Network Success Chart™ It's perfectly understandable if you're treading water most days. We appreciate the fact that managing K-12 technology can be extremely difficult. An "average" middle school today has an Internet-connected LAN, a handful of servers, dozens of printers, hundreds of computers, and a thousand-plus end users! Add the other schools in the district and you've got a major network by any standard. In the corporate world, they call that an "enterprise network environment." They validate the term with huge IT budgets and dozens of highly paid technology specialists. Imagine what's involved with desktop support, for example, out in the so-called real world, where each computer is assigned to a particular employee and remains in that individual's personal workspace. It is less than three years old and has plenty of memory so that it can handle the corporate standard operating system. It contains only the very few software applications needed by that individual in that department. Sounds almost like a walk on the beach, doesn't it? They couldn't manage your reality. In fact, what do they do when a computer becomes obsolete, when it's too slow, too expensive and too difficult to maintain? They donate it to you! How are you supposed to deal with the complications? Blackbird Research has a decade-long record of simplifying technology for New England schools. We can help you too, with our trademarked Network Success Charting service. This process reveals insights that enable effective strategies to: optimize your technology investments increase network performance and reliability shift the focus from technology to education make your life easier Before you take on new system components this summer, let's first consider where you are and make sure that the existing equipment is ship shape and provides a solid foundation for future updates. In the long term, commitment to well defined structure and procedures is by far the most cost-effective approach to educational technology. The Media Services staff at the Greenwich CT Public Schools had this to say about their network success: A few years ago Greenwich Public Schools engaged the services of Blackbird Research to analyze the school system's network. ... We were able to implement most of the suggestions, and... As a result our wide area network and local area networks within each building have been virtually 100% stable and permit us to use software to analyze and repair many problems from a central location, thus increasing our efficiency and minimizing downtime. We would not be in the excellent position we're in today without the services of Blackbird Research. Paul Hunter, Learning Facilitator, Technology Tony Tripodi, Instructional Technology Supervisor Apply now for limited-time rates and we'll help you to create your own Network Success Chart,™ satisfaction guaranteed. Can you live without a big-picture view of your network? Maybe. How long can you hold your breath?