Abtech : Solutions » Case Study » Wimborne First School, Thin Client Learning Environment

Case Study:

Wimborne First School

Thin Client Learning Environment

Educational organisations, including BECTA, have recently been pointing out the enormous potential benefits to schools of open source software such as Linux. Linux Solutions specialist, Abtech UK, one Dorset school has been able to make these potential benefits a reality.

Wimborne First School in Dorset, dates back to 1911 and has always been a focal point for the local community. Over the years, it has been extended with a new office, kitchen and medical room and a new hall. The older building has been completely refurbished to provide a bright and more modern environment which now includes a well equipped information and computing technology (ICT) suite and a library.

John Bagwell, Deputy Headmaster at Wimborne 1st School, was facing issues familiar to many primary schools when it comes to IT provision:

A limited annual IT budget.

The need to spend most of this budget on upgrading or replacing Desktop PCs and Software Licences.

Possible deferment of project due to large initial expenditure.

Wimborne First School work with Abtech UK to lower cost of ownership by implementing a thin client solution

John approached IT solution specialists, Abtech UK, to see if they could assist. Abtech’s Technical Director, Keith Collins, himself a Governor with another school, was very familiar with John’s situation and was happy to sit down and discuss the school’s requirements.

The solution proposed was based on using “thin clients” running Linux, which access the key software applications running on a central server. These replaced the schools ageing desktop PCs.

Wimborne already had a suitable server, so it was just a case of adding some memory and purchasing the Windows Terminal Server licences. The Linux thin clients were much cheaper than purchasing new PCs running Windows so the school purchased 15 units for their IT Suite.

The school initially saved £3,500 on hardware and software costs (enough to buy three Interactive whiteboards with projectors) and expect to save a further £500 per year in energy costs. In addition, they saw a number of extra benefits:

	Better classroom environment: The thin clients don’t have a hard disk or fans so they are virtually silent. They also produce very little heat.
	The need to spend most of this budget on upgrading or replacing Desktop PCs and Software Licences.
	Possible deferment of project due to large initial expenditure.