ICT Services 4 Education

School ICT News Bulletin No. 308 - 24/03/2023

Published by ICT Solutions

eBulletin Items

  1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Change to staff Google NSIX accounts
  2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Migration of DNS service used by Schools/Academies for their emails & website
  3. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Service Desk opening hours over the forthcoming Easter holiday period
  4. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Powering off core network equipment over the Easter period
  5. SMART technologies - Little and often webinars during March - July
  6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Office 2013 will reach end of support on 11th April 2023

1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Change to staff Google NSIX accounts

From week commencing April 3rd we will be implementing a change to the way that Google NSIX accounts are managed for staff accounts. Currently, if an NSIX account holder moves to another School/Academy which also has NSIX accounts provided by ICT Solutions, their account will remain active and transfer.

 

However, due to GDPR and subsequent recommendations, staff accounts will no longer be transferred when a staff member moves to a new School/Academy. Once they leave and their details are no longer on the data we receive from their former site, their NSIX account will now be suspended 1 week later, and they will no longer be able to access their account. Their account will then be scheduled for deletion at a later date.

 

It is therefore very important that staff which are due to leave your School/Academy understand that their Google email account and associated Google applications including Drive, Classroom, Calendar etc. will no longer be available 1 week after they leave, and they will not be able to access any content associated with their account after that time. It is their responsibility to ensure they have backed up any data they wish to retain, and you may also wish to update your leaver policy following this change.

 

If your School/Academy has Google NSIX accounts and you have a new member of staff joining from another NSIX School/Academy, you will now need to contact us with their details so we can arrange for them to be set up with a new NSIX account.

 

If your School/Academy has Google NSIX accounts and you have a new member of staff who is also continuing to work at another NSIX School/Academy, you will need to contact us with their details so we can arrange for their account to be linked to both organisations.

 

There will be no change to the way student accounts are managed. If they move to another School/Academy which also has NSIX accounts, then their account will be transferred and remain active. If they don’t move to another NSIX School/Academy, their account will be suspended after 7 weeks and scheduled for deletion at a later date.

 

For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Migration of DNS service used by Schools/Academies for their emails & website

Due to the Capita contract ceasing on 31/03/2024, we are planning to migrate some services off the platform. One of these is DNS (Domain Name System), which we are going to have completed by 30/04/2023. Most Schools/Academies depend on this service for sending/receiving emails and their own website to function correctly.

 

ICT Solutions now have a replacement service and are in the process of moving customers to it.

 

The majority of domains can be moved without the need for assistance. However, we have identified some sites that will be affected by this change and will be communicating directly with them early next week on the steps they need to take.

 

For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

3. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Service Desk opening hours over the forthcoming Easter holiday period

To reflect the reduced demand on the Service Desk over the forthcoming Easter holiday period, we will be changing the hours of the Service Desk accordingly.

 

From April 3rd - 14th, the hours will be as follows -

 

08:30 to 16:00. 

 

Normal opening hours of 08:00 to 16:30 will resume on Monday, April 17th.

 

For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

4. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Powering off core network equipment over the Easter period

We would like to ask schools to refrain from turning off the power to the core networking equipment over the forthcoming Easter holiday period. Core networking equipment includes routers, switches and servers, often in a wall or floor cabinet. These devices are monitored by ourselves and Updata and turning off the power results in false alarms. This could potentially result in your school incurring a charge for an engineer visit.

 

Services Affected:                           Schools Internet, email and any service accessed via the internet

 

Services Not Affected:                    All other school systems which do not access the internet

 

When:                                               31st March 2023 – 17th April 2023

 

What You Need To Do:

If there is no alternative to powering off the communications cabinet and core equipment, please contact the Service Desk to advise us in advance

 

For More Information:

Please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

 

5. SMART technologies - Little and often webinars during March - July

The below may be of interest to those schools/academies who use SMART interactive products.

 

We have been notified that SMART’s Professional Development Specialist and former teacher, Mark Hartwright, will be holding 20 minute sessions, every 2 weeks, to show staff how to get more out of your interactive technology.

 

For more details and how to register, please visit the links:

 

March

 

April and May

 

June and July

 

6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Office 2013 will reach end of support on 11th April 2023

Microsoft have announced that Office 2013 will no longer be supported after 11th April, 2023. We recommend that anyone running this version starts upgrading to a later version of Office, such as Microsoft 365 Apps, which includes the Office apps you are familiar with (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook). Microsoft 365 Apps are designed to receive regular updates and will help you stay current by getting security updates and the latest features.

 

Further details can be found at - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/office-2013-skype-business-end-of-support

 

For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

 

 

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