pantscat

What protocol are you trying to use to get your mail? POP3, IMAP, ActiveSync?

I'm just wondering where people have had success advertising roles? I'll be doing a bit of recruiting in the not-too-distant future and as it's been a good few years since I last placed any adverts in the press I'd appreciated any pointers for a good result! Ta, Ant

@rjm - No worries! I know the pain of Forefront not doing what it should...

Ah - ok. On the "Server Protocol" page when you're creating the rule - click the Ports button... choose an alternative port for publishing on (as you've got Forefront already setup to listen for RDP connections on the default one). Then use mstsc to connect to externalIP:custom-port Ant

Hi @rjm Have you created a "non-web server publishing rule" for this machine? Ant

@Aethon - do you want advice about cabling, switching or both? (+ Wifi?)

I'd have to agree with @Pyroman, on a serious note, I couldn't justify something of that spec for my own work needs unless I was having do a lot of work with multiple VMs all my own machine. I've just got a Samsung R710 hooked up to an old NEC 17" LCD. Hmm... maybe I do need an upgrade...

Research and Development... it's always for R&D...

@DSapseid - that would skew it a bit then! :-)

@Domino Do you work in the independent sector?

In that case it's nice and straight-forward... do what @Geoff and I suggested. "show mac-address list" is your friend...

What's your LAN environment like? all managed switches? If so - maybe look at the mac address tables on each port of each switch and look for multiple mac addresses on a single port?

I drink Gin!

Has someone plugged a wireless AP into a network socket somewhere?

@PhilNeal - that's exactly my thoughts. I do find here though that anything beyond the normal teacher interaction with SIMS.net is seen as "technical" and thus should be under the remit of the ICT Support Team. There's also the assumption that the MIS manager should know every aspect of SIMS.net inside and out even though we don't have a program for CPD and training here. (Yeah... I'm having a moan). My argument is that there is nothing in regard to using SIMS.net that is "technical" - it's merely a tool that should be used to get a job done. You wouldn't expect an Architects' firm to get their ICT Support team to do all of their design work in whatever CAD/CAM package they use, would you? ...Or graphic designers instructing their IT Techs to knock them up a new logo in InDesign...

@PhilNeal - interesting comment... but what exactly do you mean? It's slightly ambiguous as it could be argued that the MIS "serves" every role in the school in some way or another.

I'm both gobsmacked and pleasantly surprised. I quite admire your laidback attitude! I thought I was relaxed...

Penultimate? You've got another one?!

Thanks to everyone for your replies - it's been really useful to get a feel for how many staff most people have to support SIMS. Cheers and Merry Friday.

I completely forgot about Cover - we've got a dedicated cover person. I do all of the server side stuff... that's about as far as my involvement goes with MIS!

My thoughts exactly. Thanks Vikpaw.

Just wanted to get some idea of how many staff other schools dedicate to the day-to-day running of SIMS/Other MIS? We've got: - Admissions Sec - Timetabler (part time role - as is also Head of IT Teaching) - Curric coordinator (defines classes and pastoral structure) - MIS blokey - (everything else... marksheets, gradesheets, reports, etc.) It seems to me that we're increasingly reliant on MIS blokey to get a lot of stuff done in SIMS.net and I've noticed a fair few job adverts flying around for data-input type people and dedicated assessment staff. I'm just curious to see what other schools do. By the way - we're independent and have approx 1,400 pupils. Thanks, A

@Elison - thanks for that. I'll have a play around connecting a mobile phone up to the server and see what I can make it do!

Ah - I inherited a few things like that too. The worst one I saw was DIY PoE (e.g split off the correct pairs and then link it up to a little netgear power supply, wrap liberally with electrical tape and hope for the best) running externally which was then terminated in an old fuel store room. I've got rid of it all now... but it took a hell of a long time.

Thanks pcstru - I'm really looking for straight to SMS notifications in the event that mail delivery goes down. Belt and braces...