How many of these challenges do you recognise?

We need to make more use of web services in order to reduce our dependency in local servers. What's the next step?

We will work with your school to identify a way forward. Every school takes a slightly different path so there's no fixed solution or template that suits all.

We need to deploy Google G Suite but have no experience with this platform.

Deploying and managing SaaS platforms such as Google G Suite is fairly straightforward but when everything is new it can appear pretty daunting. We can work with your team to on-board G Suite, passing on best practice recommendations backup up with training sessions for both the teaching and IT administration team.

Our students already use Office365/G Suite but access is restricted by aging devices.

For schools already using Office365/G Suite there are some innovative software products that can breath fresh life into desktops and laptops that are marked for replacement or already shelved. Web applications perform well on devices that struggle to run locally installed applications and with Windows 7 extended support ending within twelve months and IT budgets under stress this is a ideal time to examine the alternatives.

We need to link our student management system with a new cloud directory.

Most cloud services such as Office365/G Suite maintain their own user directory. Keeping this user list up to date with the centralised database in the schools MIS systems can create an unnecessary overhead. This problem is often compounded in larger trusts with several data sources feeding multiple cloud services. We have faced this issue on every scale from the smallest primary to the largest MAT and can suggest a number of proven solutions.

We would like to trial Chromebooks but don't know where to start.

This is a common request as increasing numbers of schools look to incorporate these cost effective, secure devices into teaching and administration. We can provide a complete service that includes configuration and deployment through to support and training.

We need to integrate a Chromebook deployment with Office 365 including Microsoft sign on.

Chromebooks are the ideal device to consume web-based services and this includes Microsoft Office365. If you would like an easy-to-manage pool of devices that students can use to access and share Office365 files and applications using Windows account authentication, please contact us to show you how.

We have a strategy to reduce our expenditure on local servers but don't know were to start.

As increasing levels of service are delivered direct from the cloud it might be a good time to re-examine the role of your local server farm. Could the infrastructure that was originally designed to support key curriculum and administrative operations such as email and collaborative workflows be reduced without effecting any function. Are there savings to be made in licensing and maintenance renewals?

We are planning for a mobile web-based future but we're not sure if the network can cope.

The type of network that supports large numbers of mobile devices accessing web-resources has a different profile to the more traditional layout that relies on fixed position desktops communicating with local servers. By designing the network correctly from the start you could avoid unnecessary upgrades and investments.

We manage number of sites that use different platforms and need to consolidate.

In a situation where schools have been merged into a single administrative unit it's common to find a range of different platforms handing services such as email and directory services. While they can be made to work together there are significant gains to be made in operating under a single system. Whatever direction you plan to move in, merging from or to Office365/ G Suite or just rationalizing units within these platforms, we can help.

We are a traditional Microsoft site and need to understand how a cloud first strategy will effect us.

Unfortunately standing still is not an option any more. Microsoft's own roadmap shows an clear emphasis towards cloud services and there will be increasing pressure through licencing and targeted product releases to move towards Office365 and Azure AD. We have already deployed schools that depend solely on Microsoft cloud services for management and directory services - no domain controllers required. What does this new model look like and what are the limitations ? Contact us to find out.