Small network setup for an infant

[synaesthesia]

Just looking for some ideas for an infant school. They currently run standalone systems with no server which is a tad messy.

 

RM is a no-no, so a couple of options.

 

Terminal server and semi-thin clients was the onsite fellas first idea - however this is something I'm not too over the moon with in a primary, especially when running some quite intensive gear. However it will be very easy to manage and keep secure, certainly helping with software "distribution".

 

Vanilla system with fat clients. Bearing in mind the lack of on site support and I'll be there on a 4 week basis, I've suggested something along the lines of Ranger. OK, so it's RM under a different name but a small GUI over a vanilla system means we've got light clients doing the hard work and minimal guff over the top, leaving it quite easy to manage for the onsite people.

Plain vanilla would be the cheapest option certainly but will be a bit of a nightmare to set up. Where would you start, security and GPO wise? And the same goes for package management and deployment, it would then require them to invest in something like Winstall and push it out via AD?

 

I've managed plenty of all these systems but have never been involved in speccing something up. We're all wary of a TS which might require one hell of a server which may be cost inhibitive. We can probably be up and running for £6k on a Ranger based system including hardware, software setup (obviously I wouldn't be doing the initial setup) and software licensing. Would that be a reasonably attainable figure for any other suggestions?

[elsiegee40]

I'd go for a vanilla system and fat clients personally with Logmein installed on the server so you can get to it when you're not on site.

 

I'm not sure why you think vanilla would be a nightmare to set up? As you appear to be getting new clients at the same time, set up one and use the image on all the rest.

[SimpleSi]

1st of all, find out what do they need/want to do with their ICT? - the school head/staff I mean.

 

How big's the school BTW?

 

Then try to give them a good value for money solution.

 

Which is probably going to be a very simple vanilla install (£300-400 server)- prob not going to need every GPO on the planet locking down the computers either - 1 logon/class is as far as I'd go.

 

Spend some money on good wireless if possible instead of server infrastructure

 

KISS

 

regards

Simon

PS who/what is the "onsite fella"

[GrumbleDook]

It might be worth spending more time getting WDS right as it might be quicker to fix some issues by pushing a new image out to the small number of machines.

[synaesthesia]

WDS is a given, it's certainly my preferred method of deployment across all sorts of networks

 

The network infrastructure is already in place. It's only a 2 form infants with a total of 26 desktops which will be on this system. The rest will access it only for shared resources as standalone clients (staff laptops, admin stations).

A vanilla system won't be a nightmare to set up, as suggested though it's just getting the right combination of GPO's in place for security. They do want a login per pupil which isn't a problem at all, I'm just wary about ease of management for staff who are ICT coordinator because they're "vaguely into IT" as a hobby.

I don't have a problem using remote tools to help out however having 13-14 schools to look after a week means I have little time other than my own to do such things - and the time I do often spend researching and investigating is just that - and also well out of the time when people are onsite to help. Plus it's probably not in the schools SLA

 

But my own concern is getting what the school want in place. I know they just need systems which are capable of running with a bit of grunt, they have a reasonable batch of 1GB+ P4/Pentium Dual Cores in place which work just fine. The "benchmark" software they are touting is the Sherston resource pack - a good 20GB of colourful stuff As long as they can run those, Office and connect to the internet, that's the bases covered. No laptops involved other than the staff ones, which wont be covered on this system.

 

So, a basic "server" will probably do the job just fine, as it'll be doing little more than serving files and running AD. It'll be using RDX based backups as a certainty.

Cheers for the input so far.

[synaesthesia]

Oh that's another thing - likely they'll be replacing PC's on an "as they go" basis. As a result will there be any issue mixing XP and Win7 systems? Will that incur difficulty with GPOs and software deployment?