minature_hero

I'm getting the same error on a RM CC4.5 server install (0x800700c1 - HTTP Error 500.19 - Internal Server Error). I've followed the instructions for installing on 3 vanilla servers at other schools (all working ok) but this one school has RM and I think some other web software installed that the RM software uses is intefering with things. When I google search it's something to do with the bitness (32 or 64) even though I've set it to 32bit in the app pool that is part of the instructions. Any ideas gratefully received. I've set it up in the default website on the RM server, so not in the RM site that is available in IIS.

Yup, I've used Simon and Dean at NCS and they really know their stuff inside out and are willing to explain exactly what and how they are doing so that you can manage things easily once they have finished.

I discussed this at length with some of the main UK software supply companies and they were able to quote Microsoft documentation that shows only TA's that use a computer as part of their main job role needed to be included. I think I included the snips from the documents in the posts previously. Teachers are included as they teach using a computer. Caretakers and Midday Meal staff are not included as they don't use a computer as part of their core job role. It's the same with TA's, their main role is to support the children’s learning and as such they are not using a computer, the child is. If a substantial part of their job role was using a computer you'd need to include them (eg inputting data or preparing electronic resources). If it's a TA that is part time that uses a computer as part of their job role they count as 1 FTE if they work more than 200 hours per year. Just checking email/online training on a shared PC (eg using an IT Suite) didn't count as it wasn't part of their core job role and was only done on occasion. For instance our Midday Meal staff are required to do online training for safeguarding etc but I don't include them, so I didn't include the TA's that didn't use a computer. I got the Headteacher to agree how many TA's use a computer as part of their job role. I think much of the wording was still open to interpretation though. At the end of the day the Headteacher had to understand the points researched as it was them that signed the agreement with Microsoft.

Can I ask what happens to VPP licenses if you setup one iPad in AC2, add the apps that you want using VPP and then take a backup and restore this to other ipads. Is AC2 intelligent enough to know that it needs to consume additional VPP licenses or should I be assigning apps after I've set each device up? Thanks

If you wipe and setup from scratch each time do you have to unassign the apps that were already assigned to get the licenses back or does it know this and pull the licenses back on its own?

So is the process you are using: Supervise and name devices. Add all apps that are required. Apply restriction profile. Where do the blueprints come in for this process - I thought that this was supposed to streamline the process into one? To add another app at a later date should I be selecting the ipads to edit, remove the restriction profile, add the new apps, and then add the restriction profile back on? I can't see how the blueprints are helpful at all.... Sigh....

I'd also appreciate a workflow or how-to of some kind as I'm struggling to figure out the correct order to apply changes. I applied a blueprint with restrictions to adding apps for users but then when I try to add additional apps to an ipad the restrictions even stop AC2 adding the new app. I have to first remove the restriction profile and then add the app and then add the restriction profile again. AC1 used to remove/add the profile as part of refreshing the device. Am I missing a step here or is this the process?

We have a really old legacy lease agreement that I'm phasing out this year and it has a similar clause that allows us to get the PTA or some other group to purchase the title for us. The equipment is basicially now junk, or was a long time ago, but we've still been paying for it and I guess this is why there are so many hoops to jump through as the system was abused by some suppliers.

Good points above - thanks for your responses. Fazza - the devices would have a 7 year next business day warranty so as long as the lease is less than that I think I'm covered. - thanks for the tip though. Cache/TrueBlueSteve - Good comments on the wording and getting someone else in to look at this. I've already had the LA Legal team look at one lease from my usual AV provider (they had a 3rd party offer the lease), it was turned down as a finance rather than operating lease. I think I need to go back to the LA Legal Team to to ask what the specific requirements are for the agreement. That's really why I was posting, to see if someone had a link to a respected resource that defines the lease types. I've spoken with various AV suppliers, all seem to offer "operating" lease agreements as they are obviously keen to supply us. It's difficult to see their advice as impartial as they are selling the product along with a lease agreement. Often their information conflicts with each other on what "operating" means. The LA Procurement department has replied back that we should be looking at using a procurement framework but there seems to be as many of these again. At the moment the link Brimstone posted from the Finance and Leasing Association seems to hit things on the head - leasing is complicated for schools and the more you look at it the more complicated it gets! Keep the info coming if you have anymore please - or if you are a school that has experience of dealing with this please PM me so we can maybe chat about this offline if you have time.

I've been asked to head up a project for a number of small schools to get their projection equipment updated. We'll probably go with an up to date multi-touch screen rather than replacing existing projection equipment and boards. To get similar equipment in each class the schools will need to enter into some sort of an operating lease to spread the cost out over a number of years. As schools are not able to enter into finance leases how do I tell the difference between these two agreements? So far I've found: The Net Present Value (NPV) of rentals is less than 90% of the original cost of the equipment (excluding interest and VAT) (Not sure what NPV really means in Tech English) The lease term is shorter than the useful life of the leased equipment. Ownership will not transfer to the lessee at the end of the lease term. (I believe this means that it is not prearranged - it is possible but the cost has to be negotiated at the end of the lease term) Are there any other things I should be looking for that diffrentiate the two or are these the main points and does anyone have any info from the DfE regarding what they term operating/finance lease. Thanks folks!

How did you contact Microsoft to get this information? I can't find any specific information from Microsoft themselves, only the The Memorandum of Understanding on the UK Gov website. It states in point 6.1: "Where such Faculty and Staff’s use of Qualified Desktops is for teaching purposes, it must not exceed 200 hours per year. Non-teaching staff whose role requires only infrequent use of the Qualified Desktops would be permitted to access the Qualified Desktops and run the licensed software for the purpose of administration. Administration includes the use of the school management information system, the school virtual learning environment, the school email system and or the school intranet/internet access systems. Infrequent use is defined as less than 20% of that person’s time requiring use of the technology on a shared device which is not assigned to them. For the avoidance of doubt, non-teaching staff using an assigned device (i.e. a device specifically allocated to an identified member of staff and not licensed under other arrangements) will need to be counted if they are to run the licensed software." I've not had a single reseller that can give any specific information from MS or that will give any definitive, black and white information that I can keep on file to say why we decided not to include TA's.

Hi again, Thanks to Steve21 I've found the wording in the Memorandum of Understanding to the UK Government Cloud Transition Agreement Jan 2016 - It's at the bottom of point 6.1. I assume this point must have been in previous MoU's. So this probably means a lot of primary school are paying over the odds as the resellers are not passing on this information accurately; each TA who uses computers less than 20% is actually being treated as a Teacher and a full FTE is worked into the price. Let me know what you all think!

There is some discrepancy here for sure! Steve21, where did you get that quote from? If it's in official MS documentation for the UK I'd really like a copy of the PDF or a link to the page please. I think most others are counting every TA to work out their OVS agreement

Hi, I've had lots of differing advice from a few software suppliers regarding how to count staff FTE when setting up an OVS-ES agreement with Microsoft. The official wording I can find says: FTE count is made up of Faculty and Staff members where: Faculty are any employees, contractors and volunteers who teach or perform research for the institution for more than 200hrs per annum and Staff are non-faculty employees, contractors and volunteers who perform work for the instruction for more than 200hrs per annum and use an institution qualified desktop. Employees such as maintenance, grounds keeping, and cafeteria staff may be excluded from the faculty/staff FTE employee count if they do not use institutional devices. Regarding Teaching Staff. I know I have to include all teachers but what about if they are part time? We have a lot of job shares, so I see this, as if they work more than 200 hours per annum then they count at 1FTE? Or do I count their FTE according to their part time share? eg they get paid 0.3 and 0.7 FTE so I count 1 FTE between the two staff. Regarding Teaching Assistants. One supplier says that I need NOT include TA's if they work less than 20% of their time at a shared desktop, ie they don't have a dedicated device or they rarely use a computer in their day job. I have a lot of TA's like this, maybe they only check email and make a word document or do some internet research for about an hour a day. Other suppliers say I need to count them the same as teachers. Office staff count as 1 FTE if they work more than 200hrs and Caretakers/Cleaners etc are excluded as they don't use a computer. Does anyone have any extra information and maybe links to documentation on how they calculate their FTE count, specifically for Teachers and TA's? Thanks!

Lovely! Thanks all for your posts.

Are there any schools in the north Kent area that have touch panel screens already installed? I'd like to come and have a look at the models that you went for. I'm in Sittingbourne but would be willing to travel. Thanks

Thanks for your replies. I've logged a call with RM as well so I'll see what they say - I guess it'll be the same. There must have been some changes between CC4.2 and 4.5 as it was working before our upgrade and the appdata folder was on the home area. I always move the sync location to a folder on the local hard disk but it won't let me get that far to do that.

Hi. I'm having this same problem installing the latest version of Dropbox on a PC. It was installed previously with no problems on a CC4 Win2003 domain but our new CC4.5 network doesn't want to let it install. The dropbox login just loops round in a circle despite them emailing me that a new computer was added to the dropbox profile. The user is configured with a laptop with personal reg and no station security. Did anyone ever find a solution to this? All help appreciated. Thanks Forgot to put - the user is a privileged user on the laptop.

Hi, Just looking for a bit of information on which printers are being used successfully in smallish 3 form entry schools. We currently have a MFP/copier for "best quality" print jobs and 2 aging Brother HL4040 for printing in an IT suite and a staffroom. The classrooms print to the closest printer usually. We are not a massive school and I really need to do some stats on the printers use as I currently don't have anything running, but we are clearing probably 6K pages each printer per month purely based on the amount of toners being used. Not that much really I know but I'd like to reduce the the spend on consumables vs print quality ratio that I currently have. The Brother HL4040 has imaging drum and transfer belt that has to be changed as part of the consumable life cycle but do all modern lasers have these consumables or do they work in a different way? I've noticed newer HP lasers only have toner and a waste toner collection bottle that are really consumable. Anyway, basic needs are 1. reasonable print quality as our Brother printers are shot to bits in this regard and 2. competitively priced replacement toners, we currently use compatibles. I know I'm going to get many suggestions here but your thoughts are welcomed please.

Hi All, I'm Tech at a couple of small primary schools in Sittingbourne, Kent. We've got a few iPads on Lightspeed MDM, setup initially by the local authority IT provider, and some other just using Apple Configurator. I'm interested in speaking with a Tech from another Kent School using Lightspeed MDM effectively and who set up iPads themselves in house. If you don't mind a little bit of networking with another local school using the system I'd love to chat with you! Please PM me your details or drop a post on here. Thanks

Thanks, the restore worked. Unfortunately the VMware folder was excluded from the time machine backup so I've now lost my VM. DOH! Look like I'll be calling the company that put in the webdav and collobos. I should have backed up the VMDK's first.

If I don't roll back, do I just need to purchase OSX Server app from the app store? The VMWare Fusion version I had running was 6.0.3 - is there an update that I can get for free that will work on Yosemite or do I have to upgrade to v7? Thanks

Hi Driftingashore. Thanks for the link. My time machine is backing up to the server hdd, hardly ideal I know but it's what I've got. Will this process still work in this instance?

I'm working at a small primary school with a bunch of iPads, we use a Mac Mini for apple configurator. I blindly ran the update to Yosemite on the schools Mac Mini running OSX Server - this Mac also runs the WebDav in a VMWare Fusion VM and the Collobos print sharing - all setup by a national Apple reseller last year so I'm not very experienced at all. I didn't realise that this update would mean that I have to upgrade the OSX Server version and that VMWare Fusion would no longer be compatible! My Webdav and Print Sharing is now broken. Are there any of you Mac experts out there who can advise me on where to go from here? Do I just have to pay to upgrade the OSX Server and VMWare Fusion apps to get things running again or is there a way to roll back to Mavericks fairly easily? I have time machine running on the mac but have no idea on how to roll the entire OS back. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thats excellent! Thanks - exactly what I wanted!