Richard GardnerPembrokeshire College

Background

Aims and objectives

Options

Realism and Implementation

Outcomes and Benefits

3 year trends at Pembrokeshire College

IT staff resources

Demand for cross curricular IT resources

Identify where the following could achieved: Simpler and more efficient management of IT

resources Deployment of more computers with same or

less IT staff resources

Whilst ensuring that: Service levels are not adversely affected Staff and student experience is not

compromised

Over 25% of Support Calls to the IT Helpdesk related to a hardware or software problem on a student computer.

Which meant

The chosen solution should not only reduce the time spent fixing these problems but also help reduce the number of these problems.

The installation of a new IT class room takes 1 member of staff a whole day (20 PC’s)

and that

Re-imaging this classroom takes ½ day

so

The solution should reduce both of the above times

Do student computers get used to their full potential? Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Internet

access is all we offer in the IT Drop-In areas

None are resource hungry applications

Is there a way of maximising the benefits of the physical resources?

Pembrokeshire College has an existing Virtual Server environment Simplified server management Reduced deployment time for new

servers Maximising physical resources

Can we apply the same principle to student computers?

YES

Thin Clients / terminals in classroom

Virtual Desktops on server

Value for money Reduced purchase & maintenance costs

Resilience If a host fails then virtual servers are

migrated to another host

Green computing Fewer devices = less power

Which server technology to use?

Which thin client terminals should be used and how many?

Where should the thin clients be deployed?

VMware

Existing Virtual Server environment

Easily expandable solution

Minimum professional development needed

Wyse Technology

Global leader in thin client computing

VMware compatible

Ease of deployment

Areas with no specialist software requirements

Learning Resource Centre

Key skills classrooms

Staff offices

Key objectives

Single sign on

Same look and feel for the user

Integration with existing management applications

Successful

Student comments “unaware that the thin client was any different from any other computer”

No issues

Project achievements to date

Low levels of maintenance

Zero hardware problems

Energy saving

Learning Resource Centre is a much quieter place

Energy saving

Thin clients = 73% power saving

Less power = less heat = less cooling

Many computers can be replaced by 1 server

Intelligent servers shutdown when not required

4 tons of CO2 are eliminated for every server that is virtualised

equivalent to taking 1.5 cars off the roads

60 thin clients give similar savings when compared to conventional PC’s