Anytime Anywhere Access

Leigh Haynes , , , , , , ,

At the beginning of February, after finally resolving the complexities of software licensing, we quietly opened up access to the Cloud Desktop from personally owned computers and devices. Now it is possible for both students and staff to connect to the Cloud Desktop from their own computer or device both remotely when off-campus and on-campus wherever there is Wi-Fi coverage. This important milestone now delivers on the promise of anytime anywhere access, meaning that students can access IT resources whenever (and wherever) they need.

We have already seen a wide range of devices connect including Windows PCs, Apple Macs, iPads and Android devices. To help people get connected we have produced a Connectivity Guide which includes step-by-step videos detailing exactly what you need to do. If you are not using Windows you will need to purchase some client connection software. For more details check out the guide at the ICT Support Desk.

Following this “soft launch” the service will now be promoted to students and staff through a variety of communication channels.

2,260 users and counting

Leigh Haynes , , , , , , , ,

The Cloud Desktop has been live now for two weeks and we have seen a day by day increase in usage as students have returned and inquisitive staff members have tried out the new service. Over the past 14 days we have seen 2,260 unique users login to the Cloud Desktop. On our busiest day so far we served 811 logon sessions throughout the day, peaking at 148 concurrent users.

The most used application so far is Internet Explorer which has clocked up 1,202 hours of usage. This is to be expected at this time of year as students login to Blackboard and check their timetables. After that, the next significant application is Microsoft Word which has totalled 247 hours.

The feedback we have received so far is overwhelmingly positive, especially with regards to the speed of the desktop and size of the new terminals. The Students’ Union kindly gathered feedback from the students and found that 95% of returning students rated the improvement as “good/very good” (from a random sample of 35 students).

Library go live

Leigh Haynes , , , , ,

The new University of Lincoln Cloud Desktop is now live and available to all from the Cloud Desktop Terminals on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors in the GCW Library. In total, 265 PCs have been replaced with silent running, highly energy and space efficient thin client devices.

As soon as we released the terminals for use, students started logging on and using the new desktop. We have prepared a brief one-sheet Getting Started guide for the Cloud Desktop which has been distributed throughout the Library. However most students seemed to be happily working away without needing to consult the guide at all.

GCW Cloud Desktop Terminal

Cloud Desktop

Leigh Haynes , , , , , ,

As we approached go live, we realised that we needed a name for this new desktop service. It didn’t seem right just to call it “The Windows 7 Desktop”, as the anytime, anywhere, centralised approach we have taken offers so much more than the traditional name implies. Also, although the technical solution currently provides a Windows 7 experience with Office 2010, it has the flexibility to move to newer versions much easier than a traditional desktop. New versions of both Windows and Office are always on the horizon and so we want a name which also has the same flexibility as the underlying solution. The obvious choices would be things like Remote Desktop and Virtual Desktop but these terms may not be known by everyone. Then there are the technical acronyms; VDI and RDS, which are just horrible.

In the end we decided to go for, University of Lincoln Cloud Desktop, as we felt if both captured the features of the service and our aspirations for the future. Also, the cloud concept is one that many people already understand and can easily relate to. To go with the name we wanted a fresh, clean brand which embodies our new modern, streamlined desktop. I hope you like it.Cloud Desktop

First look

Leigh Haynes , , , , ,

Since the last post the project team has been hard at work on the delivery of the new Windows 7 & Office 2010 desktop solution. Following a series of low level design workshops a detail design was agreed and the project moved into the technical implementation stage. Server hardware was ordered and installed, operating systems installed and the build of the desktop environment and supporting management infrastructure begun. We are now at a stage where we can start to let users test out the desktop and so have opened up access to our colleagues in the Library so that they can take a first look and provide feedback before we go live.

First Look

Currently the desktop includes the following applications (more will be added in the future):

  • Office Professional Plus 2010; Access, Excel, InfoPath, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word
  • Project Professional 2010
  • SharePoint Designer 2007
  • Visio Premium 2010
  • Internet Explorer 9
  • Google Chrome
  • IBM SPSS 19
  • Paint.NET
  • 7-Zip
  • Acrobat Reader
  • Sophos Anti-Virus 10