White Woods Primary MAT Go Cloud!

The Challenge

How do we get the most out of a Google serverless migration

White Woods were already using elements of Google and Microsoft cloud services –  however, they still relied upon on-premise servers to handle things like printing, device management, device security and domain management.

This created a lot of risks and challenges due to the age of some of the servers, and also meant that device management was slow and time-consuming.

In addition, it meant scaling and adding new schools would be a time-consuming and costly job. If one or some of the servers failed, it meant a high CapEx cost for the Trust which was difficult to budget for due to the unknown nature of such events.

The Solution

Computeam knew that the key to a successful cloud migration, or indeed adoption of any new technological solution, would be to ensure that all staff received comprehensive training. As such, a tailored plan for their training needs was created through Computeam's Training & Transformation team – which included access to Learning Locker where a variety of Google courses were available for all staff on demand.

Computeam achieved this by working with White Woods to scope out and plan the migration. This involved migrating all services aforementioned off the server into the cloud. 

The trust now benefits from the following:

Cost efficiency:  No more CapEx outlays – moving to cloud services on a pay-per-month model means they know exactly what their costs will be every month (no hidden surprises and hardware failures to allow for)

Scalability: Cloud services can be easily adjusted up or down – meaning trust growth or shrinkage can now be easily handled and budgeted

Security: Cloud providers invest heavily in security measures, often surpassing what individual schools can afford and can achieve using on-premise ageing servers.

Fast device management: Cloud services offer easy and fast device management and in some cases even zero-touch deployment of new devices to staff

Enhanced collaboration: The ability to access and share resources from anywhere improved collaboration among staff and students and improved educational outcomes through the more efficient use of technology

The Result

A Serverless Trust

Canklow Wood Primary School served as the pilot school for this project, setting the stage for a seamless transition. Computeam and the Trust held several planning meetings beforehand to ensure every detail was meticulously mapped out.

Just a few days prior to the pilot, Computeam’s technicians completed the initial phase of data migration, moving from on-premises to Google. This included transferring data and preparing laptops for the new setup. The following week, Computeam began the rollout of the data migrations to the rest of the schools within the Trust.

Given the summer break, Computeam had the perfect opportunity to execute data migrations for all the schools efficiently, ensuring that the Trust was prepared for the next wave of transitions. As the schools within the Trust already utilise Google Drive, the integration was smooth and efficient with no data loss. 

This methodical approach helped streamline the process while minimising disruptions.

Client Statement

With the help of Computeam's expert IT consultants, the Trust has taken a significant step towards the future of education by embarking on a serverless transformation. This project will help streamline operations by eliminating the need for server management – as well as reducing costs by not having to replace and maintain expensive server hardware and ensure scalability by utilising a blueprint that can be rolled out across new schools that may join the Trust in future. Computeam's meticulous planning and execution have been instrumental in the transformation.

Andy Blatch -ICT Infrastructure and Innovation Lead, White Woods Primary Academy Trust

Computeam Statement

After the initial Canklow Woods Primary School pilot, we adjusted some communications to let heads of schools and staff know about printing changes and how to print with PaperCut Hive. For the next schools, this was discussed with the Head in the prep meetings followed by an email to them/staff as a guide.  

This meant that the change in print process was much smoother and staff registered themselves for the printer, following the email invite.

The final result? All devices were now migrated to the cloud, with no data loss and everybody able to access the data via cloud. Both the Trust lead and schools were thrilled with the outcome. They particularly liked the PaperCut Hive scanning and release features. 

We've also been able to offer software instals as a user option for cases where it's not needed on all school laptops and push out configuration changes with ease. Now schools have cloud accounts configured, we're going to pilot a self-reset of account passwords with a single school, then roll out with the next migrations to all.

Jamie Wilson, Senior IT Consultant, Computeam