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Image Management Improvements with ENGL and ZENworks

North Hanover County Schools Administration building

Abstract

Image management improvements leveraging ENGL Imaging Toolkit, Novell ZENworks, and LDAP authentication help increase efficiency for this public school system in North Carolina.

What Data Networks Did for NHCS

  • Implemented Novell ZENworks and ENGL Imaging Toolkit.
  • Improved efficiency of image and software delivery.
  • Used phase scripts to “lock down” and customize images.
  • Secured access to images with LDAP authentication.
  • Reduced costs by optimizing technology staff time.

The challenge

New Hanover Public Schools (NHCS), located in southeastern North Carolina, is the 12th largest school system in the state with 43 fully accredited schools and approximately 24,000 students. The school system’s 46 sites also include 3 administrative buildings and a computer environment of over 13,500 machines for faculty, staff, and students.

Managing over 13,500 desktop and laptop images with only six dedicated technology staff members posed a significant challenge for NHCS. The school system relied on their limited resources to maintain 158 desktop and laptop images at their technology offices, another 3-10 images with site-specific software at 46 other sites, and daily software update releases without a realistic upgrade maintenance schedule. Response times for image troubleshooting were extremely long. These obstacles left most of the technicians’ time focused on driver-related troubleshooting.

“Data Networks recommended a solution for New Hanover County Schools that will dramatically reduce the amount of time needed for creating, delivering, and managing images,” says Darius Swierzewski, Data Networks Engineer.

The solution

NHCS’ goal was to standardize on just two images and find a solution that would help them deliver images and software more efficiently and securely. Data Networks transitioned the school system to Novell ZENworks and introduced them to ENGL’s Imaging Toolkit. This solution delivers images, software installations, and updates more efficiently, dramatically reduces image process time, offers secure access to images, facilitates the creation of user-specific customizations, and eliminates hardware/ software dependency for images. The overall solution for NHCS included a technical assessment, deployment of Novell ZENworks and ENGL’s Imaging Toolkit, and documentation and knowledge transfer for the new technology.

Data Networks designed and implemented a comprehensive solution that included using phase scripts in ENGL Imaging Toolkit to “lock down” and customize NHCS’ images. Through LDAP authentication, Data Networks was able to minimize access to images and further secure the school’s computer environment. The implementation of Novell ZENworks and the ENGL Imaging Toolkit afford NHCS’ technology staff more time to focus on other initiatives instead of being burdened with image management.

Mission accomplished

“Our goals have been realized and ENGL Imaging Toolkit easily supports all of our hardware from HP to Dell to Asus. Having a new model arrive today no longer means hours of trying to find drivers and install software, it can be in the end user’s hands in just a few hours,” says Cindy Dodson, Client Services Engineer for New Hanover County Schools. “With the help of Data Networks, the implementation of Novell ZENworks and the ENGL Imaging Toolkit has improved security, and reduced costs through better use of our technology staff’s time.”

Click here to view the PDF version of the Image Management Improvements with ENGL and ZENworks case study.