begin oe_protect.scr
Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> Oxfordshire County Council chooses Red Hat Enterprise Linux and IBM System
> x and BladeCenter systems to deliver rapid safe web access for county's
> 282 schools
>
> http://www.irishdev.com/NewsArticle.aspx?id=3749
So, Oxford CC wanted quick & inexpensive:
Oxfordshire County Council wanted the roll out to be as
smooth as possible without its own IT people spending too
much time and resources on each individual Linux installation.
They also wanted to use a logistics company with ZERO linux knowledge:
The deployment was undertaken by a third party company, Evesham,
whose technicians had no Linux skills, so it was imperative that
installation of the systems required minimal intervention and
that adequate training was provided.
So, a custom install CD & linux's fantastic package management:
By using the provisioning facilities of the Satellite Server and
by packaging all third party applications into rpm format such
that they could be managed by the Satellite Server, the only
operation the technicians had to perform was boot the system
from a custom CD.
... all the installer had to do was power up and boot from the CD!
But, what about 3rd line support? Who do you go to if things go wrong?
Well here it is:
Oxfordshire County Council has been so impressed with the
simplicity of the roll-out process and the comprehensive training
it received that it has taken on the remaining deployments
single-handedly with the help of Evesham, with Red Hat and
IBM only needing to provide occasional support as required.
Okay, but was it worth it?
"The solution for Oxfordshire County Council is a great example
of how Linux can be used cost effectively within the public sector
... apparently, it was really successful and saved a shedload of cash
which can now be put towards the education of the children of
Oxfordshire by, say, employing teachers, repairing buildings, etc.
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
People who have what they want are very fond of telling people who haven't
what they want that they don't want it.
-- Ogden Nash
|
|
