Wireless Solution Gives University Students and Teachers 24-Hour Access to Resources

Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Smartphones Customer Solution Case Study

Overview “We are gathering numerous useful services to offer Country: United Kingdom students using the system. For example, one student was Industry: Education thrilled to be able to get his exam results on his Customer Profile Smartphone while travelling in a remote part of Australia” Scottish-based University of Strathclyde is dedicated to making higher education George Farquhar, Assistant Director, University of Strathclyde available to all students, regardless of their background. The University of Strathclyde in Scotland aims to make

Business Situation education available to all students and remove some of the The university wanted to consolidate its boundaries often associated with campus education. The central e-mail systems and information portal into a new service that students success of a number of wireless projects prompted the and staff could access anywhere in the university to consolidate its central e-mail systems and world, from any device. information portal into a new service that students and staff Solution could access from anywhere in the world, from any device. The university built an interface to the ® ® portal and Microsoft® Exchange Server Using their computer or Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003– 2003, which can be accessed using a based device, students and staff can access exam results, single logon from any computer or Microsoft Windows Mobile® 2003–based timetables or class details, or manage their e-mail, calendar, device. and contacts in real time. The solution gives students and staff

Benefits freedom to access information when and where it is convenient  Convenient, any-time access to for them, rather than just during university hours. university information  Gives students more freedom to manage their own learning  Provides teachers with effective, any- time communications  A unique selling point for the university  Offers a cost-effective, secure solution Situation The University of Strathclyde is a dynamic, In 2004, the university started a new top-ranking university based in Scotland. It scheme to consolidate its central e-mail is dedicated to making higher education systems and information portal into a more available to all students, regardless of their robust and reliable infrastructure. “We background, and helping them to develop wanted to offer a new service that would their skills and recognise their full potential help students and staff to connect to any and abilities. The university aims to content, from anywhere in the world, using contribute to the advancement of any device,” says Brough. knowledge, social cohesion, and the quality of life. Solution The university worked with Microsoft to The University of Strathclyde was recently implement an Active Directory® directory rated by students as among the most service infrastructure, on which the impressive universities in the U.K. The institution based a new interface to all Times Higher Education Supplement asked systems and services at the university, 10,000 first-year undergraduates how they which can be accessed using a single perceived their university in 10 categories. logon. Strathclyde achieved more top-20 mentions than any other institution and was rated in The system identifies individuals, whether the top-10 of four of the categories. they are a staff member or a student, and their access rights. “For example, the Strathclyde’s students are particularly system will automatically know that I’m the attracted to the university’s strong Director of IT, what budgets I access, and employment prospects, course content, the staff that I look after,” says Brough. “If a and quality of teaching. Part of the student logs on, the system knows what university’s strategy is to remove the classes they attend, what library books physical boundaries often associated with they have borrowed, and so on.” on-campus education. One of its early projects was to set up a wireless area in Using the communications area on the the library where students could move portal, staff can make announcements around freely with their laptops. targeted at individuals or any groups of individuals. Stuart Brough, Director of IT, University of Strathclyde, says: “We got a lot of positive Students can access exam results, which feedback and started doing new pilot are published electronically. They can also studies with laptops. It gave us the view their individual curriculum, class incentive to build a larger wireless network, details, and exam timetables from any and we expanded to main areas where device whether it is a computer, personal students congregated, such as the digital assistant (PDA), or laptop. refectory and cafes. Staff and students loved it, and there are now 2,500 laptops Brough says: “Our system supports any on campus.” Microsoft® Windows Mobile® device. We have already tested Orange SPV C500, “In the past, students had to go to a M2000, M1000, and M500 devices, which physical location to access the university’s are all compatible. We use Microsoft resources,” says Brough. “This solution is technologies across campus and believe helping us to move away from that. It offers that the interoperability offered by Microsoft a ‘campus without walls,’ giving students Windows Mobile-based Smartphones or and staff access to information where and Pocket PC Phone Edition devices is when they want it. Now, our network peaks excellent and second to none.” are at 10 AM, 3 PM, and around midnight.”

The infrastructure also offers secure e-mail Teachers and academic staff are using the access. Brough adds: “We wanted staff solution for managing their schedules, and students to have access to e-mail from checking university information, updating anywhere. We looked at the technologies notices, and keeping in touch with their available, but for the most robust and colleagues. Brough notes: “Many teachers reliable service, we chose to work with wouldn’t be without a mobile device now. Microsoft to develop a Microsoft Exchange They have become part of the way they Server 2003 wide area cluster.” work.”

Staff access the Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 messaging and collaboration client to manage their diaries, contacts, and e-mail, Available to All Students and Staff anywhere, from any device, using general The mobile solution is open to any staff packet radio service (GPRS), Wi-Fi (a type member or student in the university, in line of wireless local area network or WLAN), or with the university’s strategy to bring standard connectivity options. The educational resources to everyone. university now has an extensive Wi-Fi network, which is being extended to open- According to Brough, since the portal went air areas. live in February 2004, it has seen more than 1 million hits. He says: “Students and With a secure infrastructure in place, the staff use it daily—it’s one of the main university is considering integrating methods of accessing their individual additional software to add value to the information.” solution, such as Microsoft Office SharePoint® Portal Server 2003 to enhance “Windows Mobile devices are intuitive and collaboration. easy-to-use, and most users were already familiar with using Microsoft applications, Benefits so adoption has been seamless. All they Any Time, Anywhere Learning need is a mobile browser on their device to The solution gives students and staff gain access. We have more than 110 freedom to access information when and mobile users already,” says Brough. “There where it is convenient for them, rather than are around 12,000 people using the just during university hours. Exchange Server 2003 cluster from fixed terminals, and this is due to increase to For More Information about 20,000 by the start of the term. He adds: “A recent fire on campus For more information about Microsoft Mobile access is open to anyone.” highlighted the importance of this. Despite products and services, call the Microsoft fire and water damage, we were able to Sales Information Center at (800) 426- Winning Incentives restore data to people within two hours. 9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft George Farquhar, Assistant Director, The data is backed up and supported by Canada Information Centre at (877) 568- University of Strathclyde, says: “We are professionals, rather than saved on 2495. Customers who are deaf or hard- gathering numerous useful services to offer individual machines or devices. We also of-hearing can reach Microsoft text students over the system. For example, look after the infrastructure and help telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) one student was thrilled to be able to prevent viruses from getting into their data. 892-5234 in the United States or (905) receive his exam results on his When users connect to Active Directory, 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 Smartphone while travelling in a remote Microsoft service updates occur United States and Canada, please part of Australia.” automatically.” contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Providing this leading-edge service is an Keeping Costs Down Wide Web, go to: www.microsoft.com attractive proposition for prospective new Ensuring costs are kept to a minimum is students and staff. “Many people already critical so that resources can be poured For more information about the have mobile devices. We can offer them a into maintaining a high standard of University of Strathclyde, visit the Web package, which will give them access to e- education. “The solution is very cost site at: www.strath.ac.uk mail, calendar, and contacts remotely from effective,” says Brough. “We have anywhere. We believe it’s a unique selling consolidated and standardised our services point for the university and is a positive across the university. Before we had 20 to reflection of our reputation and objectives,” 30 different systems, and these have been says Farquhar. substantially reduced. We have also received an affordable licence deal from Microsoft. Support costs

Secure and Reliable Infrastructure Microsoft Windows Mobile technology offers reliable, robust support. “We have will definitely be reduced as maintenance not had any problems with the technology and management is simplified, and the or with the devices,” says Brough. technology is much more reliable. We have recently calculated our uptime as being The solution offers extensive storage, 99.999995 percent, which gives us the which has been set up in two locations to level of service and the peace of mind we build in additional resilience. “If there is a need.” massive power outage in one building, the other system kicks in, preventing system Microsoft Windows Mobile failure,” says Brough. For more information about Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs and Software and Services  Products − Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003– − Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 based Smartphone − Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 − Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003– Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal based Pocket PC Phone Edition © 2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case − study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT Server 2003  Technologies MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft, Active Directory, Outlook, Active Directory SharePoint, the Windows logo, and Windows Mobile are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Document published November 2005 Smartphones visit: www.microsoft.com/mobile/enterprise