THE Journal — Integration/Networking
California District Approaches 1:1 Computing Through Virtualization
As we've reported previously, a number of education institutions and other types of organizations have moved toward virtualization to reduce overhead costs and address environmental concerns. Now one district in California, Dublin Unified School District, is taking it a step further by virtualizing student computers in an effort to move closer to 1:1 computing in the classroom.
(8/27/2008)
UrlScan 3.0 Aims To Block SQL Injection Attacks
Microsoft has released an improved security filter for its Internet Information Services (IIS) Web server that is designed to help thwart SQL injection attacks. The free application, called UrlScan 3.0 (Release-to-Web version), is an add-on tool to IIS that provides real-time verification of HTTP server requests, potentially blocking malicious code.
(8/25/2008)
Green Tech: Texas District Virtualizes Servers on VMware, Dell
Tyler Independent School District in Texas said it has recently moved its servers to a virtualized infrastructure, consolidating 114 older servers onto seven new ones. The district is running VMware ESX Server software on Dell PowerEdge 2950 servers.
(8/25/2008)
Teltronics, GE Security Partner for School IP Communications and Security
Teltronics announced recently that it's been selected by GE Security to provide a new IP-based, secure multimedia platform that will serve as the next generation of the company's StarCall system. Dubbed StarCall iPLUS, the new SIP-compliant, IP-based platform is designed to provide a host of new features designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
(8/14/2008)
Saugus USD To Launch Student Writing Collaboration Project
Saugus Union School District in Santa Clarita, CA is launching a new writing program for its fourth-grade students that couples writing and science using ultra-mobile devices and collaborative learning software, among other technologies. According to information supplied to us by the district, the initiative is being funded through a $1.4 million EETT competitive grant the district recently won.
(8/5/2008)
Does Microsoft Have an Open Source Heart?
Microsoft's open source outreach effort, which started just a few years ago, isn't dead on arrival, if you hear Sam Ramji, Microsoft's senior director of platform strategy, talk about it. Rather, it's coming alive.
(8/4/2008)
3PAR Releases Virtual Desktop Solution for VMware VDI
3PAR has announced a new virtual desktop provisioning and management solution for VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
(8/1/2008)
Santa Monica-Malibu USD Extends Outsourced IT Contract
IT consulting firm Networld Solutions has announced a contract extension with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD). Under the new one-year agreement, Networld will provide the district continued IT planning and project management services that align with SMMUSD's Education Technology Plan.
(7/30/2008)
The Latin School Migrates to BakBone for Data Backup and Recovery
The Latin School of Chicago has signed on with BakBone Software to provide its VMware-based virtualized infrastructure and heterogeneous data protection. Under the agreement, the school will use BakBone's NetVault: Backup solution to protect information on more than 80 servers throughout the campus.
(7/21/2008)
IBM Delivers Virtual Desktop Hosting to Pike County Schools
IBM and Pike County Schools have confirmed a five-year agreement that will provide the Kentucky school district with Virtual Infrastructure Access desktop hosting. The service will provide older PCs within the district Internet performance similar to newer machines.
(7/21/2008)
Microsoft Says SQL Server 2008 To Ship This Quarter
After some speculation that the final release of SQL Server 2008 may slip yet another quarter, Microsoft said its next-generation database is on pace to ship in the third quarter.
(7/14/2008)
Stanford, IFL Introducing $50 Handheld to Mexico Students
Stanford University School of Education and Innovations for Learning, a Chicago-based nonprofit, have entered into a social entrepreneurship collaboration to bring the $50 Teachermate Handheld Computer to extremely underserved children in Latin America.
(7/7/2008)
Ruckus Launches Smart WiFi, Gives Districts Access To Next-Gen Wireless Networking
Ruckus Wireless announced the launch of its Smart WiFi for the education market Monday. The company's ZoneFlex Smart WLAN combines 802.11n technology, adaptive beam steering, and SmartMesh networking.
(7/2/2008)
National Private Broadband Network Focuses on School Applications
New Edge Networks and Edgenics announced this week that they're partnering to launch a nationwide private broadband network dedicated to delivering content and applications to schools, including "video-centric IP services, interactive distance learning and other Web 2.0 applications."
(6/26/2008)
ClassLink, HP Offer Access to Learning Tools Through Thin Client, Virtualization Solutions
Information access software provider ClassLink has announced a partnership with HP focusing on the utilization of both thin-client and virtualization solutions for education.
(6/25/2008)
Plainfield District in IL To Deploy Pervasive Wireless Network
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 in Illinois has selected Aruba Network's wireless LAN technology and identity-based security for use across the district's 28 schools. The district has 29,000 students and 3,500 faculty and staff.
(6/10/2008)
Franklin ISD Implements Audio over IP in 2 Schools
Franklin Independent School District (ISD) in Franklin, TX has begun using Barix AG Exstreamer 100 Audio over IP decoding devices for school-wide voice, music, and bell-tone distribution in two schools. The solution provides administrators and teachers with a control system that interfaces with audio and video devices in the schools.
(6/9/2008)
Suffolk County District Moves to Virtualized Infrastructure
Center Moriches School District in New York has revamped its infrastructure and adopted a new technology delivery model, opting to virtualize its servers and deploy a Citrix Application Delivery solution. The overhaul was handled by technology services provider DynTek.
(6/6/2008)
Washington District Ramps Up High-Speed Access
In an effort to bolster its technology infrastructure for teaching and learning, Highline Public Schools in Burien, WA is rolling out high-speed services in 35 locations. The new network services, which include Qwest GeoMax and Qwest Metro Optical Ethernet, are being funded through E-Rate.
(5/28/2008)
Pueblo SD Rolls Out WiFi for 1:1 Program
Pueblo School District No. 70 in Colorado has deployed a WiFi network across three of its schools to support the district's 1:1 computing initiative and to support various mobile devices used in the district. The deployment was handled by WiFi developer Xirrus.
(5/22/2008)
Unified Communications System in Tulsa Powers Virtual Classroom
Tulsa Technology Center, a school district with four campuses that offers career and technology education classes in Oklahoma, will be deploying a Nortel and Microsoft unified communications platform. The district will be using Xeta Technologies, a national provider of converged voice and data communications solutions. The platform is expected to enhance student-teacher communication while reducing school expenses.
(5/21/2008)
Washington County Deploys WiFi District-wide
Washington County School District in Utah is in the process of deploying a district-wide WiFi network covering 41 public K-12 schools that span more than 2,400 square miles.
(5/12/2008)
Miami-Dade Deploys SAP ERP
In an effort to bolster its operations management, Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deploying an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system as part of its district-wide Business Operating Solutions for Schools project. Deployment began in September 2007.
(5/8/2008)
IBM Expands Team Collaboration, Social Networking Software
IBM has introduced a new tool for migrating content from Microsoft SharePoint and other data repositories into Lotus Quickr. The new Lotus Quickr Content Integrator, which recently began shipping, is designed to bring content from existing repositories into Quickr's "team places" for collaboration and sharing.
(5/7/2008)
Next-gen WiFi Expected To Be in 99% of North American Campuses by 2013
Although the wireless standard 802.11n is found in less than 3 percent of North American universities currently, it will be available in 99 percent by 2013, according to a new study by ABI Research. According to the research firm, the increases are driven by a variety of needs and demands in both K-12 and higher education.
(5/5/2008)
