What Schools Need
For many schools in Nepal, computers are still just dreams. The high cost to acquire, deploy and maintain a computer lab makes it impossible for the school administration to acquaint the student with computer technology. Even schools that can afford the initial investment soon fall behind on maintenance, including upgrades and security services. Because what's needed to keep networks running smoothly is a trained, dedicated IT staffs–a cost that's often cut from thin operating budgets.
For computer technology to optimize the educational experience, schools need networks that meet many criteria. The ideal setup fits the following parameters:
- High-performance and large cache so that PCs can run a variety of rich, multimedia educational applications
- Enough PCs so that every student can have access to the Internet and its vast virtual library
- Access to a wide range of software applications so that PCs used by math students in one hour might be used for literature students in the next hour
- Easy, intuitive configuration and maintenance, performed from a central location instead of individual desktops.
- Simple, effective security solutions that protect the network from viruses, spyware, hackers, and other threats
- Network scalability that doesn’t add to administrative TCO
Traditional Approach
The traditional approach to computerize a school is to buy the required number of identical computers and install required softwares into it. The system looks something like shown below.
Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP)
Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) is the way to use a central powerful computer, running on Linux (server) and use it's processing power to operate several other computers (clients). The clients can be very low-end and don't even need a hard disk.
Advantages
Open Source
- The proposed server workstation approach is possible due to the Open Source Technology and the Linux Operating System. Due to free availability and null licensing costs, the overall cost is cut down drastically.
- All the softwares used in eLibrary are Free and Open Source Softwares (FOSS). Due to free availability and community support of such software, the Total Cost of Operation (TCO) of the system is really low.
- Installation and upgrading of software is considerably easier. It is only necessary to upgrade the software on the server rather than on each individual workstation.
- Monitoring the software on the network is also easier as there is only one machine to monitor (the server computer) rather than all the workstations. This is also advantageous when trying to carry out software audit and provides some consistency across the network.
Security
- It is more difficult to introduce viruses to a thin client network as there are less points of entry to the network; workstations do not have operable disk drives so viruses cannot be introduced through virus infected disks. This is particularly useful in a school environment when you wish to restrict students' use of disks.
- Workstations do not store data so if they are stolen, it is only the equipment which needs to be replaced rather than the data.
- The hardware used for workstations are considered less desirable to thieves than PCs and therefore less likely to be stolen.
Administrator control
- Users cannot load their own applications or change configuration settings without the administrator’s permission. This in turn helps to prevent unauthorized use of software or the introduction of unlicensed software to the network.
- As different access levels can be defined by the administrator to the terminal clients, the terminals are under full supervision of the administrator.
- It is relatively easy to add another workstation to the network and software to be installed on the workstation can often be done from a central location (i.e. server).
- Faulty units can simply be replaced without the need to diagnose faults at the machine.
Energy saving
- Computers used as workstation use considerably less energy than standard PCs because they perform very little processing. Various studies have shown that a workstation machine can use as little as 10 - 20 watts of electricity an hour compared to up to 280 watts an hour on a PC.
Volunteer support
Having been able to generate its consciousness among the consumers, HeNN’s eLibrary project as a charitable work has equally been popular among the students of IT colleges or Universities and like-minded organizations. The project has been phenomenal in getting youthful energy in voluntary manner to input their expertise and enthusiasm for a better cause and to propagate this idea to wider reach. The engineering students of Institute of Engineering (IOE), Pulchowk Campus and Kathmandu University and other technical colleges have contributed their knowledge and effort.
HeNN has also opened its ‘Research & Training Center’ in Kathmandu based in Brihaspati Vidyasadan in 2008.
Technical partners
FOSS (Free & Open Source Software) Nepal Community
HeNN e-Library project is based on ever inclining Free/Open Source platform which is immensely advocated by FOSS Nepal to promote and diversify its usage (www.fossnepal.org). FOSS Nepal Community has been HeNN’s technical partner in project deployment & support frontier as well as broadcasting its ICT mission to extensive mass through campaigning.
Educational institutions and its communities
Along with the volunteers and FOSS Nepal Community members, HeNN has been trying to build up a strong rapport with not just the communities but also the educational institutions to let the student engage in unselfish cause and bring out something from their academic domain. This ultimately, aims in answering the questions of the academic implication and impart into something meaningful to the needful ones.
