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Taunton School improves IT experience for staff
Upgrades to Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 for more reliable and secure application delivery
Chalfont » 8/8/2007 » Taunton School has upgraded to Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 Platinum Edition as part of its overall IT strategy devised to improve services for staff and students. The decision to upgrade is central to the strategy, as the new features provided in the Platinum Edition will be key to delivering applications to the school’s 1,500 pupils and staff team, wherever they are working.
Taunton School is using VisionApp software to implement the Citrix technology in its 18 IT suites, including facilities in all the boarding houses, as well as devices in every classroom, staff laptops, the school’s business team and staff and pupils’ home PCs. It purchased licences through Esteem Systems.
The school selected Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 because it provides a better end user experience with greater reliability. Improved graphics rendering for 2D and 3D programmes used, for example, in Design and Technology lessons was also important. The school, which had previously used Citrix Presentation Server 4.0, will now to use a pair of Citrix Access Gateways to deliver its Microsoft Office and other applications beyond the confines of the site with a high degree of reliability and security. It will also use two-factor authentication combined with Citrix SmartAccess to improve security for sensitive financial applications.
Tom Norton, ICT development manager at the school, commented: “Citrix is the best way to deliver applications to the combination of thin client devices, PCs and laptops in use across the site. Now, with the new edition, staff can set homework that needs IT resources for pupils to complete at home – even if it requires graphic-intensive applications. At the same time, our financial team can be working on specialised applications, keeping information totally secure.”
As well as the benefits for pupils and staff, the addition of Citrix EdgeSight to the Platinum Edition gives the IT team better management capabilities. EdgeSight, launched earlier this year, monitors the performance of each end user’s device, reporting potential issues back to the IT team. “This feature means that even when 150 people log on and off every 35 minutes as lessons start and end, we can ensure the servers are running as efficiently as possible,” said Norton.
Richard Jackson, area vice-president at Citrix UK, Ireland and South Africa, commented: “Taunton School’s aim is to prepare young people to shape the world in the 21st century, so delivering information technology resources appropriately is key to this. When term starts in September, staff and pupils will reap the benefits of this project every time they turn on a computer.”
The first stage of the project is due for completion in time for the new academic year, starting in September. By the end of 2007, the school will also be using single sign on with Citrix Password Manager. This will make accessing applications more secure, and will reduce the number of calls to the helpdesk from people who’ve forgotten one of their many passwords for protected applications. The Citrix investment will also be crucial in the school’s plans to deliver all the resources staff and students need – email, applications and other resources – via one online portal in the near future
About Taunton School
Situated on the outskirts of Somerset’s county town, Taunton School is a bustling international community for boys and girls aged 2 to 18. It’s safe and secure location, enhanced by its excellent facilities and staff ensures that it is able to provide an outstanding all round educational experience for day pupils and boarders alike.
The School is made up of 4 parts, each contributing to the friendly and purposeful atmosphere for which Taunton School is known: First Steps Nursery is designed for the youngest pupils from age 2 and builds the important relationship between home and school. At 4 years pupils transfer to Pre-Prep before going on to the Preparatory School at 7 years, gradually preparing for the smooth transition into the Senior School at 13.
The International Baccalaureate and A Levels are offered to Sixth Form students, a choice that is rare in Somerset. Academic results are excellent and the School regularly sends significant numbers of students to Oxbridge, with 95% of sixth formers going on to higher education.
One of the greatest strengths of the whole school is the quality of the relationship between staff and pupils and amongst the pupils themselves. Academic results are excellent and the extensive curriculum is supported by an equally important extra curricular programme encompassing activities as diverse as chess and learning to fly.
The School has a new fleet of bespoke built vehicles that pick up and return 200 pupils a day to all parts of the county and beyond. Taunton School also enjoys excellent nationwide road and rail links and access to international airports. The School is therefore not simply another West Country School but a lively international community leading the way in independent education in the West.
About Citrix
Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS) is the global leader and the most trusted name in application delivery infrastructure. More than 180,000 organisations worldwide rely on Citrix to deliver any application to users anywhere with the best performance, highest security and lowest cost. Citrix customers include 100% of the Fortune 100 companies and 98% of the Fortune Global 500, as well as hundreds of thousands of small businesses and prosumers. Citrix has approximately 6,200 channel and alliance partners in more than 100 countries. Annual revenue in 2006 was $1.1 billion.
