II. ServerAtSchool User Manual Overview

Contents

2. The Exemplum Primary School

3. Three roles
    3.1 The local systems administrator
    3.2 The ICT coordinator
    3.3 The end user

4. Concluding remarks

1. Introduction

In this chapter we will describe the school, the roles and the parts of this manual that apply to each of these target groups.

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2. The Exemplum Primary School

This school has a staff of 16 (13 teachers, a caretaker, a headmistress and a headmaster) and some 45 pupils. The school partners with another school (the Elisa Dolittle School) for storing backups off-site in a reciprocal relationship.

Here are some facts about our (fictitious) school:

The school is equipped with a ServerAtSchool server which is connected to internet. The installation and configuration of this server, documented in the ServerAtSchool Installation Guide, was performed by Freddie Frinton, in his role as local systems administrator. Freddie Frinton is capable of installing and configuring the ServerAtSchool server, even with his fairly limited knowledge of Linux. He does have a lot of experience with Windows computers, though. He also has an eye for detail and is able to work very conscientiously. However, even after all these years Freddie is sometimes baffled by unexpected Windows behaviour and new trickery.

Amelia Cackle is not only the school's headmistress but also acts as the ICT coordinator. She has 'a bit above average' Windows knowledge. She can install software, make- and restore disk images (with g4u) and use the web-interface of the Janitor program to manage users and workgroups. She is enthousiastic about ICT's possibilites in education but keeps her hand firmly on the purse. "In the end ICT should save money which can be spend at improving education", she says, disliking all that ugly hardware in the school.

The roles of Freddie Frinton and Amelia Cackle show some overlap. When Amelia needs to install a complicated piece of software, she turns to Freddie for a quick look and some guidance. They also work together when moving pupils to their new grades at the start of the new school year: Amelia prepares the pupil data and Freddie makes sure the new data are processed.

The remaining members of the Exemplum Primary School community (administration, faculty, staff, pupils, parents and volunteers) play no special role other than ICT end users. They are embodied in a thrilling teacher, Helen Parkhurst. She is a teacher of grade 3, of course a faculty member and, with her two colleagues Maria Montessori and Lev Vygotsky, she is part of the Healthcare Committee of the Exemplum Primary School. She knows how to switch on a computer, can do some word processing, save and retrieve documents, loves internettting. She also knows how to navigate to the school's website and does simple maintenance tasks on the website, She can use webmail at home and loves to work there, retrieving documents from the school's server via her domestic internet connection.

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3. Three roles

This manual is based on the assumption that the installation and configuration of the ServerAtSchool server is completed successfully. This process is described in detail in the ServerAtSchool Installation Guide. Specifically in this User Manual we assume that the connection with the Internet is fully functional. Also there should be at least one workstation available on a functional LAN. In the course of this manual Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition will be installed on this workstation.

3.1 The local systems administrator

• III. Janitor
  This chapter deals with the Janitor program, both from the command line and via the web interface. The Janitor program is used to manage user accounts and groups. It is also used to create virtual CD's via the server's real CD-player. This chapter is also relevant for the ICT coordinator.
• IV. Workstation setup
  This involves setting up a Microsoft Windows 98 client from scratch up to the point where it has basic functionality, i.e. Windows is installed, including all hardware drivers. At the end of this chapter no additional software is installed yet.
• V. Managing disk images with ghost for unix
  Creating disk images periodically is a safety precaution. If something goes horribly wrong during installation of some exotic software package, you do not lose all of your work, but only the work done since the last image was created. This chapter discusses creating disk images and also restoring images.
• VI. DAEMON Tools virtual CD player
  This chapter details the installation of a virtual CD-player on the workstation. This chapter is referenced in chapter IV. Workstation setup.
• (optional) Appendix A. Additional software
  This appendix contains a list of software that might be handy to have in a workstation setup. However, it may not be necessary, hence the appendix rather than a chapter. You should compile your own list with useful additional software, probably together with your ICT coordinator; she probably has an outspoken idea about what is useful and what is useless.
• VII. Installing educational software
  This chapter illustrates the peculiarities of installing educational software. It also discusses the environment setup with Samba from the workstation's point of view. This chapter is also recommended reading for the ICT coordinator.
• VIII. Managing user profiles
  This chapter deals with the last steps before the final 'golden image' of a workstation can be created. These include storing all shortcuts in a safe place, enabling personal profiles and establishing the minimalistic policy for the default user. This chapter is also recommended reading for the ICT coordinator.

After working your way through these chapters, you will have one fully functional workstation, well documented, relatively stable and above all, reproducable. By that time you know how to use 'ghost for unix' and are able to distribute this disk image to all client computers throughout the school. You could also ask your ICT coordinator to perform that task.

At this point. the 'hard' work of the local systems administrator is done. However, it is still a good idea to read the remainder of this User Manual, even if it is only in a casual way.

3.2 The ICT coordinator

• III. Janitor
  This chapter deals with the Janitor program, both from the command line and via the web interface. The Janitor program is used to manage user accounts and groups. It is also used to create virtual CD's via the server's real CD-player. This chapter is also relevant for the local systems administrator.
• V. Managing disk images with ghost for unix
  This chapter discusses restoring disk images to client computers. Also it contains information on creating new images. This is very handy to do after new educational software has been installed on a client computer. The ICT coordinator can distribute the client image in the school. Also, when a workstation crashes, she can, in no time, make it 'as new'. She can also add software to the clients and save her work in a fresh image.
• VII. Installing educational software
  This chapter illustrates the peculiarities of installing educational software. It also discusses the environment setup with Samba from the workstation's point of view. This chapter is also recommended reading for the local systems administrator.
• VIII. Managing user profiles
  This chapter deals with the last steps before the final 'golden image' of a workstation can be created. These include storing all shortcuts in a safe place, enabling personal profiles and establishing the minimalistic policy for the default user. This chapter is also recommended reading for the local systems administrator.
• IX. Shortcuts, desktops and start menus
  This chapter discusses the way shortcuts to applications are placed on the desktop and in the start menu of the end user by the ICT coordinator. It explains how every member of the school community receives a personalised environment.

After working your way through these chapters, you will be able to bring back workstations to a known good state by restoring a disk image. You are able to install educational software, manage user accounts and workgroups. This includes promoting the pupils to the next grade at the start of the new school year. Finally you know how to assign shortcuts (icons) to the personal Desktop and Start Menu of the end users.

At this point, all 'administrative' tasks are discussed. However, it is a good idea to read the remainder of this User Manual. You may even want to create hardcopies of the remaining chapters, as a hand-out for the others, making it easier for them to actually use the workstations in the network.

3.3 The end user

However, a few things are indeed specific for the ServerAtSchool network, notably authenticating (logging in and out) and managing documents. This is discussed in the following chapters.

NOTICE: Some of these chapters can be printed out on paper and handed to the end users as quick howto's.

• X. Logging in and out
  This chapter provides a brief description of the login and logout procedure in ServerAtSchool.
• XI. My Documents and My Backups
  This chapter contains a brief explanation about the 'My Documents' directory and about retrieving your lost documents yourself, without the help of the local systems administrator or the ICT coordinator.
• XII. Teleworking with WinSCP
  With 'WinSCP' everyone who has the necessary privileges can retrieve and store documents from the school server with their computer at home. This chapter describes how to obtain the software for working at home and a description of its main functions.
• XIII. Webmail with Squirrelmail
  ServerAtSchool uses Squirrelmail as the primary mail client software. This webmail software is extensively documented. This chapter contains a brief introduction and provides pointers to other (on-line) documentation.
• XIV. Managing the school website with Site@School
  This chapter conatains a very brief explanation and pointers to the Site@School website content management system, its manuals and help.

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4. Concluding remarks

Appendix C. Worksheets contains worksheets that can be of assistance during installation and configuration of the network clients.

You may want to construct a booklet containing hardcopies of the relevant parts of this User Manual. That might lower the threshold for some of the end users to get started with the computer in the classroom.

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