eshaq786

I posed the same questions on this thread. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/internet-related-filtering-firewall/133236-looking-birmingham-schools-who-have-left-bgfl.html I wanted to know how FCS and data submissions would work. It seems like its shrouded in mystery with BCC and link keeping quiet about the solution. Just bloody tell us link!

Bump! Anyone worked out the FCS/data submission side of moving away?

It caches it. You could always make a public one too.

This is what I have and it works: The reason its more complicated than normal is that I need it to work for laptops and PCs on and off site.

I've gone down the WPAD route. So much easier for everyone. Worth the time and effort to get up and running.

Because certain software such as iMovie are only available on Apple devices and software such as iMovie are quite good for video editing.

If you can offer a good FTTC/leased line solution WITH access to Birmingham City Council services like CRISP, FCS, etc without having to implement a VPN workaround, a good filtering/firewall solution and priced much cheaper than link2ict, you'll have loads of schools looking to sign up. A lot of schools get scared with losing access to certain birmingham city council services if they leave. Work that out and the rest is easy.

If it is an extranet, is it only setup on a per school basis?

I've tried to access ftp://eduftp.birmingham.gov.uk which is the ftp site FCS tries to access and it doesn't appear to be available outside the grid.

While your doing that, ask the staff to try out any other services they are likely to use and let us know which one works and which services dont work. Eagerly waiting your reply

Did you have to implement any kind of VPN solution for any service whatsoever? Link2ict have been trying scare tactics with me, the head, admin staff, etc, saying we won't have access to numerous services. HR and finance portal are web based and appear to work outside the grid. CRISP doesn't and FCS I wasn't sure about but if it does work then thats one less worry and i would only need a solution for CRISP which is easier to justify to the head.

Can I ask who did you go with for ISP? I'm thinking of going with EXANET. Can you also PM me which school in Birmingham so that I can mention you should the need arise. Also link2ict were reluctant to provide me with a solution to access services like CRISP and FCS. How did you overcome this? I'm looking to get FTTC so the fibre to the cabinet has already been installed. Just need to get a copper line put in. Thanks.

Well I've had the meeting and they seemed very reluctant to allow for a 6 month period for the internet connectivity. Their rep said he'll see and get back to me so i'm not sure where we stand really. They seemed to keep trying to push me to their super expensive 100mb for £10K:shocked: I am seriously looking at moving and will probably do so if they do allow for 6 months, if not then at the next renewal period next year. Bunch of rip off merchants link2ict are.

Hi Chippo Not sure if you will read this but can you possibly PM me with your details so that I can speak to you. We are a primary school looking to go with exanet and i just want to find out the exact process that you went through as well as see the VPN solution for FCS and CRISP. Many thanks.

I'm looking for an iPad trolley which will allow users to simply slot an ipad into a docking station for sync and charge. All the trolleys out there seem to only be able to do the slot part and then require you to manually connect the charger by hand. As you can imagine, over time wires get damaged and tangled so not an ideal solution. The only people I have found that do something close to this is Parat Solutions. They are based in the US although they do have a UK partner. At the moment it is only available with the 30pin apple connector and not the lightning connector. I have spoken to the US rep and they are developing one for the ipad air. Apart from this company, is there any solution out there for my conundrum? Or maybe I should just go DIY and somehow fit docking stations to trolleys available on the market.

They've upped our costs significantly too: MIS Facility Licence: 71% increase:suicide: MIS Support: 11% Increase Service Desk Support: 23% Increase Our school has stayed pretty much the same in terms of size. How can they justify this???? If I could I'd like to just cancel the service desk as we don't actually use it. The only time we ever call link2ict is for MIS support and surely that should be covered under the MIS support fee, shouldnt it? I'd like to move our licencing but not sure how to go about it or if we can get cheaper or what would be involved.

I've spoken with some of my staff and it appears the only problem I may come across is something called FCS which appears to retrieve some data for CMIS. Anyone resolved this one or had any issues with FCS?

I have a meeting on Friday with him. He's really gonna get a good rant from me. I will let you know what he says about the 6 month thing. If i forget just PM me to remind me. Thanks.

Is it possible to ask them for a 6 month only connection instead of paying for a 12 month period as I am planning on moving and we are at renewal time. I don;t really want to pay them for a full 12 months at their rip off prices.

I'm in the same boat where I am looking to move away. What I need to know is how schools overcame the problems of data extraction, hr portal and other council services? Any other problems I should be aware of and their solutions? I have recieved quotes from schoolsbroadband and exanet but want to find out more before taking the next step.

Computer Configuration (Enabled) Policies Administrative Templates Windows Components/Family Safety [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Make Family Safety control panel visible on a Domain[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] User Configuration (Enabled) Policies Windows Settings Folder Redirection Documents Setting: Basic (Redirect everyone's folder to the same location) Path: %HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH% Options [TABLE=class: info, width: 1885] [TR] [TD]Grant user exclusive rights to Documents[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Move the contents of Documents to the new location[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]Disabled[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE=class: info, width: 1885] [TR] [TD]Policy Removal Behavior[/TD] [TD]Leave contents[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Downloads Setting: Basic (Redirect everyone's folder to the same location) Path: H:\Downloads Options Same as above. Pictures Setting: Follow the Documents folder Videos Setting: Follow the Documents folder Administrative Templates Control Panel [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC settings[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide Add New Programs page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide Add/Remove Windows Components page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide Change or Remove Programs page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide the "Add a program from CD-ROM or floppy disk" option[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide the "Add programs from Microsoft" option[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide the "Add programs from your network" option[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide the Set Program Access and Defaults page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Add or Remove Programs[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Display [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Disable the Display Control Panel[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Personalization [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent changing visual style for windows and buttons[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Printers [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Point and Print Restrictions[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: subtable_frame, width: 1873] [TR] [TD]Users can only point and print to these servers:[/TD] [TD]Disabled[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Enter fully qualified server names separated by semicolons[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Users can only point and print to machines in their forest[/TD] [TD]Disabled[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 2][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 2]Security Prompts:[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]When installing drivers for a new connection:[/TD] [TD]Do not show warning or elevation prompt[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]When updating drivers for an existing connection:[/TD] [TD]Do not show warning or elevation prompt[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 2]This setting only applies to:[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 2]Windows Vista and later[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Programs [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Get Programs" page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Installed Updates" page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Programs and Features" page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Set Program Access and Computer Defaults" page[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Windows Features"[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide "Windows Marketplace"[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide the Programs Control Panel[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Control Panel/Regional and Language Options [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Restricts the UI languages Windows should use for the selected user[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: subtable_frame, width: 1873] [TR] [TD]Restrict users to the following language:[/TD] [TD]English[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Desktop [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Do not add shares of recently opened documents to Network Locations[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Don't save settings at exit[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide Internet Explorer icon on desktop[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide Network Locations icon on desktop[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prohibit User from manually redirecting Profile Folders[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Properties from the Computer icon context menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Properties from the Documents icon context menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Properties from the Recycle Bin context menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Network/Network Connections [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prohibit access to properties of a LAN connection[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prohibit access to properties of components of a LAN connection[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prohibit access to the Remote Access Preferences item on the Advanced menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Start Menu and Taskbar [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Lock the Taskbar[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent users from rearranging toolbars[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent users from resizing the taskbar[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent users from uninstalling applications from Start[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Default Programs link from the Start menu.[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove links and access to Windows Update[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove Run menu from Start Menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove the "Undock PC" button from the Start Menu[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Remove the Action Center icon[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Turn off feature advertisement balloon notifications[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Turn off notification area cleanup[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] System [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent access to the command prompt[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: subtable_frame, width: 1873] [TR] [TD]Disable the command prompt script processing also?[/TD] [TD]No[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Add features to Windows 8.1 [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent the wizard from running.[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/App runtime [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Credential User Interface [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Do not display the password reveal button[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/File Explorer [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Display the menu bar in File Explorer[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Hide these specified drives in My Computer[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: subtable_frame, width: 1873] [TR] [TD]Pick one of the following combinations[/TD] [TD]Restrict C drive only[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent access to drives from My Computer[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: subtable_frame, width: 1873] [TR] [TD]Pick one of the following combinations[/TD] [TD]Restrict C drive only[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Microsoft Management Console [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Restrict the user from entering author mode[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Network Sharing [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Prevent users from sharing files within their profile.[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Windows Mail [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Turn off the communities features[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Turn off Windows Mail application[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Windows Components/Windows Messenger [TABLE=class: info3, width: 1885] [TR] [TH]Policy[/TH] [TH]Setting[/TH] [TH]Comment[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Do not automatically start Windows Messenger initially[/TD] [TD]Enabled[/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]