Technician Numbers

[phil_thebeans]

As I'm about to request extra human resources with the expansion of the school (year 7 arrive in September 07) present user numbers exceed 1200. I wonder if anyone can give me an idea about numbers of IT staff they have in other schools.

 

We have over 250 PCs,5 servers (soon to be 7) and are responsible for website dev as well as supporting adulted. There is myself and a part time technician (15 hours per week, term time plus 1 week) the level of IT understanding is low even for a school.

[danIT]

2 technicians, 1 IT manager.

 

450 PC's 50 or so Laptops,

16 Servers,

 

1200 users.

 

seems to keep us comfotably busy.

[mrforgetful]

~550 PCs

~80 laptops

9 servers

~1900

 

Me, my colleague, neither of us are meant to be Network Manager, he's been suspended for over 2 years.

 

At times we're run off our feet, at others there's nothing to do. I think the biggest problem is getting time to sort out online learning things like the KS3 tests, ECDL etc as they never run smoothly.

[webman]

800 users pupils + staff.

275 PCs total.

7 Servers.

 

Network Manager (Bossman) & Me.

 

On top of general IT stuff, we also have responsibility for the electronic door security system, and anything else that plugs in. This also recently included programming the two separate bell systems when the period times changed.

[phil_thebeans]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. Looks like you guys are more rushed off your feet than us. Our main problem is all the new stuff we get given like the dreaded KS3 tests and whiteboard/projector support.

[witch]

There is another thread about this somewhere, lots of people have put what their ratio of computers to staff is - have a look for it.

[mrforgetful]

Wow thanks for the quick replies. Looks like you guys are more rushed off your feet than us. Our main problem is all the new stuff we get given like the dreaded KS3 tests and whiteboard/projector support.

 

The thing to do with things like the KS3 testing when you really don't have time is this.

Tell management having that piece of software running smoothly is a one man full time job for the duration of the test, plus some time before and they either employ someone to do it, or understand that you wont be doing any other jobs while the software is being used.

 

We found that management are so wanting to use it they either say 'fine then abandon all other jobs and do this' or 'how about a temporary agency member'.

[SpuffMonkey]

2 technicians, 1 IT manager.

 

450 PC's 50 or so Laptops,

16 Servers,

 

1200 users.

 

seems to keep us comfotably busy.

 

Pretty much identicle - I find this is OK for on-going support - but leaves very little time for proper development/testing/evaluation and writing documentation

[Geoff]

If you don't have enough (ie, you are firefighting) technician time to cover your schools support needs you might want to consider implementing thin clients.

[bossman]

Becta states that if you have a desktop support inplace (one person) and a good level of IT knowledge amongst the end users (all School Staff) then you should require one technician per 100 workstations.

If like us you don't have desktop support and end users are below average in IT skills then you should require one technician to every 50 workstations.

That would mean we should have at least 4 technicians and myself according to them.

Sorry Webman but there is no chance of us getting any more help as they would rather pay large salaries to other support staff members who always rely on us for everything.

[webman]

Too true

[Geoff]

I thought BECTA had revised that ratio?

 

http://www.becta.org.uk/techcomp/docs/how_many_technicians.pdf

[sidewinder]

NM, Network Engineer, 4 technicians

 

700-750 pc's/laptops

5 servers (looking at everyone elses numbers makes me think we dont have enough!)

1900-2000 users

[Disease]

450 Computers and Laptops

1200 Staff and users.

 

Nothing is contracted out to external companies we install all network and AV items. We do the PAT testing and deal with anything that plugs into a socket. Also do Door security system and on site intruder removal as well as testing the fire systems.

 

Network Manager (me), Jake and Jason thats it.

[mrforgetful]

NM, Network Engineer, 4 technicians

 

700-750 pc's/laptops

5 servers (looking at everyone elses numbers makes me think we dont have enough!)

1900-2000 users

 

I'd love so many Technicians, I could send them round to check all the rooms equipment was working ok and nice and neat and tidy...pipedreams.

[mrforgetful]

450 Computers and Laptops

1200 Staff and users.

 

Nothing is contracted out to external companies we install all network and AV items. We do the PAT testing and deal with anything that plugs into a socket. Also do Door security system and on site intruder removal as well as testing the fire systems.

 

Network Manager (me), Jake and Jason thats it.

[ranj]

1 Systems Manager * 1 Technician. 300 Computers including laptops and 9 servers.

[_Bat_]

98 PCs & laptops in primary schools

Six servers

Development and maintance of two completely different websites

Plus all usual stuff (whiteboards etc.)

 

This is a mixture of both schools that I work for. There is just me and my network manager (who also works at both schools but only spends half a day at each per week due to the masses of other schools he works for).

 

I think I have it easy compared to you all.

[djm968]

NM, Network Engineer, 4 technicians

 

700-750 pc's/laptops

5 servers (looking at everyone elses numbers makes me think we dont have enough!)

1900-2000 users

 

I'd love so many Technicians, I could send them round to check all the rooms equipment was working ok and nice and neat and tidy...pipedreams.

 

That user base and number of workstations would have a tech support department of at least 10 in the commercial sector.

 

It's not really pipedreams, it’s a sensible number.

[Chafftech]

Me, my colleague, neither of us are meant to be Network Manager, he's been suspended for over 2 years.

 

How can you be suspended for 2 years. Surely contract would be terminated even before 1 year is up??

 

Sorry dont want to be nosey but I cant understand how someone could be on a disciplinary of such a serious nature for so long.

[MkII]

800 users pupils + staff.

275 PCs total.

7 Servers.

 

Network Manager (Bossman) & Me.

 

On top of general IT stuff, we also have responsibility for the electronic door security system, and anything else that plugs in. This also recently included programming the two separate bell systems when the period times changed.

 

Plus RM CC3 - that's half a tech!

 

950 (l)users + staff

300 PCs total

8 Servers

web stuff, AV, anything with a plug etc, per lesson registration

 

About to become a collective of 2 - ass tech wages really

[mrforgetful]

Me, my colleague, neither of us are meant to be Network Manager, he's been suspended for over 2 years.

 

How can you be suspended for 2 years. Surely contract would be terminated even before 1 year is up??

 

Sorry dont want to be nosey but I cant understand how someone could be on a disciplinary of such a serious nature for so long.

 

I don't know much about it as we don't get (officially) told, but something like.

 

He was suspended two years ago (for something I won't go into). He span that enquiry out and didn't turn up for the final meeting when the decision of the outcome would have happened. He then started an enquiry into how he'd been treated, which he lost. He had another enquiry into how that was carried out. Which he lost. We're now about back to the original thing the suspension was for.

 

That's the basic gist. Essentially he's spun it out while management have 'sought legal recommendations on how to procede' at ever turn.

 

Rumour has it that said suspended person has had other work anyway, which is a sackable offence, but then, if management had balls to sack him they'd have done it to start with.

[_Bat_]

and on site intruder removal

 

Haha. Sorry.... I have to ask. What experience did you have that caused you to say this?

[Jake]

Hehe..sadly nothing "fun". We get alot of "intruders" from other very very nearby schools. Kids in this city are somewhat violent to say the least and often decide its a good use of time to head into nearby schools and steal bikes, punch teachers, jump students etc.

 

Sadly so far, as soon as they encounter us they leave, usually saying "oh yeah...yeah mate, look at you, think you're a hard man eh" at us

 

Thats the usual, although we have also had some adults come onsite to try and steal either equipment, or students

[phil_thebeans]

Thanks everyone, especially the pointer to Becta's site although in typical goverment fashion a cursory glance shows that recommended numbers of technicians are rather ambigious to say the least, well what else would we expect from them.