Sonic007

Many thanks for your detailed reply @mavhc. I’ve got a list of software the teachers all use and it’s mainly all run on the machines. Only sims our mis system talks back to server but that’s pretty easy to Roll out. We get all our users to store to google drive so no file server in place. Good point on checking IP’s etc when configuring the new range. I’m going to start checking all our photocopiers, phones etc. Since we’ve just had a new phone system put in I’ll probably keep a range that incorporates them in. The issue I think I will encounter is installing my Sims MIS. The softwares config file points it to a default server but one of these will have to have a different configuration file to point to the other sims database as there will be seperate sims for infants and juniors. It should make things a lot better though in the king run. Thanks again.

@Jamman960 I’d quite like to have one main MIS especially as our Sims system needs updating so often and it’s double the work...however the systems here need to be seperate. Maybe one day they’ll merge but at the moment all the data for staff and students needs to be kept on seperate systems. @snagrat The two schools are connected in a rather weird way. Each school used to have their own seperate internet connection and seperate modems. They then had a fault and never renewed their contract so connected one schools Ethernet to a fibre converter, fibre over to the other school, converter back to Ethernet and into the second port on the modem/router. Essentially using ones school internet for the two cutting costs. It has coped and isn’t a problem bandwidth so that’s ok. Router is Configured on seperate ip for each port and that is the main way the two networks are linked. I guess I would have to just plug the connection from one school into the other schools switch and reconfigure the router. Thanks for your replies.

Hi, I currently work in a primary school with two sites next to each other. (The infants school and the Junior school). Current setup as I inherited it is two physical servers at each site. Each server is running as a domain controller handling dhcp, dns, etc at each site. Each site is on its own network, different ip ranges, etc, different domains. The two networks go back to the main modem/router which has been configured to allow each network to see each other. So I can remote in, ping, etc the other network. Both physical servers run one hyperV vurtual server each.... which is the schools MIS Sims. The setup isnt ideal and the technology is getting old running Server 2008 and Server 2012. Im also concerned about the domain controllers being on physical machines incase they were to fail. There is no second backup DC. How does the sollution below sound... Ditch one of the servers and replace with one new Dell nicely specc'd server running Server 2016. Create one virtual domain server (dhcp, dns, etc) to cover both sites so same ip range, etc. It would make it easier for people working at both sites too as it would mean only one set of AD credentials to remember. Then purchase a second copy of Server 2018 to enable me to have an additional 2 virtual machines which would be the Juniors and infants MIS Sims systems which both run on SQL server but I should be fine with the XPress version. What do people think? Would this be a good way to go? It would lower the cost of buying a second server as money is tight and mean easier to maintain too. If a problem occured I can easily restore the VM. Thanks for your input.

Amp and 4 speakers hooked up in the office. Crank up the volume. Sorted.

Cant beat watching a few planes. Im off to Farnborough later this week.

There are some terrible design agencies doing sites for schools. Unfortunately our SLT team like our website even though it looks like it was designed in 1998. A good customised Wordpress template and your own hosting and you will do a much better job.

Summer has only been released to Secondary schools, not primary in a lot of cases.

Below Her Mouth

It makes sense. You dont want them purchasing things via a device the school allowed them to use.

Use this one instead:

Who's it with? We have our Firewall with RM and if we need any ports changing they just do it for us. No charges.

Anyone going to Farnbourough Airshow? There is also a Careers/Futures day 20th July. I'm heading down on the Friday.

A swiss multi tool knife would probably be best but do make sure it is never on him in other situations than for scouts or the job required. It is an offence in the UK to carry a pocket knife without reason.

Thanks, this is only for Chromebooks though.

I’m more an Apple person and need to setup a bunch of Samsung Galaxy Tablets so they are more or less locked down: users can access only certain apps, can’t install or uninstall apps and preferably limit website access. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Some sort of MDM maybe? Thanks in advance.

We use Prowise 65" screens. Well built and work really well. We have them with the PC module slotted in the back. https://www.prowise.com/en/touchscreens/

The amountof times you hear people taking your car for a drive I prefer to park it myself and hang on to the keys.

He could be done for breaking and entering too. And also criminal damge to peoples roofs. Modern house roofs cant hold a several tonne sleigh.

Many thanks everyone. Im going to check out some of the options posted. Thankyou.

Heres one of mine taken in a tunnel near Manchester.

Im trying to find a decent laptop about 15" with 8GB ram, most likely i5 processor for teachers to use. Budget has to be low as they dont really want to spend any money so if possible around £500 inc VAT. Ideally I'd like a Dell Latitude. Any suggestions on best place to buy? Many thanks.

Ucam 247 cameras work very well either ethernet or wifi and send alerts to phone on movement.

Sounds good. Thankyou. Only thing I nearly forgot I also needed was SQL Server for our Sims. Currently running 2014 but need to buy the newer one. Then that should be it.

Thankyou. The price for DataCentre is a lot more so having all on one single VM and then the other remaining one for our Sims Server will make things a lot cheaper too. One thing Im confused about is if I need some CAL licenses?

Good Point. Think I will go that way then. Thankyou.