Sir Frederic Osborn School

Case Study

Mike James
IT Technician
Welwyn Garden City

http://www.sfosborn.herts.sch.uk/

The Background

Sir Frederic Osborn School is an expanding, increasingly popular school. Students, teachers, governors, parents and community partners continue to contribute to the rapid improvements which support our commitment to raising examination performance, high standards of uniform and behaviour, and care for each individual student. We have a strong community spirit in the school, and a determination to make it a school of which everyone is proud. You are welcome to visit us at work to see that Sir Frederic Osborn is a school to which parents may send their children with confidence. We are proud of our school, and want to share its strengths and successes with you as we move forward together towards excellence.

How many users/computers do you support and how are they spread out?

Users approximately 1000, computers approximately 450

What environment is your Smoothwall product running in?

Windows Domain

What type of user authentication do you use?

NTLM Terminal Services Compatibility Mode

What was the problem that needed to be solved, that required you to look for a new system?

Game-playing, Time Wasting, Social Networking during lesson times. Existing system only provided URL blocking, which relied on teaching staff to be able to note the URL of the site being used.

Why did you choose Smoothwall?

Familiarity, having used the original Smoothwal Firewall-In-A-Box. Content filtering, group or individual filtering or restriction. Ongoing support and updates, our previous system was obsolete with no upgrade path. Software only purchase, allowing us to use existing server hardware.

What has your Smoothwall product enabled you to do?

Enabled us to reclaim our network from a student culture of unrestricted game-playing, time-wasting and general internet abuse. Enabled us to control access for students by name, location or group etc.

How has your Smoothwall product made you or your colleagues job easier?

As above. (Enabled us to reclaim our network from a student culture of unrestricted game-playing, time-wasting and general internet abuse. Enabled us to control access for students by name, location or group etc.)

Did we replace a solution from another company? Or who did we compete with?

You (Smoothwall) had no competitors.

Are you dealing directly with Smoothwall or through one of our Partners?

Directly with Smoothwall.

Do you have any comments about the quality of service you received from Smoothwall or our Partners?

Always excellent service from the Support Desk. Having been in IT/Operations support myself for over 40 years, I recognise effective support when I receive it.

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