[ Date Index ] [ Thread Index ] [ <= Previous by date / thread ] [ Next by date / thread => ]
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Richard Brown wrote: > Hi All > > 2009/4/28 Richard Brown <rich@xxxxxxxxxxx>: >> So can we respond to this please? Firstly is it possible to create a >> server that updates itself? Secondly, is there anyway we can encourage >> her to look at different systems? Any thoughts would be welcome - >> thanks. > Thanks for all the responses. I haven't talked to the school direct > but having had a look at the rm.com site the competition could be > tough. This is pasted from their site: > "Software maintenance for Primary Schools 1yr > Improve & protect your RM network with service releases & software updates > Part No. 14B-006 > List Price: £325.00" Which dosn't really tell you much in the first place. > That to my mind is not that hard to beat. But I can't get a price on > the call-out options or phone options. Probably in practice next "working day", which is what RM typically offer on their hardware. > I think I'm not asking the question with this specific school in mind, > maybe it's more of actually rm have this hold, what can be offered to > break the hold? > > Questions, questions, questions: > 1. What do they need s server for? > a. Monitor internet, serve files, serve software.... > (any others) > 2. How do you keep that server updated? > 3. How do you then connect to the server and set-up connection at school end? Answers to these are really needed before you can even reasonably come up with a spec. > > There are probably other questions in terms of the server. But is it > possible for a server to be set-up and take it to the school and let > them loose with it. > > I'm troubled by the ease at which a school simply accepts that rm is > the way to go. No questions on what else. The support they get from > other sources are appalling. Last year the heads computer died just > before reports etc had to be out. Her support team said bad luck > you've lost all your data. I teach IT at the school and happened to "Your data is your problem" is more or less industry standard. IME RM are no exception here. It isn't unknown for vendors to reinstall a default image as part of a "repair" even if there was nothing wrong with the HDD. Which is at best a pain in the neck, an utter disaster if the only copy of some critical data. > arrive at that point to see her in tears. To cut a short story long I > popped home and grabbed a hard drive cable, connected it to my laptop > via usb and dragged all her data off the hard drive and handed it over > on a stick. Big smiles and huge relief. Hopefully she has no stopped paying her "support" team. The other risk with data being scattered all over random machines (especially if they happen to be laptops) that someone can easily steal it. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html