April 20th, 2009

2009-10 2009-10 Standard Standard RecommendationRecommendations… s… …fit, options, lifecycle , costs.

This financial crisis must bring out our best in terms of planning, priorities and standards…

BackgroundBackground

… 1992 Placards

“Guiding Principals” not technical so much as…

Fit… identify the requirements, operational and instructional, which the technology and systems must serve

Equity & Consistency… consistent, basic supported standards for technology systems, tools… common across all schools and for all district departments; consider COMPATIBILITY and INTEGRATION with applications, user authentication, network –based management of imaging, assets (software too), security…

Value… to project and consider the total cost of ownership: initial purchase, consumables usage, break/fix maintenance, technical support, energy usage, user training, and user support, disposal; continuity in skill sets, inventory, parts… for the six-year anticipated lifecycle (or longer)

Effectiveness… focus on technology and systems which are well established in our own experience, and which have a strong, compelling research-base for improvements in student achievement, in educational quality, and in the quality of school operations.

Evaluation of Newer & Emerging Technology… consider technology trends; also plan for and recommend evaluations & trials of promising technology and system options

GUIDING PRINCIPLES - GUIDING PRINCIPLES - FOCUS ONFOCUS ON::

1. Student/Teacher Workstations• 1:15 students, plus• Labs: elementary = 1 per school; Middle = 2 + 3 VACE; High = 3+6 VACE @ 30

workstations/1 printer & projector or according to VACE specifications

2. Printers• Volume Laser: (45 ppm for major production jobs) 1 per site• Color Laser: 1 per site• Laser: 1: classroom & 1:3 staff

3. Staff Workstations• Principals; Asst. Principals; administrators; Managers; regular staff• Teachers• Specialists; counselors; secretaries; registrars; bookkeepers• Other: school lunchroom manager, attendance clerks, SROs…• Media Circulation (5 or 1:300 students• Query and scan/score/report workstation: 1 per school, site or cc

4. Internet and ITV connections – 1 per classroom or site (major cc)

5. Parent-school IP/Web Communications: Listsrv, school/staff web sites (within guidelines)

6. Dedicated, point to point high-bandwidth communication lines: 1/site (64)

7. Networking (see core networking components): all instructiona & work areas

8. PRODUCTIVITY: MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint…); SharePoint; Knowledgbases… for each teacher & full –time staff and for each student lab workstation; includes Student 2009 & security tools

9. Email & electronic communications/collaboration

(MS Exchange/Outlook… Sharepoint) , – see e-mail standards)

10.Student & Business Information Systems -Centralized Data System Collection, Access & reporting essential to state/federal reporting for all schools & departments

11.Special Needs Accommodations for Students & Staff: (Braille printers, CAD, training aids)

A-1:Basic Level Technology Standards for LCS’ School Sites & Programs

Background – How we got to where we are today

Computer standards/configurations—Proposed standard configurations

Break Maintenance plan & update Energy savings configurations for computer

systems Warranty Self-Servicing Accounts (Apple/Dell) Printer Standard

Leon County Schools 15,161 computers

Computer standard: Dell & Apple (24%) Large network (50+ sites; 200+ site-based

servers) Each site connected to the MAN; 10MB to schools Microsoft 2003 network; Active Directory structure

Central Processing (IBM mainframe, 30 TB SAN,124 servers)

Computer standards: In the beginning we had no standardization;

literally had one of most every type computer being sold

In late 1990’s standardized on Apple, IBM, Dell, Gateway, HP, Compaq, Micron, Quantex, Tiger

In 2000 we standardized on Apple & Dell because our purchasing over the years showed that we overwhelmingly purchased Dells/Apple systems versus the other brands

Systems purchased in 1999: Dell (1298), Apple (916), Gateway (240), Compaq (115),

all the rest below 20 systems

Current standard systems Dell Optiplex GX755 (end of life 3/09) Apple iMac 17” (end of life 4/09)

Proposed computer standards: Dell Optiplex 360 & 760 (Details to follow) Apple Mac Mini & iMac 20” (Details to

follow)

Model Descriptions and details Dell Optiplex 360 as the basic standard system; 88%

efficient power supply; software manageability; MS CAL; MS Student (student/teacher); asset tag; service/setup

Dell Optiplex 760 (with E8400 processor) for higher end system (for higher end needs not met by the Optiplex 360); hardware & software manageability; 88% efficient power supply; MS CAL; asset tag; service/setup

Teacher configuration adds: larger monitor, DVD-RW drive, speakers, DVI card for monitor/projector

Recommendation: Standardize on Optiplex 360 & 760

Model Descriptions and details Mac Mini as the basic standard system;

energy efficient; software manageability; service/setup

iMac as higher end system; energy efficient; software manageability service/setup

Teacher configuration add: larger monitor Recommendation: Standardize on Mac Mini

& iMac

Original Computer Maintenance Contract: Break/fix by specific serial # Serial # specific covering 20% of what we owned Relatively expensive

Current maintenance contract Systems covered by 3 year warranty from

manufacturer Manpower-based; 2 people that are contracted

to do break/fix and trouble-shooting of any computer type problem.

Based on 5 year replacement cycle Systems purchased with 3 year warranty Years 4 & 5 covered by District via

contracted District maintenance staff (2 people)

Site funds parts after year 5; contracted District maintenance staff provide the labor

Maintenance plan does not cover abuse; site responsibility

Parts for repair NTE $250 or 25% of original purchase price; if it exceeds, system is salvaged for parts; Parts approaching these limits require Computer Operations Director review

Parts availability based upon current funding Proposed: Years 4, 5, & 6 covered by District as

funding permits to meet new 6 year replacement cycle

Recommendation: Years 4, 5, & 6 covered by District as funding permits; Site funds after year 6

Dell Self-Servicing Account (warranty calls) approved by School Board 3/09 Will help fund parts for 4, 5, 6 years

$50 per repair Use our contracted computer repair techs to do all

repairs Repair info

Apple Self-Servicing Account; Will help fund parts for 4, 5, 6 years $XX per repair “Cherry pick” repairs for reimbursement because

certified techs are now Zone Techs Recommendation: No change

Standardized on HP Printers Like full range of printers HP Web JetAdmin software for controlling

printers Looking into using Web JetAdmin for enforcing

energy settings Test running at Lincoln on Kyocera

Kyocera claims lower TCO Need more time before deciding

Recommendation: Keep HP as standard vendor; review as we have more data from Kyocera test at Lincoln

Printers have a standard one year warranty Cover high cost printers (cost >=$750 and

have a property control # (asset tag)) with Time & Materials repair with local company

Low cost printers (<$750) considered consumables; sites can elect to repair using site funding

Requires T&IS Operations Director review for any repair approaching $250 or 25% of its value

Recommendation: No change

Computers Use Altiris to configure systems for “S3” sleep mode “S3” sleep mode:

Saves nearly as much money as turning systems off Allows updates/virus scans to continue at night; resumes “S3”

sleep once updates/scans are complete Teachers can wake the machine by touching a key on the

keyboard/or shaking the mouse Actual Watts Usage examples Enforce energy settings by policies that are re-applied every

time the computer restarts Proposal:

Turn monitor off after 10 minutes of idle time (wakes back up with touch of keyboard/mouse)

Put computer into “S3” sleep after 20 minutes idle time Don’t turn hard drive off; energy savings are minimal compared to

higher failure rate due to wear and tear on hard drives