Windows 10 set to become most widely installed windows ever...

Microsoft and research companies suggest that enterprises such as schools and large businesses are adopting windows 10 quicker than any previous windows operating system.  Many enterprises have started at least some deployment of windows 10 and half will have done so by January 2017. 

The reason for this is that it has the additional capability as required for the latest devices namely touch capability and that it is relatively easy to deploy on a windows 8 enabled network.

Previously Microsoft seem to have forced customers to upgrade with threats about support ending and security flaws in old operating systems whereas enterprises are drawn to windows 10 as they have had experience of t in new personal devices like windows tablets and have found it very easy to use, bug free and easy to install with Microsofts hosted free upgrades so customers are drawn to windows 10 rather than pushed away from previous versions of windows.

Windows 10 "is poised to become the most widely installed version of Windows ever". With pent up demand due to windows 8’s poor reception, tablet demand and a predicted one third of laptops being touch screen in the next 2 years windows 10 is being downloaded at a very high adoption rate (14 million in the first 24 hours at the end of July.

Find out how easy it is to convert your school to a windows 10 network by contacting NS Optimum on 01926 745608 or go to www.nsoptimum.co.uk

See NS Optimum reviews from schools across the UK that use our services and have shared their experience.

Black Friday Week - SMARTboard LED Screen Deals for Schools - £400 off

Black Friday - SMARTboard LED Screen Deals for Schools

Whilst some UK retail outlets are moving away from the idea of Black Friday for various reasons, we are starting to see a LOT of school specific IT products coming in a ridiculously low prices, not only for Black Friday but now for the whole week running up to Black Friday. I'll keep you posted of the latest deals as best I can...

Here's a taster to get started with - all orders must be placed and shipped this week (installations can follow at a later date as required).

• SMART 65” Interactive LED with SMART Notebook  - just £1999 normally £2,499 (SAVE £500 this week)
• SMART 70" Interactive LED with SMART Notebook - just £2699 normally £2,999 (SAVE £300 this week)
• VIVIDTouch 65" Interactive LED – just £1399 normally £1699 (SAVE £300 this week)
• VIVIDTouch 65" Interactive LED with SMART Notebook – just £1599 normally £1899 (SAVE £300 this week)
• BENQ RP 790 79” LED Screen - just £2999– normally £3499 (SAVE £500 this week)
• BENQ RP 790 79” LED Screen with SMART Notebook - just £3199 - normally £3699  (SAVE £500 this week

The price drops are valid for this week only whilst stocks last - orders must be received this week

Please email or call 01926 745608 to get a quotation - screens can simply be delivered to the school or installed as part of a full install package. please ask for pricing and installation options. 

prices above exclude VAT and delivery

Is Windows 10 good for UK schools? We think so…

Is Windows 10 good for UK schools? We think so…

A considerable amount of scepticism surrounding windows 8 and then windows 8.1 resulted in limited take up in schools with it being used primarily as a mobile device operating system due to its touch screen capability. The NS Optimum review of Windows 10 showed that it combines the best of both worlds with touch screen capability for mobile devices and interactive LED screens, with the traditional desktop for fixed school computers. Windows 10 gives a uniform touch and feel across all devices (PC, laptops, tablets and phone) which is clearly a great advantage for children in todays education environment where they're learning on a multitude of different devices.

The license upgrade to Windows 10 is free from genuine copies of windows 7 and 8 and it is included in your Microsoft OVS ES (EES) Desktop agreement if you have one in your school.

Many schools are starting their windows 10 deployment now, which is a much earlier take up than any previous new windows release from Microsoft. This is largely due to it being a stable and significant improvement on the last 3 versions, but also due to the high demand for touch screen technology in schools, an area which has caused much confusion over the past few years as to which touch-screen tablet devices to deploy - iPads, Android or Windows tablets - Whilst other devices have their own benefits, Windows 10 tablets are now fast, capable and most importantly now have a reliable, stable platform to run on. For schools this means they can now have class-sets of tablet devices that can be used in school or away from the network but that can be centrally managed, that can access all network resources and be locked down for pupil use, all of which are problems for non-Windows devices running on a Windows network.

NS Optimum see this as the start of Microsoft being integrated into many other areas of the classroom with OneNote being used with Interactive LED screens which will incorporate the multi-touch facility and bring the collaboration of the classroom into the 21^st century which can reduce many of the problems associated with multiple Interactive technology software platforms.

If you'd like advice on running Windows 10 in your school(s), please contact NS Optimum on the details below. NS Optimum review schools IT systems and can offer advice and full reports on its findings, problems that need to be overcome (such as incompatible hardware) and the best way to move forward with your Windows 10 upgrade and future school IT development.  

NS Optimum Limited

Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
Tel - 01926 745608
Email - info@nsoptimum.co.uk

NS Optimum are a provider of IT systems, hardware, software & support to UK schools & colleges

Lenovo B50-80 Core i3 SSD Laptop - JUST £237 (for schools)

For a limited time only, NS Optimum have an amazing offer for schools on the Lenovo B50-80 laptop with SSD drive and Core i3 processor.

£237.00 ex VAT - SAVING £113.00

Upgrade to Windows 10 at no extra cost - or downgrade to Windows 7

Call 01926 745608 or email sales@nsoptimum.co.uk to place your order

Computers for Schools

ROBUST, RELIABLE & FLEXIBLE COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOLS

NS Optimums range of PC’s are robust, reliable and come in a range of different styles from ultra-small NUC PC's to all-in-one computers, SFF desktops and everything in between.

As part of NS Optimums ongoing commitment to schools & colleges we’ve expanded our range, lowered prices and increased specifications across the board to meet current requirements. NS Optimum computers have recommended specifications for primary schools, secondary schools and for curriculum, staff or admin usage, however all PC's are built to specification so we can provide exactly the specification that you require if you let us know.  

Value for money – As with all NS Optimum school IT solutions, we always aim to offer all-round value for money. for PC hardware these considerations include:

• lower pricing - our PC range is aimed to suit almost every budget whilst not compromising quality.
• long lasting - all NS Optimum PC's are robust to withstand the day to day use and abuse experienced in schools.
• Well supported - NS Optimum computers come with a flexible collect and return warranty. This means that we pay all postage costs for collecting and returning faulty hardware as well as all parts and labour. Our flexible approach also means we can send replacement parts to the school for the technicians to swap if preferred as this increases the turnaround for faulty hardware ensuring the schools always have minimal hardware downtime.

Please click here to view our latest offers and call 01926 745608 or email me to place your order or for a full quotation.

NS Optimum and Bugle School, Cornwall

NS Optimum Review

Bugle School - Cornwall - Headteacher Tim Wherry

Having searched around for the best price Clevertouch interactive LED screens, Bugle School chose NS Optimum as the supplier and installer for their new classroom interactive LED screens. 

NS Optimum advised the school on various options that were available for such a project, then provided very competitive pricing for an all round fully installed solution. Once the final solution was decided upon for the classrooms,Bugle School searched for the best pricing and for IT / AV suppliers that came highly recommended from other local Cornwall schools. NS Optimum were awarded the contract following a review of the quotations and the new screens were installed a week later.

The school commented:

"We are delighted with the service received by NS Optimum. They have been very helpful and professional from ordering to delivery and installation."

"Excellent products and excellent service. Our favourite IT company to use. Would highly recommend."
Mr T Wherry - Headteacher, Bugle School

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum Reviews and Customer Experiences

Westerton Primary School – Yorkshire - Sue Morley - Network Manager
Summer installation of 25 x interactive LED screens & Android tablets for collaborative learning:
Based on their experiences with NS Optimum on other IT projects, Westerton Primary School asked NS Optimum to offer advice on the upgrade of their interactive whiteboard systems. Following some research, a full survey of the school and a lengthy tender process, NS Optimum were awarded the contract to replace all 25 x classroom AV systems with Clevertouch Plus interactive AV systems with built in Android OS. This work was successfully completed on time during the 2015 summer holidays.
The school commented on their experience of NS Optimum

 

"The sales team,  installers, trainer and technical support were very helpful and friendly. 

I have no hesitation in recommending them."

 

"NS Optimum put together a great package and allowed us to trial the equipment first."

 

 "Teachers enjoyed the training that was included in the package."

 

 "The pricing was extremely competitive and the installation team were fantastic.  The install finished on schedule and the team left the classrooms tidy.  Before they left they tested all the equipment."

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

 

 

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum - ICT solutions provider to schools

Spratton Hall School – Northamptonshire

NS Optimum started working with Spratton Hall in 2010 when we upgraded the SMARTboard AV systems across the school. The following year saw us upgrade the server hardware and the school took the decision to take on an NS Optimum support engineer for 1 day per week to complement their existing in-house support team. The partnership has continued to develop, along with the IT provision which the school offers to its students, and this has seen the installation of many Smartboard interactive flat panels, continuous development of the core servers & switching and a high density school-wide wireless system capable of servicing the school’s vision for a 1:1 device-per-pupil tablet rollout program.

With a robust Server 2012 Hyper-V virtual network in place we set about upgrading the schools wireless network with a robust Meru school-wide system capable of running 100's of wireless devices across the school. Once this was in place the school started its Windows 8 tablet rollout with the successful deployment of over 50 x Toshiba Z10T Core i5 Windows tables to all its staff. In year 2 of the project we rolled out nearly 100 x Toshiba Encore Windows tablets and year 3 saw NS Optimum roll out another batch of MyMaga 2-in-1 Windows devices (formerly known as the Intel Classmate) to continue the schools vision of reaching 1:1 a device-per-pupil ratio by 2017.

NS Optimum Customer Review

" NS Optimum took the time to understand what we wanted from our IT, and have worked with us throughout our 1:1 journey.  Their advice has delivered on a very cost effective infrastructure that is performing beyond
our expectations... we couldn’t have done this without them. "

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

Ruckus Wireless for Schools

Ruckus Wireless for Schools

NS Optimum have been installing wireless systems into schools since the technology became readily available. Over that time there's been some significant changes, from teachers bringing in old home wireless routers to run their single wireless laptop, to schools being flooded with hundreds of wireless devices all fighting to connect to a wireless system that is creaking at the seams.

To keep up with the ever changing demands on a schools wireless network, NS Optimum have partnered with many manufacturers (such as Meru, Ruckus, Netgear, HP and Cisco) over the years ensuring that we can always offer wireless solutions that are relevant to each and every customer, their specific requirements for the system and there different physical surroundings, from steel framed modern buildings to old historic buildings with extremely thick stone walls. Each scenario posing its own set of problems to overcome.  

For the last two years Ruckus wireless for schools has risen to the top of the pile for most scenarios. It's investment into technologies such as Beamflex and ChannelFly offer faster bandwidth to each user and reliable connections that work every time, even in the most demanding of environments. Even schools with a high density of wireless users say that they now have a system that the teachers can rely on every time.


To discuss your schools wireless requirements
Please contact NS Optimum on 01926 745608 or email sales@nsoptimum.co.uk

• school wireless mapping and surveys if required
• full installation service including data and electrical cabling as required
• secure guest access configurations
• onsite and remote support service

Promethean BUY 3 GET 1 FREE on Interactive LED Screens

Promethean BUY 3 GET 1 FREE on Interactive LED Screens (October 2015)

 

Replace your old classroom interactive whiteboards & projectors with interactive LED screens and take advantage of a much clearer & brighter picture wherever you are in the classroom.

 

NS Optimum supply, install & support nearly all manufacturers of interactive screen but predominantly work with Promethean, Clevertouch, Smart, VividTouch and CTouch.

 

This latest offer from Promethean gives your school a free interactive Promethean ActivPanel-2 with ActivInspire software with every 3 screens you purchase + free 5 year warranty + free wall mount & cables.

NS Optimum have extended this LED screen offer by offering buy 3 get 1 free on installation of these screens.

 

PLEASE CALL 01926 745608 or email sales@nsoptimum.co.uk to take advantage of this offer.

 

 

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum Reviews and Customer Experiences

Central Bedfordshire College – Bedfordshire - Dharit Patel, Network Manager

NS Optimums partnership with Central Bedfordshire College (CBC) started back in 2010 when the college were looking to procure a large number of wireless laptops along with suitable charge & storage solutions. After working closely with the college IT Dept to understand their exact needs and negotiating some very competitive pricing, NS Optimum were awarded the contract. Being impressed with our work and our 'no problem, no hassle' approach to our installation work, Central Bedfordshire College looked towards NS Optimum for the supply and installation of audio-visual systems throughout the college. The project started with a single Smartboard and projector installation to show that NS Optimums audio-visual systems are installed to a high standard, and this was soon followed by larger orders to kit out many of the colleges teaching rooms with ultra-short-throw systems and large format installations in the reception & halls. In the 4 years following the initial contract with CBC, NS Optimum has supplied & installed over 75 x audio-visual systems throughout the college and has supplied over 400 computer systems ranging from NS Optimum PC’s, Lenovo Tiny PC’s, Lenovo laptops & Android tablet devices.I n 2015 NS Optimum, working in partnership with the building contractors, supplied and installed 30 additional Epson interactive projectors into the colleges new building on the Dunstable Campus.

NS Optimum Customer Review

"Central Bedfordshire College have used the services of NS Optimum for a number of years because of their competitive pricing, installation expertise, knowledge and understanding of products being sought and by far the most important factor is the after sales service.  Any concerns are dealt with in a professional and timely manner and the personnel at NS Optimum have a great approach to customer service."

"The recent install of 25 Epson Interactive Projectors and Anti-Glare boards were installed to a very high standard and the onsite engineers engaged fully with the IT team to ensure smooth completion of the project."



NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum Reviews and Customer Experiences

Myton School – Warwickshire - Tom Brocklehurst, Network Manager
NS Optimum started working with Myton School in 2012 when they installed the fibre optic and CAT6 structured data cable into the new classroom blocks. The work was carried out to a high standard with minimal disruption and due to this good experience we invited NS Optimum back in 2013 to discuss the upgrade of the schools 900 workstation curriculum network to Windows 7 Professional and Server 2012 with Hyper-V along with Intel based SAN storage systems and a 10GB backbone.

Following a review of the schools existing infrastructure and some in-depth discussions, we came up with a solution that gave the school a fast and reliable 10GB core server and switch infrastructure and we proceeded to carry out the installation of the 8 x server upgrade & school-wide network reimage during the 2013 summer holidays. To ensure the smooth operation of the new network we supplied an NS Optimum Technician for 1 day per week for the first term and the network is also supported with a ‘Silver’ onsite and remote emergency support. Our partnership with Myton School continues to develop and NS Optimum has supplied Windows 8 tablets and iPads as well as the rolling replacement of PC workstations.

The upgrade to a Server 2012 Hyper-V server configuration & Windows 7 Pro workstations saw NS Optimum replace the server hardware. Three Virtual Hosts and two 10TB SAN storage servers with 900GB SAS drives and SSD cachecade with battery backup on the RAID cards, were supplied and installed giving ultra-high performance storage. A new admin server and domain controller were installed and utilising Microsoft Data Protection Manager (DPM), we provided a constant trickle backup to a new DPM backup server in a remote location within the campus. All is connected together using its own dedicated 10GB blade in the HP core switch giving full wirespeed data transfer at 10GB on a high performance back plane. 

NS Optimum Customer Review

"A large part of the success of the project was, I am certain, down to the excellent technical resource that NS Optimum were able to provide. This was important during the planning phase and equally instrumental in ensuring timely completion. ...I would have no hesitation in recommending them."

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum Reviews and Customer Experiences

Grove School – Birmingham - Susan Shaw - School Business Manager
NS Optimums review of the schools IT network back in 2012 saw an upgrade to the curriculum and admin core servers and switch infrastructure to give the school a more reliable IT network. This was followed with an upgrade to laptops and NS Optimum computer hardware across the curriculum and admin networks. A review of schools IT support led to NS Optimum providing school tech support in the form of a regular onsite technician service backup up with remote & onsite emergency IT support. The good experience of NS Optimum support throughout the school sees this agreement still in place today with an annual review carried out annually. 

in 2014 a review of the schools classroom audio visual and teaching requirements was carried out and after much research the school awarded the contract to NS Optimum to install 28 x Clevertouch interactive LED Screens into classrooms throughout the school. This project also saw the deployment of over 300 x iPad and Learnpad Android tablet devices to year groups across the school and has since led to NS Optimum installing a Ruckus AC managed wireless system throughout the school to cope with the increasing demand on the old Extricom system. Full training provided by NS Optimum meant that the new technology was integrated into lessons immediately with minimal problems, we had great feedback from the teachers and pupils.

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

 

 

NS Optimum Reviews & Customer Experiences

NS Optimum - ICT solutions provider to schools

NS Optimum reviews and experiences


Westerton Primary School – Yorkshire - Sue Morley - Network Manager
Summer installation of 25 x interactive LED screens & Android tablets for collaborative learning:
Based on their experiences with NS Optimum on other IT projects, Westerton Primary School asked NS Optimum to offer advice on the upgrade of their interactive whiteboard systems. Following some research, a full survey of the school and a lengthy tender process, NS Optimum were awarded the contract to replace all 25 x classroom AV systems with Clevertouch Plus interactive AV systems with built in Android OS. This work was successfully completed on time during the 2015 summer holidays.
 The school commented on their experience of NS Optimum

"The sales team,  installers, trainer and technical support were very helpful and friendly. 

I have no hesitation in recommending them."

"NS Optimum put together a great package and allowed us to trial the equipment first."

 "Teachers enjoyed the training that was included in the package."

 "The pricing was extremely competitive and the installation team were fantastic.  The install finished on schedule and the team left the classrooms tidy.  Before they left they tested all the equipment."

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

Grove School – Birmingham - Susan Shaw - School Business Manager
NS Optimums review of the schools IT network back in 2012 saw an upgrade to the curriculum and admin core servers and switch infrastructure to give the school a more reliable IT network. This was followed with an upgrade to laptops and NS Optimum computer hardware across the curriculum and admin networks. A review of schools IT support led to NS Optimum providing school tech support in the form of a regular onsite technician service backup up with remote & onsite emergency IT support. The good experience of NS Optimum support throughout the school sees this agreement still in place today with an annual review carried out annually. 

in 2014 a review of the schools classroom audio visual & teaching requirements was carried out and after much research the school awarded the contract to NS Optimum to install 28 x Clevertouch interactive LED Screens into classrooms throughout the school. This project also saw the deployment of over 300 x iPad and Learnpad Android tablet devices to year groups across the school and has since led to NS Optimum installing a Ruckus AC managed wireless system throughout the school to cope with the increasing demand on the old Extricom system. Full training provided by NS Optimum meant that the new technology was integrated into lessons immediately with great feedback from the teachers and pupils.

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY

Myton School – Warwickshire - Tom Brocklehurst, Network Manager
NS Optimum started working with Myton School in 2012 when they installed the fibre optic & CAT6 structured data cable into the new classroom blocks. The work was carried out to a high standard with minimal disruption and therefore we invited NS Optimum back in 2013 to discuss the upgrade of the schools 900 workstation curriculum network to Windows 7 Professional & Server 2012 with Hyper-V along with Intel based SAN storage systems and a 10GB backbone.

A large part of the success of the project was, I am certain, down to the excellent technical resource that NS Optimum were able to provide. This was important during the planning phase & equally instrumental in ensuring timely completion. ...I would have no hesitation in recommending them.

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY


Spratton Hall School – Northamptonshire
NS Optimum took the time to understand what we wanted from our IT, and have worked with us throughout our 1:1 journey.  Their advice has delivered on a very cost effective infrastructure that is performing beyond
our expectations... we couldn’t have done this without them. Annual NS Optimum customer reviews enable us to understand our customers every changing needs and make sure our advice is always has their current and future requirements in focus.

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY


Central Bedfordshire College – Bedfordshire - Dharit Patel, Network Manager
Central Bedfordshire College have used the services of NS Optimum for a number of years because of their competitive pricing, installation expertise, knowledge and understanding of products being sought and by far the most important factor is the after sales service.  Any concerns are dealt with in a professional and timely manner and the personnel at NS Optimum have a great approach to customer service. 

The college commented on their experience of NS Optimum
The recent install of 25 Interactive Projectors and Anti-Glare boards were installed to a very high standard and the onsite engineers engaged fully with the IT team to ensure smooth completion of the project.

NS Optimum Review - CASE STUDY


Elm Tree Middle School – Suffolk - Andy Graham, Network Manager
“In 2004 we had a mountain to climb with outdated, unreliable IT facilities and a limited budget. Working in partnership with NS Optimum, we are now in sight of the summit.”

"At Elm Tree Middle, we have a world class vision for our school network, and working with NS Optimum has enabled us to make massive strides towards achieving this ambitious aim, within budget and on time.”


Bromsgrove School – Worcestershire - Group Captain John Rogers, Bursar
“One of the best decisions I have ever made was to appoint NS Optimum as the ICT contractor for our £1M network and hardware infrastructure project. The work was completed to an extremely high standard, was on time, within budget and caused minimal disruption to staff and pupils. I was so impressed by their drive for quality and high standards that I extended the contract to include the management and maintenance of the system; this was the second best decision I have made.”

Northampton School for Boys – Northampton - Oliver Harris, Deputy Head Teacher“I have not found a better provider of value-for-money services. Their works is timely, efficient and no-nonsense.”

“NS Optimum have proved to be invaluable in working with us to plan and implement a major modernisation of the school network.”  

Harrow School – Middlesex
An NS Optimum customer for over a decade – supplying, installing and supporting their data cabling, servers, IP security (CCTV) system, switching infrastructure and wireless networks.


The Piggott School - Reading - James Fisher, Network Manager
“We at The Piggott School have been using NS Optimum as our main supplier of computer and AV equipment for several years. They have helped our network grow from a humble Windows 98 system with 200 client machines to a network consisting of 9 servers and over 500 clients. The initial assistance with setting up our Windows 2003 infrastructure was invaluable and has led us to implementing our own thin client system, VPN and hosting our own websites.”

“Despite how hard we have tried, they have as yet been unbeatable on value-for-money and their sales staff have proved very well informed about the latest products and services available.”


Uppingham School - Rutland - Dr A. M. Winston, IT Manager
“NS Optimum carried out the installation in a professional and pleasant manner, they were very helpful and courteous in all their dealings with the school at all times, coping with the many difficulties that an installation which encompassed many varied types of buildings, including Grade II listing. It was a pleasure to work with them.”


The John Lyon School - Middlesex - Roger Freeborn, Computer Manager
“The disruption to the land was minimised and professionally restored immediately afterwards.”
“...it was all carried out very professionally and we hardly noticed their presence.”
“...the planning was perfect and the job was completed within a fortnight.”
“...the NS Optimum staff were very helpful and competent in the advice given and the project management.”


Bilton Grange School - Warwickshire
Since 2005 NS Optimum have been providing Bilton Grange School with a fully managed ICT service for their 150 station ICT network which includes a full time onsite NS Optimum Network Manager. The school have had their network taken campus-wide with a gigabit fibre optic data network backbone connecting all the areas of their school campus. The school has a highly developed ICT system including interactive whiteboards and a state-of-the-art wireless system.

Supplying and supporting ICT in schools for over 20 years, providing a no problem, no hassle on-stop-ICT-shop for schools and colleges across the UK to rely on every time.

NS Optimum website for details and more NS Optimum customer review