TECHNOLOGY consultancy Aegis IT has helped a North East secondary school make its virtual dreams a reality.
Working with global vendors Huawei and Whiptail, the Newcastle-based firm has installed servers and virtual desktops into Kenton School in Newcastle.
Peter Catch, technical consultant at Aegis IT, said: “Working closely with our global vendors, we have built a wealth of experience and expertise in the education sector over the years and we’re certainly reaping the benefits at the moment with an increased number of contracts in this market. Schools by their very nature have a large number of users, so flexibility and secure access are key factors.
“The benefits of installing cloud-style technologies – like streaming applications, virtual desktops and mobile access devices – mean that schools can allow their students full and secure access to all the technology the school has to offer from any location.”
The project at Kenton School involved the installation of 200 virtual desktops in the school’s technology suite.
Paul Kernohan, network manager at Kenton School, said: “Our problem is the same one that many schools face, which is that we are trying to plan for the future with aging desktops and a limited budget to replace them.
“Aegis came up with a number of solutions that not only fit with our current requirements but also give us the option to grow in the future.”
The expertise that Aegis has gained through its consultancy work in this market has also led the company to develop some education software of its own, which is due to launch later this year.
The company, which has around 20 staff, is hoping to double its turnover to £10m by 2013 and create up to 40 jobs after winning a £250,000 contract with US broadcaster Turner Broadcasting to provide technology that will help the company reduce its energy costs and operate more efficiently.
Aegis will also help the broadcaster reduce its impact on the environment by installing energy-saving equipment at its offices in London, where it streams the hugely popular Ben 10 children’s cartoon to 53 channels around the world.
The technology, which has been developed in the US, records when a company uses most of its energy so that it can then reduce output during quieter periods.
