How virtualization can help connect educators and students to applications and information from almost any device

1. IBM Education Solutions
How virtualization can help connect
educators and students to applications
and information from almost any device.
Common challenges for educators
In school systems, universities
and colleges everywhere, IT staffs
are finding it harder to maintain desk-
top computers, laptops, and various
other devices and infrastructures.
Increasingly tight budgets limit what
schools can spend on computers for
students, teachers and administra-
tors. Constantly evolving technology
and the periodic nature of funding
can result in a lack of standardization
across a district, campus or system.
And the geographic distribution of
schools or campuses stretches the
Highlights ability of technical staff to give
hands-on support as they have to
■ Increases IT efficiency by ■ Improves tracking and control travel to make even simple fixes in
simplifying the end-user of computer usage PCs – the configuration of which they
computing environment don’t know until they arrive on site.
■ Streamlines IT transformation
■ Simplifies IT management and while using existing infrastruc- At the same time that computers
reduces IT maintenance costs ture investment have proliferated, so have applica-
tions and the devices storing the data
■ Enables secure access to of the institution and individuals.
a virtual desktop using Managing applications and data is
dispersed thin clients and more complicated than ever before.
multiple mobile devices

2. Older computers have to be This virtualized environment pro- Simplified infrastructure management
upgraded or replaced in order vides a single, personalized point and device support
to run newer versions of software, of access for all users – teachers, Using IBM’s virtualized approach to
and users have little control over administrators, government edu- thin client computing, users retain all
personal and private information. cation officials, students, parents, of the PC experience, while IT gar-
Further, students sharing a PC lack researchers, school accountants and ners all of the savings brought about
a sense of ownership, and account- healthcare workers. through centralized PC management.
ability, for that computer. Students, teachers, administrators
Increased cost-efficiency and and other users enjoy a full desktop
IBM is helping schools address reduced maintenance OS experience just like they have with
these challenges. With IBM With centralized data and processing, a traditional desktop, while benefiting
Virtualization solutions, schools educators control student access from a dramatically new and power-
can provide students and authorized to applications and other resources. ful PC computing approach. With the
users with single-point, consistent Software updates can be made cen- IBM Virtualization solutions, users
access to applications, information, trally, and extended immediately are free to move about their physical
people and processes from almost to every client computing device. surroundings and maintain secure
any device with an Internet connec- With all the processing and storage access to their PC desktop from any
tion. These solutions deliver the centralized, schools can continue client device at any time.
same capabilities of distributed, using existing servers. Compared
high-function PCs and laptops to using “thick” clients – or fully con- With IBM Virtualization solutions, IT
through a centralized, server-based figured PCs or laptops – thin client gains full management control of the
infrastructure. With IBM Virtualization design offers added protection from physical resource. With software
solutions, all the applications, data viruses, a lower price point, and sig- and data managed centrally, IT pro-
and processes a school needs are nificantly reduced risk of theft. That’s visioning, maintenance, security,
on the IBM server and are no longer because thin client devices contain regulatory compliance and backup
on individual PCs. Users can log fewer parts: a microprocessor capa- processes are all streamlined. As a
on almost anywhere and access the ble of processing graphics, network result, many of the performance
programs and information they need interface capability, a video subsys- and management tasks that now
and are authorized to use. tem, and just enough memory to burden end users are able to be cen-
run the software to connect to the trally managed by qualified IT staff.
server. They do not require a hard
drive, floppy drive, or CD-ROM drive.

3. IT has the capability to dedicate Increased control and overview What is virtualization?
CPU, memory, storage and network During the assessment and planning A virtualized system presents
resources to virtualized desktop phase of Virtualization solutions, IBM applications and information to
machines. That means users can be consultants ensure that authorized each user in a consistent, familiar
guaranteed high service levels even users can simultaneously access way regardless of the implementa-
as their numbers increase. all of the applications they require. tion, geographic location or physi-
Additionally, the solution includes the cal packaging of the user’s device.
Extending key resources to dispersed ability to monitor all of the resources It can help improve productivity,
users in a secure manner accessed by end users. The infra- enable greater mobility, and reduce
IBM Virtualization solutions include structure constantly logs a database dependence on traditional PCs,
an analysis-designed implementa- of all access information – real-time laptops and other client hardware
tion. It supports access to server access information about when a stu- by providing secure, easy access
environments that host applications dent or other user logs in, what appli- to centrally hosted applications.
running on servers, or to complete cations a particular user touches, Secure, single sign-on simplifies
desktop images running in virtual and what virtual machines they use. access for the end user and reduces
machines. IBM Virtualization solu- It provides educators and adminis- help-desk costs because both users
tions offer a comprehensive set of trators with a tremendous amount of and support personnel gain the
hardware, software, networking and specific information about how their access they need from any device
IT services that provide a virtual infra- school’s technology environment is on the Internet. A virtualized sys-
structure for delivering secure, up- being used: certainly much more tem supports both thin clients and
to-date user platforms for a diverse information than what typically exists thick clients: a network connection,
and mobile school population. in today’s legacy PC environment. browser and a JavaTM runtime client
are all that is needed.
Virtualization key benefits The IBM solutions provide a
• Simplifies maintenance consistent view of applications to
• Simplifies software updates all users, are designed to support
• Reduces on-site support most application types, and use
requirements significantly encrypted data transmission to help
• Improves security and protect access. By taking advantage
asset management of IBM’s dedication to open stand-
• Centralizes server and storage devices ards, schools can enable efficient
• Increases student “ownership” (No delivery of user applications without
matter which device they use, students adding extra layers of infrastructure
always get the consistent look-and-feel that could increase complexity.
of their personal computer.)

4. Leverage existing For more information
infrastructure investment For more information on how IBM
IBM software and hardware leverage Virtualization solutions can more
your existing infrastructure, which efficiently connect educators, stu-
helps streamline IT transformation dents and other authorized users to
© Copyright IBM Corporation 2007
and enables a smooth, cost-effective applications and information from
IBM Corporation
transition from a conventional, dis- almost any device, contact your IBM New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504
tributed environment to a centralized, representative, or go to:
U.S.A.
standardized, virtual environment.
Produced in the United States of America
Further, we employ a phased delivery ibm.com/education 6-07
All Rights Reserved
approach to help schools manage
IBM, the IBM logo and ibm.com are trademarks
costs and ensure a smooth transi-
or registered trademarks of International
tion to a virtualized IT environment. Business Machines Corporation in the United
States, other countries, or both.
IBM has over 30 years of virtualiza-
Java and all Java-based trademarks are
tion experience, and currently seven
trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the
of the ten largest U.S. school districts United States, other countries, or both.
are IBM clients. Because IBM soft- Other company, product or service names may
be trademarks or service marks of others.
ware runs on multiple platforms and
References in this publication to IBM products
supports open standards and inter-
and services do not imply that IBM intends to
faces, we have the skills to provide make them available in all countries in which
IBM operates.
integrated services regardless of
your school’s existing hardware or
software configurations.
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