ThatBoringBloke

I find the fact that students cannot tell time using an analogue clock unbelievable, but we have the same issue! We have used a 32inch screen standing on top of a vaulting horse with a Windows 10 Intel Compute Stick attached running a clock app during our mocks. They want the same for the actual exams. This solution was cheaper than an actual clock of the same size!

*BUMP* I'm still leaning towards a traditional Hardware RAID and volumes solution unless someone can suggest otherwise.

Ok, so I'm currently looking at upgrade plans to server 2016 and I'm playing with storage spaces. Could someone please explain (in simple terms) why I would want to implement Storage Spaces over a traditional volume solution? Is the advantage only there if you implement tiered storage? Would you still utilise a hardware RAID solution? I know you can dynamically expand storage, but you could do that anyway with traditional volumes.

Only just planning on moving to 2016 for the next 5 years in the summer. I always like to stay one version behind the latest and greatest anyway. (lets others find out all the faults and issues leaving me with a nice stable system!)

We have not yet deployed Win 10, but are in testing. I gave up on customising the start menu and opted to simply leave it as it is installed by default, locking everything down via GPO. As for actual shortcuts to programs that users will actually need I copy a local folder to their desktop via a logon script and have all of the shortcuts in there all neatly arranged. Users can go searching the start menu if they want, but everything they need is on their desktop for them in a folder called School Apps. Like I said, still in testing though, but has saved me hours of pain and suffering trying to get a start menu to work the way I want it to.

May as well add my name to the list!

We used to have 38, now we have 20. 7 x MFD's and the rest laser printers. 6 x of these are in ICT suites where it was thought that the inconvenience of students having to release print jobs would be disruptive. The remaining ones are all in SLT Offices where they refused to accept the inconvenience of leaving their office to collect printing. SLT leading by example... If it were up to me we would have around 10 devices around school - 800 Students.

PAYG 4G Thingy would be my suggestion. Not sure how you would lock it down though. Can you lock down peoples home Internet?

You could certify in 2012 (that is currently in use) then upgrade to 2016 with this exam https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/exam-70-743.aspx That way you'd be certified in both.

https://www.trustbag.com/ Can't get much more secure. Bit pricey for a bag though!

have you restarted the DC? Worth a go.

It was never a realistic option to be honest, I just had to throw it out there to gauge thoughts.

Would you run a Hyper-V host server hosting at least 4 VM's using local storage on a single disk server? What would you define as a "Good virtual infrastructure"?

Add that to the throughput required for say 3 x VM's and it slows things down. Like I say, I'm not against any suggestion, I'm theorising and budget planning.

None in particular, I'm just theorising with the options. Software RAID is a no no, since its far to slow.

Why though? We do have a backup, and the fail over server would be located in a far away part of the school, should a disaster take out the main server room. I'm not disagreeing with you, just wondering.

Guys I'm starting to look at upgrading some of our servers next financial year and I'm considering the possibility of a single disk server with no RAID configuration. As budgets get tighter and tighter I can probably afford to put in place two single disk Hyper-v host servers, one as a replica for fail over, for only slightly more than it would cost for a single server with multiple disks, RAID controller, etc. VM's would be locally stored on this server. Having one of the servers as a replica would mean that 'should' the drive die in the main server I could switch over and maintain service continuity, then rebuild and reverse replication. Am I being stupid?

We pay for it by annual subscription and only have it in 4 x suites at a cost of £112 per room.

We use AB Tutor here for classroom management. Does what is says it does and doesn't cost the earth.

PDQ themselves will accept payment via PO id you ask them too. Thats how we do it. Also We have scrapped our WSUS server if Favour of using PDQ to deliver updates.

We have recently has a new Papercut MF printing solution installed which utilises FM printing. All of this works absolutely fine and I have deployed the single virtual printer via a UNC path to the server / share. I was going to deploy the printer via Group Policy Preferences, however, as the device is virtual it does not have an IP address to allow me to do this. How have others who use a Papercut / Follow Me printing solution deployed printers?

Introduce yourself to the Caretaker, and keep them on side. You'll be surprised by how much Caretakers know about what is where and will help you out. They may not know what things do, but I'll guarantee you they know that there's a cabinet hidden away in some cupboard you'd never find on your own.

You could take a look at Microsoft's Network Access Protection to make sure that the BYOD devices meet security requirements before being allowed access to network resources. I have never done this though, so have no idea if it is any good.

One Network Manager and oh yeah, that's it... I do everything. 12 Servers, 250 PC's, 100 Chromebooks plus other bits and bobs. We have 1 external support contract for MIS and thats it. When I said I do everything I meant it; Systems, Networking, Cabling, break duties.

I have to be honest, Ours just works. Three Hyper-V hosts replicating to two replica servers. Hosts are all 2012R2. I check it every week or two to make sure its still working, but it hasn't failed in around two years.* *Probably will now that I have said this.