Green IT in a blue municipality

Bærum municipality has one of the country’s largest school IT networks. The IT solution for the schools connects together 15,000 pupils, 1,200 teachers and 39 (39 her 40 på siste side...) schools. The municipality’s solution is a cross-platform for both Windows and Linux.

On average, every fifth machine is connected to a terminal server. The pupils have a personal desktop and storage space on the server, which is accessible when they log in on a user machine. Multiframe from Linpro is used as a strategic tool for converting older, discarded PCs into thin clients, and for managing these clients

“Running all applications from the server simplifies operation, improves stability, reduves the demand for local output and makes administration more flexible,” says Tristan Dobson from the municipality’s internal operations service provider.

”On one occasion we ran a terminal server for 439 days without restarting. This is great in a school environment. I doubt that other solutions could match this inside the same cost frames,” says Dobson.

Solving the licence challenge

Bærum has solved the challenge of high licence costs by finding solutions that offer more for less. In this respect Linux is an ideal starting point, offering the pupils access to more useful software. The solution is based on a Novell platform.

“There is a rational reason for our support of Open Source software. Quite simply, Linux has an incredible number of advantages and exciting possibilities,” he says.

”At the same time we are not ”religious” in our approach to the software debate. Our model ensures that we can select what we want from Open Source and proprietary software.”

Environmental focus

The IT department has acted as innovators on many occasions. Other municipalities have followed ”the Bærum model” with interest.

”We assist the municipality and IT network in minimizing their impact on the surroundings. Recycling is a natural part of this. Many of the steps we have taken lead to significant environmental advantages and cost savings,” says Tristan Dobson of Bærum municipality.

Managing the increased density of PCs in Norwegian schools is a well-known challenge. One way of solving this is Bærum's focus on recycling existing equipment and using Multiframe to convert old PCs into thin clients.

Less CO2

Multiframe has been developed by Redpill Linpro and provides simpler administration of thin client solutions, considerable savings, and a more practical operating environment. The software is particularly effective in environments with multiple hardware or operating system platforms.

The municipality’s recycling scheme collects older and discarded PCs both from the municipality’s public services and from trade and industry. The recycling department ensures that data is erased so that the computers can be set up by the schools themselves.

”This recycling scheme has very positive environmental impacts. There is less pollution because the new PCs do not need to be produced and transported; whilst at the same time fewer PCs end up on rubbish dumps. Our solution means that fewer computers must be disposed of with the consequent environmental load,” he says.

In 2003 there were 20 pupils and 3 teachers per PC. Today the situation has markedly improved with one PC per teacher and fewer than five pupils per machine.

Thin in 1-2-3

Once Bærum municipality has obtained a discarded PC, Multiframe can be used to turn it into a thin client in a matter of minutes.

”Converting a PC into a thin client is very simple. You connect a PC to an active network port, insert a CD and boot the computer. We can also do this centrally via the network. When the computer is restarted, it becomes thin. All in less than five minutes,” explains Dobson.

”In addition the procedure ensures simple administration of the IT environment. We can administer all the clients in the schools from a centrally located unit. This saves time for us and not least for the IT technicians. Using this method they have more time to focus on educational needs rather than technical ones,” he adds.

Greater endurance

Few IT environments are as exposed to wear and tear and tough treatment as in schools. The machines are ”ravaged” at times. Since so many people use the same machines, the load is often higher than the machines were originally designed to withstand.

”Our solution eliminates this risk. . All the data are safely stored on the server regardless, and thin clients have longer durability and less vulnerability for ”fiddling” by semi-advanced users. It is easier to maintain an approved security level on the terminal servers, to which the thin clients are connected.

Be free

”There is no dispute that without Multiframe and Open Source software our costs would increase and the pupils would have access to fewer PCs. It is a classic ”win-win” situation for the environment and all others involved,” he says.

Redpill Linpro is used as an expert resource for the municipality when upgrading, and Dobson is very satisfied with the follow-up. He is also very satisfied that Linpro has now released the source code for Multiframe (under a GPL licence):

”With Redpill Linpro’s decision to make the source code freely available, Multiframe will become an even better tool. Many people will work on developing it further, experiences will increase and the knowledge base will become far richer,” he concludes.