ask (and I know this would probably be a more Novell-forum question) ...if you use Zenworks, what are you replacing its funcationality with? We're looking at SCCM, SMS, or KBOX. I'm only a day into the research here, but Kbox looks pretty decent at the outset. Mainly we're looking for software management, but if we get inventory, licensing, and OS loads as well - bonus! =)

[kmount]

Nice to see you guys here, hopefully word'll keep spreading

[ZeroHour]

We're looking at SCCM, SMS, or KBOX. I'm only a day into the research here, but Kbox looks pretty decent at the outset. Mainly we're looking for software management, but if we get inventory, licensing, and OS loads as well - bonus! =)

 

Hi and welcome firstly

We use WinINSTALL Deployment here to do all of the above but even though we deploy apps using it we still use group policy for msi based apps. I have taken a look at SMS but did not have the time to invest to get into it. With WinINSTALL we only have effectively one image that is used to deploy XP to the desktops and like others we can do remote rebuilds with it (aka deploy a package to a lab that triggers the lab to reinstall windows)

I have not heard of KBox though, do you have a link?

[LCPSWolf]

Hi and welcome firstly

We use WinINSTALL Deployment here to do all of the above but even though we deploy apps using it we still use group policy for msi based apps. I have taken a look at SMS but did not have the time to invest to get into it. With WinINSTALL we only have effectively one image that is used to deploy XP to the desktops and like others we can do remote rebuilds with it (aka deploy a package to a lab that triggers the lab to reinstall windows)

I have not heard of KBox though, do you have a link?

Sure do:

The main page is: KACE | The Leading Systems Management Appliances

 

For more direct info on the OS / App / Patch management:

Systems Deployment and Software Deployment Solutions | KACE

 

This can be hardware or a virtual solution, apparently.

 

Let me know what you think =) I only just started talking to sales today - I'm curious to see how cheap they come in compared to competitors, especially Microsoft.

 

Of course, as a school, we have ~2500 computers and at least as many users - hence we need something that's not "cost per seat" if at all possible.

 

Thanks for the Wininstall suggestion - I'll add it to my research list!

 

Damian

[MWakefield]

Mike here, tech director for small school district in N. Central MA. Been in the ed tech biz in one way or another for nearly 35 years; have seen a lot changes in that time, to say the least.

 

Delighted to be here, very grateful for the resource, making great use of the edugeek joomla template as we re-develop our district web sites. Hoping to go live with the new sites shortly, following the KISS principle as much as possible!

 

The technology is the easy part; getting the right people to agree on content - not so much.

[elsiegee40]

 

Hi Mike

 

Welcome to edugeek

 

The technology is the easy part; getting the right people to agree on content - not so much.

 

We all know about that one! Good luck!

[Bayne]

Hello fellow EduGeek users,

 

Jesse here. Director of Technology for a small private school in West Virginia (350 students, 100 boarders). Mixed environment of PCs authenticating from AD. Just introduced two mobile labs of Macs into the pool and trying to get it to play well in the network. Varied success with help from the forums here as well as Apple who uses are school as a 'test' project. Dorms and main teaching building recently went wireless and we're looking to add a RADIUS server to better control logins.

 

Looking forward to exchanging ideas/frustrations with the rest of you!

[Dos_Box]

Welcome, and it's nice to see that you guys in the US can get to 'see' Apple directly. Here in the UK you've more chance of finding pixies in the server room than having Apple do anything for you!

[esarratt]

Hello fellow EduGeeks -

 

I currently work for a Medium sized healthcare group based in Kansas City. I formerly worked in IT for a large public education district in Overland Park, KS for 15 years. I know educators are at the forefront of new technologies so thats why I joined this group.

 

Take care!

 

Eric

[elsiegee40]

Hi mike and eric

 

to edugeek

 

Our educational IT problems are the same the world over! It's great to see our international community growing.

[lucask12]

Hello, all.

 

(I posted this in the general forum Introductions thread, too)

 

I'm relatively new here. I'm an IT Manager for a public school district in southern Florida, USA. I manage a staff of 13. We provide support for nearly every technology product (if it plugs into the wall or connects to the network, we're expected to support it), including around 7,500 desktops and laptops, 100+ servers, 20+ telephone systems, and all of the software that runs on those systems (including business-side apps like Exchange and hundreds of instructional apps) and all of the networks that connect those systems.

 

Staff breakdown:

* 5 break-fix techs (for all 7,500 desktops)

* 1 system admin (Windows servers, Exchange, VMware, SAN, backup)

* 1 network specialist (all apps, printers, a/v, you name it)

* 1 network engineer (network guru, WAN, LAN, VOIP, wireless, UHF radios, structured cabling)

* 2 telecommunications specialists (network wiring, light lifting on the VOIP systems)

* 1.5 help desk people

* 1.5 computer operators (print jobs from AS/400 - one operator works on the help desk)

 

Technology Breakdown:

* Desktops: business class HP desktops running XP SP3

* Edge servers: Windows 2003 R2 on HP DL380 G5+

* Core servers: same, as well as HP C7000 blade chassis with BL460c blades running ESX 3.5.x, connected to a NetApp 3050c SAN

* Network gear: mostly HP switches

* Wifi gear: Aruba

* VOIP: 3COM NBX and VCX

* Web filtering: St. Bernard iPrism

* Spam filtering: Cisco IronPort

* E-mail: Exchange 03 SP2

* Databases: various, including SQL 2000, 2003 and 2005, MySQL, Sybase and other smaller databases tied to instructional apps

* Security: McAfee, Juniper and Tipping Point

* Backup: NetApp SnapMirror, IBM Tivoli

* Desktop Management: LANDesk Management Suite (with Security Suite), small islands of Deep Freeze, Hardware independent imaging (via LANDesk and other 3rd party tools)

 

I hope that's not too much information for an introduction.

[jzepeda]

My name is Juan.

I'm a former student of the place where I work. Started working here, right after graduation in 2007. I'm now the Jr. Network Admin for a middle/high school in California. Still going to school and learning as I'm going. Thanks in advance for the support!.

[elsiegee40]

Welcome to edugeek from the UK

[Jaeret]

Hello all, I've been a net admin for most of my 10 year career, but the job I currently hold is the first in the education sector. It's been strange and fun, but mostly frustrating.

 

So... Hi.

[elsiegee40]

Hello all, I've been a net admin for most of my 10 year career, but the job I currently hold is the first in the education sector. It's been strange and fun, but mostly frustrating.

 

So... Hi.

 

 

Welcome to edugeek Jaeret

 

The frustration is much the same this side of the pond too...

[DanielUS]

Hello Yall (Kinda what's expected) My name is Daniel and I live in San Antonio Texas. I am not a Teacher nor any type of expert on anything. I am just someone who was wanting to learn more, and I found this site while searching for other users of a program called Bright Spark.

 

On a different note, THANK YOU for being a Teacher. Had it not been for you or people like you, I would not even be able to be typing this.

 

THANK YOU !

 

 

Dan

[Haptic]

Hello Yall (Kinda what's expected) My name is Daniel and I live in San Antonio Texas. I am not a Teacher nor any type of expert on anything. I am just someone who was wanting to learn more, and I found this site while searching for other users of a program called Bright Spark.

 

On a different note, THANK YOU for being a Teacher. Had it not been for you or people like you, I would not even be able to be typing this.

 

THANK YOU !

 

 

Dan

 

Welcome Aboard Dan glad to have you here bud:cool:

[kmount]

Hello Yall (Kinda what's expected) My name is Daniel and I live in San Antonio Texas. I am not a Teacher nor any type of expert on anything. I am just someone who was wanting to learn more, and I found this site while searching for other users of a program called Bright Spark.

 

On a different note, THANK YOU for being a Teacher. Had it not been for you or people like you, I would not even be able to be typing this.

 

THANK YOU !

 

 

Dan

 

I've got family in San Antonio, awesome.

 

Will have to have a beer when I'm over there next October (yeah because it's such a small place )

 

Welcome to Edugeek fella.

[garethEds]

I'll add my welcomes as well. I've always been interested in learning how the ICT in education works over in America. Hopefully I'll get some information from here.

 

I always wanted to go to America to work in schools but instead got married LOL.

 

Gareth

[techidave]

Hello all,

 

I just stumbled on to this site tonight. I would like to say thank you for an incredible site.

 

I am the one and only tech guy in a small school of 200 students in western kansas. Looking forward to rubbing shoulders with other school tech personel.

 

Dave