Deaks

I have a faily simple setup at home that's just started really mucking me about the last couple of days. I have a 10/100 Netgear Wireless Router doing the DHCP then a number of stations using either cat5 or wifi. There's a mixture of Vista and XP, no servers, and it's two of the XP machines giving me grief. The basic problem is that two of the XP stations will not talk to each other or other stations on the network. One is a new build, the other has been in place for a year or more. To fault-find I've switched everything off but the two stations (XP1 & XP2), an XP file server (SERVER), and the router. All three stations can ping the router, open the router config page, and access the internet. All have the same ipconfig /all settings (bar their own unique IP address). XP1 & XP2 can ping the SERVER by IP address, but SERVER can not ping them. XP1 can see it's own shares, and those on SERVER, while XP2 can also see it's own shares and those on SERVER. SERVER can see it's own shares, but neither XP1s or XP2s. In all cases that's either by host name or IP address. I hope that all makes some kind of sense? Any suggestions anyone?

AFI's #19 movie quote.

That's appalling! I have always had a lot of time for RM, but it's really the fault of the school heads, and the LEA for not protecting staff during the negotiations.

I don't understand why or how this is. From what I've read the TUPE process and the protection it affords is built into the BSF process. Anyone losing their jobs becuase of RM coming in as the MSP should be taking it up with their LEA and Unions.

NI is a completely different story. RM and Northgate both worked on that project and it has no connection with BSF.

Around 24K here, NM, Tuping in September. Staying at my school, protected terms and conditions, same hols, hours, place of work, admin rights to on-site servers once they go in, less preasure as I can escalate anything I like to the MSP, the buck stops with them. Being promiced training and oportunities, and getting loads of extra benefits that come with working for a large multi-national (Northgate). Better paternity/maternity, built-in life assurance, access to health schemes etc.... Will it be great for everyone? No. But I'm not gonna jump based on rumour and what people THINK it's gonna be like once the dust settles. I'm gonna stick around and do my best to make it work for my school.

Hi all, Northgate are doing the rounds of the Kent schools this week having 1:1's with all of us tuping in September. Just had my meeting. The focus was entirely the transfer of employment so did not cover the systems we'll be using, network or anything like that. Most of the meeting was a detailed comparison of their and KCCs T&C. Each significant element was listed with details of the respective T&Cs and how they compared. If KCCs were better they would be honored, if Northgate's were better we would be invited to move over to them. Where things didn't quite marry up, or Northgate were unable to match the T&C there was a good explanation of the issues. This was a discussion rather than "this is what we intent to do" and I've got to say that overall the ammended T&Cs would be better in almost every way, and the changes that were not were very minor in deed. There was also a clear undertaking that our Tupe rights were still firmly in place and bowing to these changes did not leave the door open for other changes in future. I would post the details as they left us some documents but I've aksed the question of what I can and can't share on an open forum and they've taken it away for clarification. As I've said previously, whatever you think of BSF the actual process of moving over to the managed service is being handled sympathetically and professionally buy everyone I've dealt with from Northgate so far.

One of my esteemed teaching colleagues composed the following to sum up the general feelings he is getting of BSF. TO BE SUNG TO THE TUNE OF "THE HAND ON THE EAR FOLK SONG" BY THE BARON KNIGHTS. To meet with suits from BSF, the middle leaders went. Beneath their arms were tucked the rolled-up plans that they'd been sent. They walked into the room and gave an Anglo-Saxon sign, and said the plans should be stuck somewhere that the sun don't shine. The whiteboard's on the windows and they've badly placed the doors You wouldn't want to know what they have done with all the floors Some walls they have moved around and some they took away From one day to another we don't know what's going to stay The suits they all drive fancy cars, they turn up in their jags And cause us so much trouble that we're all back on the fags The head is on the G&T, the senior staff have fled And everyone is fed up with the lines that we've been fed The school that they've designed for us is fine with no kids there There's sockets in the sinks and no fans to take the air They promised us computers that the pupils could all use But not enough to teach IT so they'll all be confused We asked them to be flexible they gave us desks in rows And where we're going to put the books goodness only knows To let us know that they are here, there's cards for kids to share There's 30 on my register but only one is there They've put science in a cupboard and there's history in the hall Teach 90 kids at once we'll have 'em stacked up wall to wall The math's department's on a diet, don't know if they'll fit in To teach here after BSF we'll all be on the gin They asked for blue sky thinking, we could have it our own way but when it came down to it they just simply wouldn't pay We've had so many meetings each one with a new design We're all so fed up of it now we all want to resign

Some interesting documents came out yesterday. Two job descriptions for the posts being advertised. These and any future posts will be offered to existing staff first, before being advertised more widely. edit: I received some good advice and have removed the documents until I clarify if I'm allowed to post them into the public domain.

Just a quick note on the comments above about off-site servers and wiping them etc... We're going through the migration to managed service now with Northgate (see the Kent thread) and our servers WILL be on-site, only VLE/MLE will be hosted elsewhere.

Just though I'd let everyone know that I got my money back through paypal, and the website for this company no longer exists.

Just the oposite I think. The team leader job seemed to be staff management etc..., while the project-management post covers the installations accross all 11 schools. There has been no talk of job loses in school, and even talk of recruiting more techies. I think Kent have agreed a minimum on-site number of staff.

They did say that Fronter was a bought-in product. However, unlike elsewhere Northgate are hosting it on their own servers and involved in the development as there was a guy from Fronter there.

Over the last two days myself and the two other techies here have been to the Northgate School Technicians Open Day, and members of our Leadership Team have a similar event today. It was held at a "skills centre" on a nearby trading park, the sort of place that kids go to learn catering, car mechanics etc..., with bookable rooms for conferences. Northgate were there en-masse with almost as many staff as there were delegates. Around the room there were various displays including Scantek engineering teaching products, Mobotix CCTV systems, Cisco IP phones, some whiteboards and a whole range or portable devices. There was no real structure to the day, instead we were all encouraged just to mingle, look at the kit and systems on display and chat to the Northgate staff. They were all introduced to us and they were there to cover different things. I spent a lot of time chatting to the woman from the helpdesk side of things, plus the guy who will be involved in managing the installations over the next few months. Firm information was thin on the ground, partly becuase stuff is still being developed or decided, and partly because each school will have a say on how things work for them. Chatting to the woman from the helpdesk it was clear that their focus will be that the first support contact for teching staff will be to email the central helpdesk. They acknowleged that staff will always phone internal staff, or pop into the office, and that would be ok, but they would engage the teaching staff and encourage them to log everything centrally. This was mainly because they would try and do as much as possible remotely using Netsupport. There was lots of talk of support and training for techies and teaching staff, and assurances that they would be there to back us up and if we hit any problems all we had to do was escalate it. It got a little vague when we got to the practicalities of how we receive instructions. We were told we'd receive instructions and jobs on the PDAs we'd be given, also that if we did pick up jobs informally from staff that we would have to phone them in. She seemed reluctant to show us the call management system, almost as if we would never use it as we'd simply receive instructions or do everything over the phone. A couple of us spoke to a guy about the network management system, and while he couldn't show it to us he said we'd have no trouble with it and would be able to do everything we expect to be able to do like passwords, access user areas, change permissions etc.. We would be the only ones in the school with "admin" access to the network. There was a demo of both their MLE N-Able and VLE Fronter(sp?) and explanations of how they work with Sims etc... Seen one, seen them all on that so I zoned out a bit I must admit. Both of these are hosted on off-site servers, while the main network will be local servers. Some other stuff that was said, in no particular order. Their desktop OS will be Vista, Office version will be 2007. One of our techies who went the previous day said they were talking about shift-work with support on-site from 7am to 7pm, but I didn't hear that. Somthing else said on the previous day was that they intended to install just one large copier/printer in each department, not printers in each class. Hmmmmmm...... The two jobs that will be advertised later this month will be a "Team Leader" for all the techies from the 11 schools, plus the project-management post. They do want to fill these posts from existing staff, and generally made a big thing of how valuable our local, and school-specific, knowledge was to them. I'll add more if I remember anything else, and feel free to ask questions as it might jog my memory. As I've said previously, I like what I'm seeing of the Northgate people, but am still very nervous about how well things will actually work once it's all in place. Deaks.

Speaking for Kent who are going with Northgate, we've been told we'll be able to stay in the local government pension scheme.

Just had official notification of the Northgate School Technician Open Day running on the 11th & 12th next week. It's running at the Thanet Skills Studio, Westwood Industrial Estate, Margate. EDIT: Have this additional information: Have attached the file that was sent. Untitled.txt

Interesting development yesterday.

Another small update. In addition to the two meeting dates next week, Northgate are scheduling additional 1:1's with all technical staff being tupe'd and will be advertising two new project-management posts for this wave that they hope to fill from the existing staff.

Just a quick heads-up that if you use this firm for PC parts they might be having problems. My latest order has not arrived and they're not replying to emails. The phone number on their website appears to be a mobile and I either get no reply or if it's answered I'm told I have a wrong number.

Primarily for sale as I can't honestly think of anything I need that I could trade them for, but I have a couple of 02 XDA Execs for sale, now that my wife and I have our new phones sorted. Spec: O2 XDA Exec (HTC Universal) Specs | Technical Specifications | PDAdb.net - Comprehensive Database of PDA, PDA Phone, PNA & Smartphone Specifications Both are pretty much identical, unlocked, boxed and running the last official WM5 firmware that O2 released. Included are mains charger, two stylus, and user guide. I'll include the latest version of MS Activsync on CD with each. Both have been in use for about two years so should not be expected to be in brand-new condition. However, neither have any significant marks or damage, screens are fine and I've spent some time cleaning them up. Both have had new batteries in the last year. I should say though that neither of them retain their stylus reliably. I am looking for £80 BT or £85 Paypal each inc. I also have a Holox BT-321 bluetooth GPS receiver that I used with my XDA Exec. Just pair it and install your preferred sat-nav software. No charger with it but any USB charger or lead will do it. £20 BT or £22 Paypal, knock off £5 if sold with one of the phones. Please don't make any silly offers as if they don't go here I'll list them on ebay. Do NOT offer me: DS, PS2, PSP, Archos, Xbox, Xbox360, Wii, laptops or phones. advertised elsewhere

Currently waiting for my O2 XDA Stellar (Tytn II) to arrive. Previously have had Ipaqs 1950 & 2210 and most recently an O2 XDA Exec. The wife has just moved from an XDA Exec to an Orbit, and the daughter also has an Orbit.

I've got an O2 XDA Stellar coming to replace my XDA Exec I've had for a couple of years. Time to start looking for apps and tweaks again!

Location still to be confirmed but the dates of the next Northgate meetings are 11th and 12th of June.

Just had a brief chat with our outgoing-head (was passing him a copy of the letters page from Computing) and he said there's a group meeting with Northgate being scheduled for the first couple of weeks of June at a school in Thanet.

Not much of an update but the official line is that here in Kent BSF meetings will begin again after half-term and we'll be tuped in August/September now, instead of June. There are rumours about ongoing fraud investigations into the preffered bidder and/or some of their building contractors. It's also been suggested that the threat to drop them as preffered bidder was just a bargaining ploy. We really won't know more until after half-term, when and if the meetings with schools start up again.