The aim was to bring a unified communications infrastructure to the college so that shared IT services could be accessed by each site. Challenges included:
• the sites used different network systems supplied by different manufacturers
• the network installation needed to be future proof
• it was key to limit and manage downtime to prioritise continued education services.
We worked collaboratively with the college’s in-house IT department on a turnkey network solution to increase the uptime and reliability of their system.
Key elements addressed included:
• The installation of remote connectivity between all sites
• The installation of content control
• Improving network speeds to be capable of transferring large files and sharing multimedia applications.
When connecting the sites, we also worked to future-proof the technical and physical network infrastructure. Our network solutions included capacity for developing e-learning and improved communications tools.
Careful planning and timely delivery experts in network infrastructure installation and support, we know that minimising downtime is key. When installing network solutions for schools and colleges, it is important to plan work efficiently around holidays and examinations and to ensure that the system is back up and running as quickly as possible to limit disruption to teachers and students.
We planned, installed and optimised the network infrastructure and connectivity at Leeds City College, improving reliability and scalability, all within budget and completed on time.
The technical infrastructure we put in place across Leeds City College now allows each site to access HR/Payroll, Learner Information Systems (LIS) and Finance irrespective of location. It has also proved capable of scaling up as the college grows, and proved future proof against developments as technology becomes more sophisticated.
Our ongoing help desk support allows us to monitor the infrastructure and provide Leeds City College with the peace of mind that we are on hand to manage the system whenever we are needed.
Express Data’s help in this project was immeasurable. From the initial consultancy, through the design stages and right through to the implementation, Express Data was helpful, flexible and professional throughout.