Information structure of the Pskov’ regional education system based on Sun Ray technology

At the initiative of a «Swemel» group of companies and the State Office of Education in Pskov region, with support of the Russian office of Sun Microsystems, has been proposed a project to create an information system based on thin client technology.

Terminal Server complex was set in a Regional Information Technology center of the Pskov area.

Terminal complexes have been installed and put into operation in the following institutions:

  • Regional information technology center of Pskov Region
  • Schools in Porhov town
  • Office of Education in Porhov area
  • Universities and colleges of Pskov
  • Training Center «Pskov» (an institution of additional professional education uses the combined resources with the College)

The use of solutions based on Sun terminal technology showed a number of significant advantages over traditional solutions based on personal computers, including:

  • Significantly lower cost of equipment of a workplace
  • High reliability of  Sun terminals as compared with the working place equipped with a personal computer
  • Decrease in the level of noise generated by equipment in classrooms
  • Reducing the cost of software acquisition
  • Opportunity to continue the user session from any terminal
  • Simplification of administration and the installation of software on the workstations (software is installed centrally by using only one server)
  • Integration with existing school software and hardware infrastructure, improving its management and efficiency of use through the installation in schools of modern server hardware and software and networking equipment.

After receiving theoretical and practical skills in dealing with Sun systems future teachers will be able to use them in their teaching practice. It will be easier for them to understand the commonalities and differences between hardware and software platforms and to increase the awareness of students and understanding of the general principles of the various information systems, the basic invariants of academic disciplines that now belong to the subject area «Science» and «Technology»