Need a way of running SIMS

[sidewinder]

Got 5 mac's for teachers that are all ready to go...but we cant replace the PC's they have until we can find a solution for SIMS.

 

We bought Parallels 4, but that is completely useless for multi user environments. I've tried installing it on a server and having VM's that could be RDP'd to, but Parallels doesnt allow them to run in the background (not so much a problem, I know its not designed as a server product)

 

Tried Virtualbox, but that has the same problem with multi user.

 

Technically all this virtualisation software works great as single user, but when you want one VM to be available to all users that log onto a machine, you're screwed.

 

Parallels seemed to be perfect for this, you can create an alias to a VM on the local hard disk, but when opening it as another user you received 'The specified bundle is invalid' - Looking round the net plenty of people have had this problem but no solution. One suggestion was to compress and then unzip the VM, didnt work for me.

 

Virtualbox doesnt seem to associate its files with itself, so I cant click on a vm in Finder and have it launch (that is how simple it needs to be...or at the very least there needs to be a way for a VM I specify to appear as default for all users)

 

Boot camp is out of the question as they will not want to reboot just to use SIMS.

 

Short of setting up a terminal server (which could be a solution) I'm a little bit stuck now

[jcollings]

I would have thought the terminal server route is your best bet. I set one up here for staff to access SIMS from home and it works a treat. Thin clients use it in school and again SIMS works well on it.

[u8dmtm]

I would say terminal server is the way to go.

[dhicks]

Got 5 mac's for teachers that are all ready to go...but we cant replace the PC's they have until we can find a solution for SIMS.

 

SIMS works fine under terminal services:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/36755-sims-under-terminal-services.html

 

For 5 users you'll need an average sort of PC/server (whatever's cheapest at Dell should be fine), 4 - 8 GB of RAM should be more than enough, Windows Server (£100 at educational pricing) and TS CALs for each user/machine (£30 or so each). We have SIMS running on Server 2003, but you might want to try Server 2008. We get some confusion with users not closing SIMS but closing the terminal session, leaving SIMS open and running on the server. I'm guessing Server 2008's application publishing feature would solve this issue.

 

--

David Hicks

[sidewinder]

cheers...looks like thats the way then

 

had a quick look though, and setup guides talk about purchasing CAL's over the internet and stuff - surely we already have CAL's as we buy them with our schools agreement..or is it a different type?

 

I realise this is now a Windows question..I will take it over there if I need any more help

 

Edit: ah dhicks you've essentially answered my question before I asked it We'd have to buy TS CALs then

Server wise we're fine, got a few that are under utilised

[jcollings]

cheers...looks like thats the way then

 

had a quick look though, and setup guides talk about purchasing CAL's over the internet and stuff - surely we already have CAL's as we buy them with our schools agreement..or is it a different type?

 

I realise this is now a Windows question..I will take it over there if I need any more help

 

Edit: ah dhicks you've essentially answered my question before I asked it We'd have to buy TS CALs then

Server wise we're fine, got a few that are under utilised

 

Think our TS CALS were about £10 each.

[nicklec]

SIMs has a new 'learning gateway' which is web based which we're looking at as currently curriculum machines dont have access to SIMs at all - would be cheaper than going down the terminal services route.

 

Also as someone mentioned it, you can also set terminal services to close peoples sessions after x minutes to get rid of stale connections/wasted resources.

[ict.teacher]

I use VMware fusion (if you aren't familiar Fusion runs the VM within a window)

Install XP within OSX.

Have the sims client installed within that XP VM

Works like a treat!

[Mcshammer_dj]

SIMs has a new 'learning gateway' which is web based which we're looking at as currently curriculum machines dont have access to SIMs at all - would be cheaper than going down the terminal services route.

 

Also as someone mentioned it, you can also set terminal services to close peoples sessions after x minutes to get rid of stale connections/wasted resources.

 

Not altogether sure that Learning Gateway is cheaper unless you are going down the LA hosted option. FOr a solo school wnating to use sims around the school then Terminal services is by far the cheapest route.

[mbrunt]

Use either TS or some kind of SIMS web access.

[vikpaw]

I use VMware fusion (if you aren't familiar Fusion runs the VM within a window)

Install XP within OSX.

Have the sims client installed within that XP VM

Works like a treat!

 

I second the notion. It's really cool. Plus it solves not only the SIMS problem but other Windowsy issues if need be. Terminal Services is slicker, but this is really quick to get going.

[dhicks]

For a solo school wnating to use sims around the school then Terminal services is by far the cheapest route.

 

If you have a bunch of spare Windows XP Pro machines you could stuff them in a cupboard and assign one to each SIMS user, letting them Remote Desktop in to the desktop of their Windows machine. Silly, and probably not the most electricity-effecient way of doing it, but if you have some Windows machines sitting around spare not doing much else it's another option. Kind of virtual virtualisation...

 

--

David Hicks

[webman]

Or just use PCs?

 

[nicklec]

Not altogether sure that Learning Gateway is cheaper unless you are going down the LA hosted option. FOr a solo school wnating to use sims around the school then Terminal services is by far the cheapest route.

 

I don't quite see how, are you assuming there is a TS server already?

[AIT]

Got 5 mac's for teachers that are all ready to go...but we cant replace the PC's they have until we can find a solution for SIMS.

 

We bought Parallels 4, but that is completely useless for multi user environments. I've tried installing it on a server and having VM's that could be RDP'd to, but Parallels doesnt allow them to run in the background (not so much a problem, I know its not designed as a server product)

 

Tried Virtualbox, but that has the same problem with multi user.

 

Technically all this virtualisation software works great as single user, but when you want one VM to be available to all users that log onto a machine, you're screwed.

 

Parallels seemed to be perfect for this, you can create an alias to a VM on the local hard disk, but when opening it as another user you received 'The specified bundle is invalid' - Looking round the net plenty of people have had this problem but no solution. One suggestion was to compress and then unzip the VM, didnt work for me.

 

Virtualbox doesnt seem to associate its files with itself, so I cant click on a vm in Finder and have it launch (that is how simple it needs to be...or at the very least there needs to be a way for a VM I specify to appear as default for all users)

 

Boot camp is out of the question as they will not want to reboot just to use SIMS.

 

Short of setting up a terminal server (which could be a solution) I'm a little bit stuck now

 

I would agree terminal server. or Have you considered appV. As in Terminal APPv