28/01/2016

Education

IT Services for Education

Complete IT Solutions for Education

Pressure on schools and colleges to perform is increasing, and the effective use of technology is a fundamental benchmark for performance. The challenge most schools and colleges face is to integrate technology effectively into the curriculum whilst battling with budgets and endless choice.

With over a decade of experience working with schools, colleges and academies in the UK, we understand these challenges, and are on hand to help you every step of the way to make your vision for ICT a reality.

Whether it’s expert advice or a full support package you need, we can provide the solution that’s right for you, tailoring support packages to your exact requirements is one of our specialities.

We can help you get the tools you need to drive engagement in the classroom – from the latest tablets to cutting edge audio visual solutions.

We understand that having access to a robust and speedy infrastructure is always top priority for any network and we are here to help.

IT Support and Helpdesk

Switchnet have spent over 14 years supporting schools and colleges and have built a support solution based on a strategic foundation, that is both bespoke and unique so it will benefit your organisation.
We also offer a variety of support options on either a pay-as-you-go or fixed price basis for all aspects of your IT, so whether you need remote support for end users or technical support for your IT teams, we have a solution to best suit your needs.

Telephone - If you need to resolve an IT problem quickly and efficiently, we have a constantly-manned IT support help desk service waiting to take your call. It’s available to all of our IT support clients and is staffed by qualified and experienced engineers.

Remote - If you have an IT support issue which is more complex, that can’t be fixed by a simple telephone conversation, one of our engineers will remote in to your system to fix the problem for you remotely. We can either do this while you watch and wait, or you can get on and do something else and we will let you know when everything is fixed.

On-Site Engineers - We have a team of field service engineers based throughout Hampshire who are ready to provide emergency same day IT support if ever you need it. If you have a major IT support issue, a computer hardware problem or something that just can’t be resolved by telephone or remotely, we’ll send an IT engineer to your site. Being based close to the M27 to ensure easy access to whole of Hampshire for a quick response.

Rent-a-Techi

We can provide a professionally trained ICT Service engineer to be onsite on a scheduled or one-off basis to help support schools that do not have permanent, onsite technical support or just to work alongside your existing ICT support team to help provide extra support for their existing IT function. We call this service “Rent-a-Techi”.

As well as helping maintain your network they will advise on strategic plans for ICT development in your establishment.

Our engineers can carry out on the job training, if working beside your technicians, enabling a more efficient and effective support team.

Backed by support from our partners, this service can be completely tailored to meet the needs of your School. Flexibility is key, this service is planned and agreed with you and your school, to ensure it meets not only your current needs, but those you will have in the future.

Network and Wireless Solutions

Having a robust and secure wireless network is essential to provide flexibility and allow network access to areas of your school site that may not otherwise be accessible. We can provide a robust and fully managed wireless solution tailored to your school’s requirements.

Unhappy with your current wireless network?

The first step is to have a wireless survey conducted. Many companies charge for this, however we will conduct this survey free of charge.

Server Virtualisation

Switchnet Services can help save you money by virtualising your existing IT infrastructure, by converting from physical servers to virtual servers you will see an increase in efficiency, flexibility and you’ll be sure your resources are being correctly utilised.

By consolidating your existing hardware, you will see a reduction in your ICT running costs by reducing the amount of hardware required to upgrade, not only this but you will see a saving in your energy costs and reduce your overall carbon footprint.

We can manage the solution from start to finish, if you wish to enquire more about server virtualisation, please get in touch.

Alternatively, if you already have a virtualised environment, whether it is VMWare or Hyper-V, we can help you get the most out of your investment.

GDPR and Compliance


New data privacy regulations and the impact on your business.

With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) now in force it is more important than ever to look at how technology can help you to achieve GDPR compliance.

GDPR is intended to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union. It is the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years. The regulations apply to all organisations that hold personally identifiable information (PII), no matter how small or large the business is.

There is a vast amount of material freely available about GDPR, but it can be a case of information overload. To help you as you take your first steps towards GDPR compliance Switchnet Services are providing one-to-one sessions.

Microsoft Licensing | Office 365 Education | Microsoft 365 Education

As a Microsoft Authorised Education Partner, Switchnet can help with all your Microsoft Licensing needs.


Microsoft Office 365 Education is a cloud-based suite which is completely free of charge to qualifying schools across the UK.

In our opinion, Office 365 provides the best value to schools and enables staff and students to access the latest versions of Microsoft Office and other tools as well as give them business-class email on any device. Best of all? Office 365 for Education is free for qualifying schools, academies and colleges.


Microsoft 365 Education device licenses include Windows, Intune for Education and Office 365 Education - giving you the complete package of collaboration and classroom tools at your fingertips across your devices.

Secure Cloud Backups

Does your backup follow the 3-2-1 strategy? 3 copies of your data, 2 of which are local but on different storage mediums and 1 of which is offsite.

When did you last test one of your backups to ensure you are prepared if a disaster were to strike?

With the increasing amount of data being created and stored and the prospect of suffering regular backup failures due to inefficient and unmonitored traditional backups, many schools, colleges and universities struggle to keep on top of their backups.

The Switchnet cloud backup and recovery solution can compliment your existing backup technology to provide a secure, offsite copy of your data. Based on industry-leading software and hardware technology it has a comprehensive set of features, to ensure data protection and proven recovery capabilities. Your data is encrypted at all stages of the backup lifecycle, at rest and when in transport. This can be further extended with Disaster Recovery options giving you the complete package to cover you for any eventuality.

It has been specifically designed to meet modern-day business requirements, overcoming problems with traditional backup methods whilst providing a secure, reliable backup solution to protect your data.

Cloud backup is an efficient, cost-effective, and transformational solution that makes it easy for organisations of all sizes to optimise, economise, and modernise their backup processes without any fear of data loss.

PCs, Laptops, Servers and Tablets

If you are considering installing a new server, or replacing one or more existing servers – talk to us about your project.

We have 14 years’ experience of helping organisations just like yours to choose the right server hardware and components and the right operating systems and software. From small offices to companies with hundreds of computer users.

We can help supply, support and manage your PCs, laptops and all of your other IT equipment. Whatever you wish to purchase, it’s likely that we can get you a better price and we can also give you the right advice about which equipment is best suited to your needs.

Most items are available on a next-day basis and we can either send them direct to you, or provide an IT engineer to perform an installation at a time to suit you if required. From routers to printers and wireless access points to firewalls, let us use our experience to make sure you get the most out of your IT budget.

dbs-checked-locksmith