matt40k

Only bug bear is the lack of UK-ness. However everything seems to be US focused

Pretty sure SchoolChoice is thinking the same thing with the E2BN contract. Just make sure you keep them informed that the performance is pants else they'll keep renewing.

Have you thought about what data you'll use? Got some name data you can use - https://github.com/matt40k/Names. Do you have a project idea for them to do?

I've heard E2BN have upgraded the proxy hardware yesterday. Be worth contacting them again if its still occurring. Power problems was the on the 12th May -

What did the helpdesk say?

For starters SalamanderSoft is a fully fledged company, they're also a partner with a number of MIS suppliers, which means they use the official API, so won't blow your warranty\support agreement, they have a direct support agreement so you don't get the piggy-in-the-middle scenario either. All the logic is local, so no need for pen-testing\registering as a data controller\blah blah blah. Finally the product is a very mature and stable. IMHO, it isn't worth the hassle.

Sure they'll give a EduGeeker* a good deal with if they switch over * someone who has more the 500 posts

I wouldn't quite say that, not yet, I'd say it was more like super glue that can stick pretty much anything together without making a mess or coming unstuck (unless you want it too). Actually if it was glue, you could use it stick a lorry to the ceiling.

If you buy SalamanderSoft tool, it'll sync SIMS with Google Apps - automated user creation with calendars etc, etc - SalamanderSoft Limited

Unless they release who voted for who, which I don't see the problem with - we'll never know for sure. Was more referring to Phil being the guy who would know if he's company has been visited by MPs. So I'm interested in what conspiracy theories you have that the UK government somehow imposes on schools that would limit their choice of supplier?

LOL!!! Tory's have no idea what systems schools use, they most likely think they run the school on a spreadsheet! (~Waits for @PhilNeal to correct me~)

You'll be fine with any of those. Eh?

Quick fix would be to give NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM db_owner to solus3_deployment_server database, surely??

Vikpaw is an international school, his requirements are vastly different from a LEA maintained school in England. It'll help to explain what type of school you are. ScholarPack for example is a very good MIS system, but it's only for primary schools. SIMS .net is a very good all rounder, but it might not be as suitable as another MIS system if your a Google school with only Chromebooks. For a bit of general advise, @GREED site has a very good list of MIS systems and answers to some common questions, it also lists what schools are using based on the Census return - The Eduware Network | EDUcation aWAREness for Data Systems – Home of the MIS Challenge.

The MSI installer has balls up. Looks like you might have to rip it out and reinstall it (the MSI that is). Give support a call tho.

It doesn't say that. It DOES say "Only one woman has told me she voted Tory – and that was after she paid", which is the EXACT opposite of what you said. It would also say that most people in that area are closet Conservatives as they have been moaning about him indirectly and not to his face. Personally, what's the beef? I mean I've had a few drinks in a Conservative club, doesn't mean I voted for them, just meant I kept my mouth shut about politics whilst I was in there. No diff.

Most likely they have a separate agreement for the Academies \ they are providing top-up support rather then core. Core being patches, top-up being training type support, like "how do I..." Well I can think of one obstacle off the bat - if the LA hosts SIMS. They can't apply a patch for you then

He hasn't, the LA has purchased the license. As for 6, not sure they can?

To be honest, we're not Capita. You need to speak with Capita. Capita will give you a quote if you go direct. They can also tell you what it'll cost in terms of any school you decide to support - ie will they give you\them a discount if you offer support like an LA. To be honest your prob not going to get a good a deal with say 3 primary schools as you are as an LA with 100s schools. As for the whole what do people pay, yes, you can FOI request it, in fact people do - check out https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/. But still, even if you go to another LA, third party company, they will still need to contact Capita and ask for a quote for YOUR school and it'll be highly unlikely to be same as another school as no two schools are alike. If you really want to get a realistic figure from another school of a similar size, then post your school details - dfe no so we can pull the data from edubase like pupil count etc, and what modules you have, ideally post the actual non-crypt Capita quote they send out every year*. * Disclaimer - check if you can legally post it, otherwise find another school like yours and contact them direct offline - see @GREED spreadsheet with a list of schools and their MIS system based on the census return - https://eduwareconsulting.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/mis-analysis.xlsx

Not sure what your trying to achieve to be honest @mjk, like others have said, SIMS pricing is pretty tailored to the school based on various modules. The only way your get a price drop is to either a) drop bits off, like any top-up support your LA provides or modules which I would hope you need as you've bought them or b) by switching MIS systems. Lucky most other MIS providers are pretty honest when it comes to pricing and list the costs on Government Digital Marketplace - https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/search?categoryId=&lot=saas&showSubcategories=true&keyword=mis.

You set a budget and alerts, so if you get a spike, you can define what you do. IE go offline or get hit with a big bill.

They can get into real trouble, they said PLC but the Company Reg ID is for the Ltd company - lets hope they've at least got the invoices right or they won't be getting paid

Check C:\Users\[uSERNAME]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

More you'll prob get an engineer turn up the day of the auction to upgrade it

Still think that is a cope out. Means if some poor IT Tech has to rebuilt a workstation they have to go to the SIMS guru to get them to hit the button to reinstall rather then just boshing the agent on with null guid and S3 will do it magic and assign the old GUID and redeploy any Capita software it previously had. Still, could just be me being spoilt with all this automated-ness