Taunton school opts for thin clients from IGEL Technology to establish a digital language lab and to standardize its computing infrastructure.

Taunton School, a British boarding and day school, educates boys and girls from the ages of 2 to 18. The private school is a leading provider of IT education for all age groups with a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure. Both teachers and pupils have their own intranet platform and teleworking access. Even the language lab has gone digital, and online exams are taken on screen. All this has been made possible by a cost-effective server-based computing architecture with low-maintenance IGEL thin clients that give the 1,000 pupils and 350 staff cost-effective access to centralized applications.


Modern server-based computing infrastructure
Taunton School is a medium-sized business with annual turnover of around £11 million. “Our school aims to offer an environment where children and young people can develop to their full potential and equip themselves to help shape our world in the 21st century”, explains IT Director Mike Copleston, summarising the school’s underlying philosophy. “To achieve this, we use the latest software alongside cost-effective and secure infrastructure concepts.” Before the changeover, Taunton School relied on a PC-based client/server network. “This system was extremely high-maintenance and did not offer universal user access,” explained Mike. Taunton School identified five main objectives for the planned migration process:
1. Standardised user access in terms of log in, software, etc.
2. Cost reductions through central management
3. Minimal maintenance costs
4. Security of investment and
5. Increased user support, less hardware support

Driven by these objectives, the school decided to introduce a server-based computer environment based on Citrix MetaFrame Servers.

Progressive development of the thin client architecture
An in-house project team designed and implemented the new architecture. Over 90 applications are now available centrally and can be called up via IGEL thin clients - these include both educational applications and also administrative software for HR and finance tasks. “We were one of the first academic institutes to use thin clients,” explained Mike. “Our current network comprises 45 servers, 30 switches, 400 desktops and 110 wireless LAN users. Without drives or other mechanical parts, the IGEL devices last considerably longer than PCs. Add to this central user and authority management, and the thin clients  offer no opportunities for unauthorised system accesses, installations or viruses. This is a huge benefit because, with 1,000 pupils, it can be assumed that 200 of them will always attempt to hack into the system or install their own software.”

Hi-tech language lab with IGEL thin clients
The first new development was an interactive language lab with end terminals that use the latest video and audio applications. “We chose the language lab as this had the most demanding requirements,” said Mike. “Both local and thin client applications had to be combined in one solution and implemented within a short time frame.” As a first step, Mike Copleston and his project team considered various manufacturers. “Our decision to go with IGEL was based on bidirectional audio support and superb video and graphics renderings, not forgetting the excellent project support they offer. IGEL’s highly skilled and motivated staff meant the first installation was completed very quickly and is working really well. During the test phase we pushed the software and hardware to the limit. IGEL’s thin client solution has met all our criteria and exceeded our requirements. I believe the next development steps will extend this capability even further.”

IGEL-5512 XP Premium Windows XPe-based models have been installed and offer excellent video quality with DVI graphics interface. Additional IGEL devices based on Windows XPe and Linux have been added to provide the same quality of audio and graphics across the school. Added plus factor: Smartcard and management solution With their integrated Smartcard readers, IGEL thin clients are already equipped to cope with the introduction of secure authentication solutions. “Our next step is to create secure remote access for administrators from their homes,” said Mike. “This will be done using Smartcards. Currently, all users have an Active Directory log in.” The IT manager is also enthusiastic about IGEL’s bundled management software: “IGEL’s Remote Management Suite means all firmware updates can be implemented centrally and automatically. User administration is easy and effective. Intuitive software operation is another benefit because it avoids the need for long induction times or training courses.”

The new thin client infrastructure has resulted in major improvements particularly to internal IT management processes. “Most of our administration is now done via a centralized user help desk that can monitor individual terminals. Instead of focussing on PC maintenance, we can now devote resources to our users and infrastructure. We
now offer a completely new service dimension and range of applications with the same level of personnel expenses and the same budget.”

Ideal user terminal at half the cost
Mike Copleston believes all project objectives have been met with the rollout of server-based computing and the school’s cooperation with IGEL. “Standardisation of user access, centralised management and a more available and reliable computing environment have already halved the total cost of ownership (TCO),” summarises Mike
Copleston. “Although the investment costs for thin clients are somewhat higher than for PCs, scaling up is relatively modest. The fact that thin clients offer a longer life of seven to eight years compared with three to four years for PCs also produces cost benefits.” Mike Copleston is also pleased with user acceptance: “There was no need for training as teachers and pupils were already familiar with the thin client concept. Upgrading to IGEL has been almost invisible except for the real increase in performance and access. Now with better graphics and sound we have an ideal user terminal at half the cost.”

www.igel.com