Sept/Oct 19 - ChannelVision Magazine

For a school system to run prop- erly, parents, teachers, administra- tors and even coaches rely on com- munications platforms to provide a seamless educational experience for students. As schools leverage mod- ern technology to provide learning and reporting, they are streamlining processes that allow educators to do what they do best, educate. Unified communications (UC) is no longer a tool solely used in business. Acces- sibility, communication and report- ing are all integral in operating any enterprise – including a school dis- trict – with similar business require- ments, including reliable com- munication systems, budgets and business goals. In today’s digital world, when UC systems fail, there are multi-tiered repercus- sions. Missed calls introduce risk, students can’t access their classroom materials and teachers are unable to communicate with parents, causing frustrations to be at an all-time high. This ineffec- tive communication takes the focus away from what is most important, learning and teach- ing. For school districts, hav- ing confidence in the ability to remain connected is a priority, driving the need for unified communications systems that can provide comprehensive monitoring and diagnostics, allowing for quick resolutions when problems occur. Many schools are looking to, if they have not already, implement solutions to provide modern learning opportunities. Traditional textbooks and whiteboards are now replaced with laptops, tablets and interac- tive smartboards. In a recent survey by EducationSuperHighway, it was reported that computers are univer- sally available in U.S. elementary and secondary schools and that 98 percent of school districts now take advantage of digital learning, meaning that there are more end points and traffic relying on a school’s network than ever. The complexity and scale of a large school district’s system involves thousands of lines and possibly hundreds of sites. However complex that may be to manage, users should never suffer basic voice quality and reliability issues. Not only has the way students are learning changed, but so has the way in which key education stakeholders communicate. Traditionally, communications with a school were between staff, exchang- ing emails and fielding calls from parents, but with new processes in place for com- munication, it is so much more complex. In many schools, daily text messages are sent to parents on attendance and grades; and online dashboards are available for staff to quickly examine student attendance, grades and behaviors. The Multi-Vendor Environment Today, it is common for a UC environment to include technology platforms from multiple vendors. For example, an environment could include both Microsoft and Cisco collaboration tools accessed via the cloud. The ability to custom- ize a network by implementing multi-vendor solutions based on a network’s needs is imperative. However, the complexity of a multi- vendor system can be taxing on any enterprise, specifically a school district where users may have unique connectivity needs. It can be difficult and time- consuming to pinpoint and remedi- ate UC network failures in a timely Unlocking theValue of UC in Education F or parents, their top priority is the safety, development, stability and overall well-being of their children. With most of their weekdays spent in the care of educational institutes, effective and reliable communication is key. By Tim Armstrong Core Communications nt) Schools Have Rapidly Added Wi-Fi to Classrooms ully managed package clients graded system omers can pick which oke Data Center Physical Capacity Under Construction by Region Source: Spiceworks Source: IHS Markit Source: EducationSuperHighway 38% 32% 28% 28% 27% 20% 9% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% CEO/President Business Line Director Finance Procurement Business Line Manager COO/CFO/ CMO Professional Staff Legal 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 1H19 North America EMEA Asia Pacific CALA 2H19 1H20 Capacity (sq ft. M) 2013 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 Schools reporting sufficent Wi-Fi in classrooms Percent 40 Channel Vision | September - October, 2019