So far the largest single deployment of SoftXpand powered Multiseat computers in the UK.
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10 Nov. 2008 | Case study | added by Colin McCarthy, MiniFrameUK
So far the largest single deployment of SoftXpand powered Multiseat computers in the UK.
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EurekaDoing more with less
in higher education
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
Introduction to the MiniFrameUK SoftXpand deployment by Mark Woolner, Network Manager Oriel Special-
ist Mathematics and Computing College
The Team
Oriel Specialist Mathematics and Computing College is a forward thinking dynamic secondary learning establishment which
benefits from a positive leadership team focused on delivering “Excellence in Learning” with an “Every Child Matters” atti-
tude. It‘s a community minded establishment that stays active well into the evening (the site manager can often be seen
locking up around 10 pm.)
The Challenge
When I first started back in November 2007, I saw the all too familiar 25 – 30 beige boxes, crammed into a room, with a
mismatch of CRT monitors perched on-top of the PCs to allow just enough room for an almost complete QWERTY keyboard
and ‘rugby balled’ ball mouse. With each station pumping out around 1KW of heat, the central heating was surplus to re-
quirements.
The Attitude
The College has had to deal with a legacy of “mend and make do” which resulted in the catch 22 situation of poor quality
PC’s leading to a poor attitude towards PC’s. The heavy handed use by students had left its mark and staff came to expect
issues when using ICT. “Do Not Use” and “Out Of Order” signs were seen too many times!
EUREKA!
Playing catch up
I first worked at the school for 2 days a week, which meant I was always playing catch-up with a lot of time spent
investigating faults caused by students either “sticking things IN” ( pens, paper, sandwiches) or “taking things
OUT” (network, monitor & power cables along with CD drive belts). The network would often be taken down because a
student, unable to see through the spaghetti junction of wiring, had inadvertently caused a loop back by plugging a
network cable into two network points!
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
The Eureka moment
When I first saw MiniFrameUK’s stand at the BETT show in
January I immediately thought of how this could reduce the
number of “things” students could “stick IN” and “take OUT” of
my stressed PCs; they would only have a keyboard, monitor, and
mouse to mess with. What’s more a number of the other issues
also seemed to be addressed by the system, more desk space,
less wires, less heat………….
Sold
After returning from the BETT show, discussions were held with members of the Leadership team and
MiniFrameUK partner Kira Supplies Ltd were invited all the way over to Norfolk to demonstrate the system. At once staff
could see the benefits of Multiseat computing and with the Director of Specialist Status holding the purse strings, the cost
saving meant that we could achieve the goals of our Specialist Maths and Computing College status and “Do More with
Less”. We decided to go down the line of building our own hardware with Kira supplying the licences and technical know-
how, (the only reason we didn’t go for the full system was that we felt we had enough in house pc expertise.)
The test that wasn’t
We chose the staff room as our proof of concept location to allow us to carry out testing and tweaking without
having to have the security too tight, or impact on the curriculum system. Space was an issue, so before installing
SoftXpand the staffroom only had 2 PCs and 2 network points. Staff couldn’t rely on being able to get access during break
time (only 2) and printing could only be done to a locally attached printer (no free network points). Quite often the PC’s
would have been switched off, meaning staff would have to wait up to 2 minutes for it to boot; a quick read of an email
later and break time was over!
Now we have fitted a 6 user PC which only needed 1 network point; we were able to use the other one for a network
printer.
Since the staff only have the ability to log off (shutdown option is disabled by SoftXpand), 6 staff can long on in around 8
seconds. This location didn’t prove to be the best as we “didn’t get to do much testing or tweaking” because we couldn’t
get near it! As soon as it was in place we couldn’t get the staff off it, so a second system was built to test the student
setup.
First Student System “the big picture”
Students were amazed by the 20” wide screen technology we had employed. Up to now students had been using 17” CRT
monitors or the 19” monitors that were set to a screen resolution of 1240 X 768. Now they are seeing 1440 X 900 for the
first time so they can actually see “The big picture”, view PowerPoint and Flash Animations, create large images in Pro-
desktop and 2D Design along with full width spreadsheets.
Such multimedia features are possible because we can build very powerful systems which can be shared by all, so
although our system may cost around £1100 it’s split between 6 users (less than £190 per student seat) who have access
to an Intel quad core processor, 3 GB of High Speed DDR2 Memory and 256MB of video each. With SoftXpand’s intelligent
load balancing controlling how the system resources are optimised, users are guaranteed 80% of the system resource
when they need it.
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
First Student System “the big picture”
Students were amazed by the 20” wide screen technology we had employed. Up to now students had been using CRT
monitors with 17” screens or the 19” that were set to a screen resolution of 1240 X 768. Now they are seeing 1440 X 900 for
the first time so they can actually see “The big picture”, view PowerPoint and Flash Animations, create large images in
Pro-desktop and 2D Design along with full width spreadsheets.
Such multimedia features are possible because we can build very powerful systems which can be shared by all, so although
our system may cost around £1100 it’s split between 6 users (less than £190 per student seat) who have access to an Intel
quad core processor, 3 GB of High Speed DDR2 Memory and 256MB of video each. With SoftXpand’s intelligent load balancing
controlling how the system resources are optimised, users are guaranteed 80% of the system resource when they need it.
The first ICT suite
The first student system was placed in a room alongside existing Dell 210 Optiplexes with 17” TFT.
It ran side by side for a week. Then we started to get complaints...... They wanted to know when we were going to take the
Dells out and fit the rest of the MiniFrames!! (Our affectionate name for MiniFrameUK’s Multiseat computers) We then knew
we were onto a winner, so we fitted the other 4 systems on the Friday afternoon and our fist ICT suite was born!!
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
Solutions on the way
Not long after our first suite, I was presented with a “solution opportunity” (we don’t use the term problem in our team!) We
had built a new technology room with fixed benching that needed part-time computer usage (65%-75% of the time) but they
would also need the bench space for electronics, bread boards and soldering. After a little thought I realised I was looking at
the solution…. I decided to fit 5 x 4 user systems, using remote switches to power them on as well as wake-on-LAN. I was able
to lock the PC’s away and using breakout points in the trunking, cut down on the cables on the benching.
Our Journey
We started our journey with MiniFrameUK back in March 2008. The whole IT department were very excited and to be honest so
was I but at the same time slightly nervous. Oriel needed change and SoftXpand was the vehicle to do it. At first I thought I
was going to have to do a lot of work to prove the concept to some of the college’s less willing users and I was also aware there
were limitations; we knew it had no GPO support but was told that it had been given full priority and would take them around 3
months to support it. You tend to take time scales with a pinch of salt which is just as well really as it only took them 6 weeks to
release a usable GPO version!! I know that if they say they will look at an idea or an issue they WILL look at it.
Where we are now
We have just installed our 44th 6 user system as well as 5 x 4 user systems and 1 X 8 system in the library. This gives us 292
individual student workstations with the last two ICT suites getting bespoke tables.
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
The system saves in so many ways
Power (1 KWh = 15p)
SoftXpand
Only 1 PC per 6 users (550w X 8 hours =4.4KWh @ 15p per KWh = £0.66 p)
Conventional PC
1 pc per user X 6 users (330w X 6 x 8 hours = 15.84Wh @ 15p per KWh=£2.38)
We also use the “InteliPlug” so when we turn the PCs off, all the monitors and powered USB hubs go off as well.
Networking (1 network point from Patch panel to network point approx £180.00)
SoftXpand
Only 1 network point required per 6 Users = 1 @ £180.00 = £180.00
Conventional PC
1 network point per user x 6 users = 6 @ £180.00 = £1080.00
Software We find that installing software and updates to a room of 5 PC’s is a lot easer than to a room with 30. In
many cases software licences are licensed by the device which means that you only need 1 in 6*.
Summary
Oriel Specialist Mathematics and Computing College is proud to be one of the first High schools to commit to using
SoftXpand and embracing Multiseat computing in its mainstream delivery of IT.
“We’ve achieved all of our IT goals with the system and have one of the leading ICT provisions in the area”
How does Multiseat computing work?
SoftXpand is based on a simple fact; today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small
fraction of the computer’s capacity. SoftXpand taps this unused capacity so that it can be simultaneously shared by
multiple users spreading out the cost of the PC, & providing access for up to 6 users.
Where can SoftXpand be used?
• ICT Suites
• Computer Labs
• Libraries
• Classrooms
• Staffrooms
• Common Rooms
• break out areas
• Digital Signs
Getting Started
“My recommendation to all school / college IT managers is to call MiniFrameUK and book an appointment
or to contact Oriel and see for yourself”
Kira House, Holt Lane, Lea
Derbyshire, DE4 5GQ
Tel: 01629 700270
www.miniframeuk.com
*Depending on software EULAs