DEfrostphone

There are numerous remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools available, each catering to different needs. Some are cloud-based with pre-made scripts, while others require self-hosting and script-writing. Without understanding your specific setup and expertise, it's challenging to provide a tailored recommendation. I'm available for one-off consultations, having recently transitioned to forced part-time work due to Schools going in to Academy and having to change support, 10 hours a week down since April!

I agree, but unfortunately a lot of SLT don’t value the IT equipment and in most cases the support staff in general. I can still remember in 2001, been told there wasn’t enough money to buy a new server @ £800 Three weeks later, that school spent 25 grand refurbishing the headteacher's office!

That is the correct way to do it. I’ve done it a few times myself set up a new SSID with new password. Then added via Google admin console, Give it a week to replicate throughout the network, then turn off compromised SSID. The chrome books will then switch over to the new SSID

I've worked in both primaries and secondaries since 1998. As people have already stated, it varies widely between schools/trusts. It might seem like you have a lot of staff, but if every school is different and very old kit, you're going to have no end of issues. The first thing to do in a situation like that is to wipe the devices and put a standard image/setup on the network with the long-term goal of replacing the hardware, PCs, and infrastructure to be as similar as possible to aid maintenance and support. Critically, which a lot of people seem to miss out,is get a good RMM tool with scripting capability. With a setup like that, you can have one person per high school, mobile techs for the primaries! One trust locally with 24 primaries, uses an MSP for all the primaries, they get remote support with a visit once a month. They have three techs for the whole MSP! The other biggest issue you've got is the pay; The better the skill level of the people you have, the more schools they can support, and you'll get a network that eventually runs quite smoothly. I went for a job interview at a trust for the director of IT, six secondary 2 primary and growing. There had been a massive underinvestment for the last five years. They were using an MSP as the third-line support and to support the primaries. They had three senior technicians and two junior technicians. I said you needed at least one person per site at the secondary, a central team of at least 3 (director, senior engineer, mobile engineer). Told them they have to invest in the software to actually automate a lot of stuff as much as possible and training for the techs. It wasn't just about buying a set of screwdrivers! They didn't appoint anyone out of the seven they interviewed. My feedback was, even though I was the most experienced person they interviewed, I had unrealistic expectations! In a nutshell, if you've got a standard setup that you can replicate across a number of sites, this reduces your maintenance time as well as automates as many tasks as possible and rolls stuff out using the RMM. If you don't, you will be constantly firefighting. The other big issue is the money for the staff. A MAT who is taken over one of my primary schools advertised in March for a technician to go around the primaries and secondaries in the trust. They currently have a network manager at each of the high schools, and they've taken on the 4 primaries this September. The pay for this mobile technician was £21,500 full time, 35 hours a week, and had to use his own vehicle. Until the schools/trusts management value their IT support staff, it's never going to get any better!

Its smoothwall cloud you have? if it is here are the howto guide https://kb.smoothwall.com/hc/en-us/sections/360002338080-Web-Proxy

No I have the policy set to, "Monitor but do not block". USB Pen Drives work ok, it seem to be web cam the home version does seem to disable them and its in the privacy policy. But can't see anything like that. It was working before Xmas

Got a problem, Sophos is now blocking the document cameras in the classrooms running. The Lumens Ladybird software was open and closing very quickly, I set an exception for the software and the folder it is in, that makes the software stay open longer, but when it goes to initialise the camera, it closes down. Tried different options, but nothing seems to work in the Sophos console, removing Sophos on the pc solves, the issue has anyone got any suggestions of where to look in the Sophos config allow webcam access?

Anyone could suggest some free network inventory software for the clients? Got a basic spreadsheet with most of the key information in, CPU, memory etc but would like something to scan the network to produce an up to date file for a handover in April. My handover documents contains list of servers, functions, ip address, username and password. Same for switch. Description of the network and any link or dependencies. I.e. photocopy has an admin ip address and link by the route. Description of the GPO policies in place Details of the MDM setup with Apple school accounts etc Details of any known problems /replacements needed Five year development plan. If anyone can think of anything else that needs to go into a handover document, let me know. From experience, I doubt anyone actually actually read it as going to an MSP, who will just wipe the place.

Yes a IT Suite is needed specially in KS1, if you want to teach a whole class lesson. Laptops, Chromebooks take too long to setup for the KS1 child to log into with Adult help. Ipads do work in KS1. KS2 Laptops\Chromebook can be used as a replacement for IT Suite. 2 of my Primary got rid of their IT Suites many years ago. 3 others have old IT suite with old PCs\MACs which need to be replaced, very slow! But are still in use mainly by KS1. As KS2 have class sets of Ipads or Chromebooks.

I have unifi over 3 different site. no problems if set up right. Largest site has 160 ipads plus laptops all on the wifi.

No one can access your property without your consent that is Trespass which is a civil crime. Technically doing work and not making good is classed as criminal damage and your insurance company will refuse to pay out if you haven’t reported it to the police at the time. But the police would not be interested! Might just be worth sending a quick email asking them to confirm they are going to make good. But realistically any damage under £10,000 is not worth going to court for as it’s going to cost you more than that in legal fees. Great system we live in! Depends on the Neighbour, but yes I would let them do it as long as they made good, no point falling out as you have to lived next door to them. But Builder or Company I would ask them to make good, as they are more likely to do something and not be bothered about good relations.

I would speak to the sale manager, ask him to confirm that they will make good any damage and why they didn't inform you. Follow this up with an email as from experience someone's word means nothing always confirm it in writing. Technically it's trespass but you wouldn't get anything as inconvenience is minor, as long as they make good the damage. I had something similar three years ago new neighbour started building work without asking, damaged flat roof and build over the boundary without my consent. He said all the right things at the time. Three months later he came to tell me that there was water running into his extension refuse to get the builder back. After a month I got it patched at that point he denied all responsibility dragged it out for over a year. Was left £1300 out of pocket for £3500 worth of damage. Moral of the story never accept verbal assurances when money is involved.

I have a school who have Mac's, they have just got 6 new imac which need a windows 10 licence so they can Dual Boot. They have used Lancashire's Select Plus to buy their Microsoft Licence in the past the cost for a window licence has been about £34. The price they have been quote is time £58 per licence from BT Lancs who manage\took over the Lancashire IT Services. I have done a quick google search for the part number and I'm getting a unit cost of £14.99 per licence, but since we don't have the Lancashire Select Agreement number we can not place an order directly. Does any one know what the cost of Windows 10 EDU Upgrade Select Plus Licence Cost (KW5-00358) should be thought a select agreement! I'm trying to get the school to move to a EES agreement but hard sell since they don't use that much Microsoft software so has always been cheaper to buy it though Lancashire Select Thanks

I have a school which got 2 of the VIVIDTouch VTE-6500 last summer to replace 2 Smartboard and to me they are very good for the money, only complant was that the build in speakers are not that loud! I have written on it and to me its the same as a smarthboard.

Hi Guys I have been look at some LLDP software which I have found useful, just taken over a network which the cab looked like a bomb had hit it, plus 3 of the 5 patch panels where not labelled!! First one is a LLDP Discover Client, portable run it on a pc and will tell you which switch port it is plugged into, if the switch support LLDP that is https://github.com/chall32/LDWin Second one is a LLDP Services for windows clients, looks like a 30 day licence and I have contact the guy but no respones yet as his website doesn't have it to buy. Its nice I made a msi and rolled it out over the network and then on the HP switch you can see which pc is on what port Networking Software for Windows Hope this help other people as it has been very useful to me