Powys LEA
From Schoolforge-UK
Case Study
| School Name | Powys LEA | Role in school | Co-ordinator, IT Support Services |
| School Location | Mid Wales | Student numbers | 17,500 |
| Grade range | Infant to sixth form | Teachers | - |
| Computers | One server per school | GNU/Linux computers | 109 primary, 13 secondary and 3 special schools |
| Length of Time (Start) |
1998 |
User GROUP Affiliation | - |
| Request Assistance? | - | Project Leader | Martin Williams |
| Project URL | - | Contact E-mail | martin at powys.gov.uk |
| How Project Started: |
Rural telecoms are extremely expensive, owing to distance-based costs. In that context, savings had to be made elsewhere, if we were to meet government targets of email and Internet access for all. |
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| Why use GNU/Linux? |
Cost, reliability, availability of free support, ethical conviction that this is the "right" approach |
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| Project Description | Email and web servers provided
though NGfL funding to all schools. Schools are required to use LEA as their ISP - no charge is made for this. Schools create own email accounts and own intranets. School Internets also made available through Open Source route (PHP) . New web-based email system via Open Source currently being written, pilot project using O.S. on the desktop, via SODA, likely to commence shortly. |
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| Project Evaluation | Excellent. Server downtime
absolutely minimal, and always hardware not OS related. Cost savings depend on size, but between 60% for small schools to 85% for large secondary school, as compared to Microsoft back office products |
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| Future Uses |
Extension to desktop. Open Source officially adopted as County Council strategy. Gradual planned migration away FROM Microsoft. |
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| Additional Info | |||
