welshman

We, tentatively, suspect that the issue may be caused by staff accessing OneNotes on a newer version of OneNote on their home devices than we use at school.

We are now getting the same issue for some of our users. Did you ever find a reason for the issue and a fix? Thanks

I have heard rumour that our LEA is in the testing phase of rolling out Microsoft Intune using the Hwb platform.

Same here. 61 camera feeds showing live on a screen. All the size of a postage stamp so no useful detail can be made out but it's possible to see that the feed is working. When detail is needed we can open up a feed full screen.

There are many variables that could affect this so I can only speak for my setup. Our 60 (or so) cameras doesn't cause any network bandwidth/availability problems. We are 1Gbps throughout the network and all IP CCTV traffic is carried on its own VLAN (for security more than anything else).

We run our IP CCTV traffic on its own VLAN so camera's can be connected to any data switch. Obviously the switch-port that the camera is connected to must be added to the necessary VLAN, and your VLAN trunk ports must be configured to allow trunking of the VLAN traffic.

XMA (Home) for iPads and Chromebooks. They have always given me a better price than their competitors.

We use software called BlueIris to manage our IP CCTV system. We have about 60 PoE cameras, each of which connects to its nearest PoE switch. We use static IP addresses for each camera and we then configure the BlueIris software to connect to those IPs.

Are you able to access SIMS Teacher App on a Windows desktop/laptop, or do you have to use a tablet device?

I'm NM at a school in Wales where government has done its best to ensure that as many schools as possible follow their Office 365 agenda. Having used both G Suite and O365 extensively, I would choose to use G Suite for two simple reasons: simplicity of management and Chromebooks. We do have some Chromebooks, and although their potential is severely restricted here because we don't actively use G Suite, staff still love to use them because of their speed and ease of use. I despair at the fact that we could be pushing educational boundaries and innovating our way to new heights if only SLT were to embrace G Suite. I genuinely believe G Suite has far greater potential in education than O365. Chromebooks are inexpensive, reliable, secure, quick and designed to operate with a cloud first mentality, which let's face it, is the way things are heading.

Safeguarding issues in a tenant controlled application? That seems illogical and contradictory when you consider that Welsh Assembly Government are recommending that pupils in Wales have access to YouTube and social media websites? Pupils also have unmoderated access to the Outlook email client, which they can use to send/receive emails to/from anyone in the world without any visibility for teachers and safeguarding officers.

Couldn't they just use the Outlook web app for email communication? I don't see the rationale behind transitioning to the cloud whilst still tying yourself to the desktop version of the applications. Using the web apps will ensure a consistent user experience across all devices and negates the requirement to install software, which can be buggy, needs updating, crashes etc.

You're right, WAG need to publically announce their intentions to allow (or not) LEAs to support cloud platforms other than the All Wales O365 tenancy. I have held several meetings with SLT and shown them the limitations of WAGs offering. To be fair they agree with 90% of the points I make. The main reason they don't want to leave the WAG offering is the worry of being alienated and not having LEA support. It is a fair point, I can't promise that I will be in post 3 years from now. WAG have made the hard sell to SLTs, using O365 as the carrot to entice them into the Hwb+ platform. But the O365 offering is not good enough, and IT managers at schools have little power to change or improve things. Unfortunately staff don't always realise that, "I am the IT manager so I must be responsible for this poor system". Its very frustrating for somebody who has the technical know-how to deliver a cloud ecosystem that is perfectly tailored for the requirements of the school.

Michael, I completely agree. If schools are forced down this route it will stunt innovation. This is especially true in secondary schools, where (no disrespect intended to primary schools) there is usually an IT support team who have the technical know-how to develop a cloud ecosystem that benefits their school. WAG will argue that no school is being forced to use their All Wales O365 tenancy. So if there is somebody reading this who works for or is seconded to WAG to promote the All Wales O365 tenancy, maybe they can clarify if LEAs will be free to support whichever cloud platform schools choose to use without penalty?

maybe a bit cynical. I just find it amazing that such an oversight made it into the document. The document also contradicts itself multiple times which begs the question, was it vetted by legal before publication? If it wasn't I'd be very worried; if it was I'd be equally worried! What's even more concerning is that (in our case at least) there was no attempt by WAG to ensure data controllers were made aware of this document and the guidance within it. I wasn't aware of it until a fortnight ago. I reported the oversight to WAG the day I read (and reread several times in disbelief) the document.......and now I discover it's being rewritten, can you see why I'm a little cynical? I emailed out a survey to all staff here today to get some feedback on the All Wales O365 tenancy, we've been using it since January. Of the responses I've had so far 78% say the email system is worse than the old LEA hosted one; 100% have said it hasn't increased their collaboration with other staff/departments/schools; and only 14% are using OneDrive. I know it's early days but the general feeling here is that the platform is making their lives harder.

It's being rewritten, that's convenient The document was only published 6 months ago; I'd be very interested to know what has changed in that time to permit the storage of PERSONAL data in the platform (if that is indeed the amendment that is being made to the document). Let's hope that no data leaks come to light that predate the rewrite of the document!

It's being rewritten, that's convenient The document was only published 6 months ago; I'd be very interested to know what has changed in that time to permit the storage of PERSONAL data in the platform (if that is indeed the amendment that is being made to the document).

I don't see that happening unfortunately, I think WAG would see that as a project failure. Others may see it as duplication of effort to establish a cloud based ecosystem for Welsh schools. I think WAG have bitten off more than they can chew by trying to establish an All Wales tenancy that meets everyone's expectations. I'm not blaming WAG, I just think that what they set out to do is not possible. For primary schools who, no disrespect, may not have the technical expertise to establish a cloud platform for their school I can understand the logic - make sure everyone has something to use. For secondary schools, many of whom have their own IT staff, let them decide the best cloud system to suit their requirements. SLT's have been 'strong armed' into a platform that doesn't deliver. They have had the hard sell from WAG without being given the full picture - we don't have control, SharePoint is a nightmare, trying to identify somebody in the All Wales directory is impossible if you have a common name, sharing OneDrive folders/files with Groups is hit and miss, we can't see our own pupils in the directory; the list goes on. All fundamental requirements of a decent platform.

Hi Gareth. Have a read of the Information Governance Guidance document published by WAG in September 2015. Paying particular attention to data that should not be stored in Hwb+ and the All Wales O365 tenancy.

Is your headteacher aware of WAGs Information Governance Guidance for schools which actually specifies that no data that can identify an individual should be stored in O365? Therefore Hwbmail should not be used to send any emails that identify pupils. As data controller your head's head could be on the block if there is a data leak.

No schools should be forced to use WAGs O365. IMHO the tenancy is not fit for purpose. SLTs should be delegated the power to decide which cloud solution is best for their school. For WAG to claim that it makes collaboration easier if we are all in the same tenancy is utter nonsense. Years of work and millions of pounds of taxpayers money wasted.

I am an IT Network Manager at a secondary school in South Wales. Been trying to make Hwb's O365 work the way we need it to work for months. IMHO the platform is not fit for purpose, far too restrictive.

Thanks for all the replies so far, it's greatly appreciated. I'm glad others share my frustration with Hwb. I think I'll run both for a while and see which plarform staff gravitate to. However to fully harness the potential of either platform I think requires more or less 100% loyalty to that platform. I just hope that I can convince SLT to give it a fair shot and put their fears of leaving Microsoft behind them because I know that when they are able to fully appreciate the potential of GAfE they'll wonder why they were ever worried.

So has anyone tried both systems? Can I have your honest opinions? I am not against either platform, it just seems that GAfE offers more and is efficient to setup and maintain. I'd be particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has gone from GAfE to O365, or vice-versa.

Thanks Steve.