WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.859 Welcome back to the deep dive. Okay, today we're 00:00:02.859 --> 00:00:05.500 tackling something that maybe sounds a bit technical, 00:00:05.820 --> 00:00:07.679 but honestly, it's crucial for schools. We're 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.160 talking IT, network planning and installation, 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:12.359 you know, the whole digital foundation, hardware, 00:00:12.539 --> 00:00:15.109 software, all the connections that, well, Make 00:00:15.109 --> 00:00:17.510 modern education work. Think of it like the school's 00:00:17.510 --> 00:00:19.769 nervous system, really. And for this deep dive, 00:00:19.789 --> 00:00:21.969 we're digging into a really insightful article 00:00:21.969 --> 00:00:25.070 by Gary Ackerman over at hackscience .education. 00:00:25.129 --> 00:00:28.129 It's called hashtag edtech for hashtag ed leaders, 00:00:28.609 --> 00:00:30.570 network planning and installation. So our mission 00:00:30.570 --> 00:00:33.090 today is basically to pull out the key takeaways, 00:00:33.270 --> 00:00:36.170 maybe some surprising bits from this specialized 00:00:36.170 --> 00:00:38.350 field. We want to give you, especially if you're 00:00:38.350 --> 00:00:40.670 a school leader, a kind of shortcut to understanding 00:00:40.670 --> 00:00:43.509 what you really need to grasp about your IT infrastructure. 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:45.659 It's funny how these tech topics, they often 00:00:45.659 --> 00:00:47.880 shine a light on universal things like planning, 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:50.719 resources. Yeah. Absolutely. And, you know, this 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:52.719 isn't just about the tech specs, the cables, 00:00:52.740 --> 00:00:55.159 and the Wi -Fi signals. It's really about getting 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:57.420 a handle on the practical side of things, the 00:00:57.420 --> 00:01:00.159 decisions that need making, and how getting this 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.420 right, well, it affects everything else, day 00:01:02.420 --> 00:01:05.439 -to -day stuff, budgets, you name it, will break 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:08.079 down, like, who does what, why you need certain 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.379 experts, and maybe what leaders should really 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:12.379 keep their eye on. OK, so let's unpack this. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:15.239 The article kicks off... with a really smart 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:18.840 analogy. It compares a school's IT system to 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:20.620 a car. I thought that was brilliant, actually. 00:01:21.019 --> 00:01:23.060 It frames the different levels of expertise needed, 00:01:23.299 --> 00:01:25.500 building it versus just using it. It really is 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:30.060 a great comparison. So the idea is the know -how 00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:33.200 needed to, say, design and build the network, 00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:36.140 like designing and building a car, it's incredibly 00:01:36.140 --> 00:01:38.849 specialized. and expensive. You're talking engineers, 00:01:39.030 --> 00:01:41.769 designers, people with deep training using, you 00:01:41.769 --> 00:01:45.170 know, often very costly specialized tools. But, 00:01:46.230 --> 00:01:48.790 and here's the key distinction, right? Once that 00:01:48.790 --> 00:01:51.170 system, the network or the car, is actually built, 00:01:51.590 --> 00:01:54.109 you don't need that same level of super specialized 00:01:54.109 --> 00:01:56.879 design expertise for the day to day. Instead, 00:01:57.180 --> 00:01:59.459 you've got technicians who definitely need skills, 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:01.420 mind you, to keep it running. And then you have 00:02:01.420 --> 00:02:03.480 the users who just need to know the basics to 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:05.980 operate it. So it's that split, the high -end 00:02:05.980 --> 00:02:08.879 creation versus the ongoing management and use. 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:10.960 Right. And given that really specialized, probably 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.479 expensive design phase you mentioned, it totally 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:15.039 makes sense why the article says schools almost 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:17.259 always contract out for network engineers, especially 00:02:17.259 --> 00:02:19.840 for new networks or like major upgrades. But 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:21.560 I could see some school leaders maybe hesitating 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:24.599 at that cost. Does the article get into why that 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.240 expense is actually worthwhile, why it's a good 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.150 investment. Oh, definitely. It points out that 00:02:30.150 --> 00:02:32.030 these network engineers, they often work for 00:02:32.030 --> 00:02:35.030 companies that don't just design, but also sell, 00:02:35.150 --> 00:02:37.610 install, and then service the equipment. So schools 00:02:37.610 --> 00:02:41.330 often end up in these extended contractual relationships, 00:02:41.370 --> 00:02:43.469 as the article puts it, for service and repairs. 00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:46.090 And yes, these services cost money, no denying 00:02:46.090 --> 00:02:48.990 that. But leaders tend to see the value because, 00:02:49.009 --> 00:02:51.669 well, two big reasons. First, the cost of the 00:02:51.669 --> 00:02:53.789 network devices themselves is significant. You 00:02:53.789 --> 00:02:56.150 want them installed right. And second, maybe 00:02:56.150 --> 00:02:58.120 even more important are the potential liabilities 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:01.439 of insecure networks. Trying to save money upfront 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:03.960 by skimping on expert design or installation, 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.319 that can lead to way bigger costs, later security 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:10.000 breaches, system failures, you name it. It's 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.800 about function and security. Okay, thinking about 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.319 the actual installation, putting in a whole new 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:17.439 network or upgrading one, it just sounds like 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:19.319 a massive disruption waiting to happen in a busy 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:21.800 school. The article mentions they're labor intensive 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.039 and can cause network outages with technicians 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:26.039 needing access, you know, throughout the building. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.680 How do schools possibly manage that without grinding 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:31.139 everything to a halt? Well, the approach described 00:03:31.139 --> 00:03:33.240 is pretty straightforward, actually. Schedule 00:03:33.240 --> 00:03:35.560 the heavy lifting when the school is mostly empty. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.300 So think summer break, holidays, maybe even weekends 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:42.439 sometimes. Times when it's largely empty of students. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:45.319 That way you minimize the hit to actual teaching 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:48.180 and learning time. It's just smart project management 00:03:48.180 --> 00:03:51.039 really. Plus the article notes that the vendors 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.259 doing these installations usually have quite 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:56.120 a few technicians available. They have large 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:58.900 numbers of technicians, meaning projects that 00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:00.939 need, say, hundreds of hours of labor can get 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:02.800 done relatively quickly because you have many 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:05.860 people working simultaneously. Many hands make 00:04:05.860 --> 00:04:07.900 light work, essentially. Right. So you compress 00:04:07.900 --> 00:04:10.060 the timeline by throwing more people at it during 00:04:10.060 --> 00:04:13.000 off hours. Makes sense. OK. OK. So we've got 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:15.319 the design and installation sorted, often by 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:17.360 external experts. But then there's the day -to 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:19.420 -day running of it. The article clarifies the 00:04:19.420 --> 00:04:21.199 different roles here, doesn't it, once the network's 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:23.790 actually in place? Who handles what? Yeah, it 00:04:23.790 --> 00:04:26.250 draws some clear lines. It says, engineers, design, 00:04:26.350 --> 00:04:29.250 and technicians build IT networks. Pretty straightforward. 00:04:30.029 --> 00:04:32.550 Then, system administrators operate and manage 00:04:32.550 --> 00:04:34.329 the networks once they are installed. They're 00:04:34.329 --> 00:04:37.089 the day -to -day folks. Now, if there's a really 00:04:37.089 --> 00:04:39.509 serious problem, something tricky, that gets 00:04:39.509 --> 00:04:41.329 escalated back to the engineers, right? They 00:04:41.329 --> 00:04:43.769 have that deeper system knowledge. But, and this 00:04:43.769 --> 00:04:46.569 is important for schools, most functionality 00:04:46.569 --> 00:04:48.889 can be sustained by individuals who've been properly 00:04:48.889 --> 00:04:51.730 trained and who have adequate resources. So you 00:04:51.730 --> 00:04:54.149 don't necessarily need an engineer on staff full 00:04:54.149 --> 00:04:56.910 time. You need capable sysadmins with good training 00:04:56.910 --> 00:04:59.709 and support. It's about matching the task to 00:04:59.709 --> 00:05:02.089 the expertise level. That clarification is really 00:05:02.089 --> 00:05:04.810 helpful. So thinking about the whole process, 00:05:05.189 --> 00:05:07.730 planning, installing, managing, what's one key 00:05:07.730 --> 00:05:09.310 thing the article highlights that maybe gets 00:05:09.310 --> 00:05:12.470 overlooked but is super critical for school leaders 00:05:12.470 --> 00:05:15.879 to know about? Ah, yes. This is a really interesting 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:17.560 point the article makes. And it gets into a kind 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.620 of unique feature of IT networks. It's mapping 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:23.379 and documenting them. It calls them very interesting 00:05:23.379 --> 00:05:26.899 systems because of this inside versus outside 00:05:26.899 --> 00:05:30.160 paradox it describes. So imagine you're inside 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:33.160 the network using special software like network 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.259 smiffing software. You can find a device's network 00:05:36.259 --> 00:05:38.740 address, its unique ID on the network very accurately. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.500 But from that software view, you can't easily 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:44.579 tell where that device physically is in the building, 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:46.939 like which classroom or closet. Now flip it. 00:05:47.019 --> 00:05:49.339 If you're outside just physically looking at 00:05:49.339 --> 00:05:51.759 a device, a switch on the wall, a printer, there's 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.060 no way to know with certainty its network address 00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:56.920 or the purpose it serves just by looking. See 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:58.819 the disconnect. I never really thought about 00:05:58.819 --> 00:06:00.839 it that way. You can see the digital location 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:03.420 or the physical location, but not easily both 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:05.600 at the same time without. Exactly. Without a 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:07.879 map. A good network map, as the article says, 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:10.480 bridges that gap. It identifies both the network 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:13.439 address and the physical location. And crucially, 00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:16.040 the devices themselves should be physically labeled, 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:18.300 too, with info matching the map. The map should 00:06:18.300 --> 00:06:20.579 also indicate the function of each device. What 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:22.980 does the switch connect? What's the server for? 00:06:23.660 --> 00:06:26.839 Now, most network gear switches, routers, printers, 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:28.660 although they have these built -in web interfaces, 00:06:28.980 --> 00:06:30.920 right? Assistant men can log in through a browser 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:33.720 to check status, change settings. And the article 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.589 stresses This interface is useful, it can supplement 00:06:36.589 --> 00:06:38.670 a network map, but it does not replace network 00:06:38.670 --> 00:06:41.589 documentation. That map is the master key. That 00:06:41.589 --> 00:06:43.670 inside versus outside thing. It's more than just 00:06:43.670 --> 00:06:45.110 a tech detail. It really tells you something 00:06:45.110 --> 00:06:48.110 important. Real control comes from knowing both 00:06:48.110 --> 00:06:50.870 the physical and digital reality. And for leaders, 00:06:50.949 --> 00:06:54.050 the takeaway is huge. True control over your 00:06:54.050 --> 00:06:56.670 IT infrastructure hinges on documentation, not 00:06:56.670 --> 00:06:58.870 just deployment. That's how you manage it effectively, 00:06:59.029 --> 00:07:01.149 plan for the future, budget accurately. It's 00:07:01.149 --> 00:07:03.540 about owning it, not just having it. That makes 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:07.779 perfect sense. But if it's so critical, why does 00:07:07.779 --> 00:07:10.879 this mapping and documentation often fall by 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.019 the wayside? Is it just not enough time? That's 00:07:14.019 --> 00:07:16.480 a big part of it, yeah. The article points out 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.000 that this crucial step is often not given the 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:21.459 attention that it needs, precisely because IT 00:07:21.459 --> 00:07:23.800 professionals are typically overworked. Think 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.100 about it, they spend much time addressing technology 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:28.420 problems that are very pressing. The printer's 00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:30.579 down, the internet's slow, someone can't log 00:07:30.579 --> 00:07:33.480 in, they're constantly fighting fires. So taking 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:36.800 the time to meticulously map and document everything, 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:38.620 it often feels like a nice -to -have that gets 00:07:38.620 --> 00:07:40.839 pushed back. It's like organizing the basement 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.879 when the kitchen's on fire. But the article warns 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.699 that this focus on the urgent, this seemingly 00:07:46.699 --> 00:07:49.500 necessary approach, well... It can lead to greater 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:51.879 difficulties later. It builds up technical debt. 00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:53.759 What kind of difficulties are we talking about? 00:07:54.100 --> 00:07:57.540 Well, think about scenarios like outside agencies 00:07:57.540 --> 00:07:59.420 need to access the network. Maybe your main IT 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:01.920 person is sick or on vacation or, heaven forbid, 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:03.920 leaves suddenly. Or just think about planning 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:07.699 ahead. When the school seeks to document network 00:08:07.699 --> 00:08:09.959 resources and budget for network replacement, 00:08:10.250 --> 00:08:12.290 All right? If you don't have that map, if you 00:08:12.290 --> 00:08:14.430 don't know what's plugged in where, what its 00:08:14.430 --> 00:08:17.110 network address is, what it does, figuring all 00:08:17.110 --> 00:08:20.029 that out from scratch is a massive time -consuming 00:08:20.029 --> 00:08:22.129 job. The article really hits this point hard. 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:25.220 A good network map can save many hours of work. 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:27.560 Work that, if you have to hire external consultants 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:30.379 to figure it out later, is billed at a far greater 00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:32.720 rate than is earned by an IT professional employed 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:36.320 by the school. So that upfront effort in documentation, 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:38.960 it pays for itself probably many times over by 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:41.059 avoiding those future frantic searches and expensive 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:44.039 rediscoveries. Wow. OK. That really drives home 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:46.580 the value of documentation. So recapping the 00:08:46.580 --> 00:08:48.850 big picture here. We've seen the specialized 00:08:48.850 --> 00:08:50.769 nature of network design why bringing in those 00:08:50.769 --> 00:08:53.129 external experts for the big builds or upgrades 00:08:53.129 --> 00:08:56.450 makes sense strategically the importance of smart 00:08:56.450 --> 00:08:59.529 scheduling to minimize disruption during installation 00:08:59.529 --> 00:09:03.549 and this really Crucial but often neglected need 00:09:03.549 --> 00:09:06.509 for thorough mapping and documentation. It's 00:09:06.509 --> 00:09:08.769 not just about flicking the switch to on is it? 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:11.340 Not at all. It's about knowing exactly what you 00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:13.659 turned on, where it is, and how it fits together 00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:15.720 so you can manage it effectively over its entire 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:18.480 life cycle. And this whole discussion raises 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.639 a broader point, doesn't it? It's relevant beyond 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.899 just school IT. How investing properly up front 00:09:23.899 --> 00:09:26.480 in planning, in documentation, in understanding 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:28.779 your foundational systems, how that prevents 00:09:28.779 --> 00:09:31.340 huge headaches and costs down the road. It's 00:09:31.340 --> 00:09:32.919 really about enabling things to run smoothly 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:35.039 and efficiently long term. Flying blind without 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:37.299 that map, well, it's just inefficient and asking 00:09:37.299 --> 00:09:39.200 for trouble. whatever the system is. That's a 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:41.259 great point. And it leads perfectly into our 00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:43.919 final thought for you, our listeners. Think about 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:47.200 the unseen infrastructure in your own life, professionally 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:50.299 or personally. What are those critical foundational 00:09:50.299 --> 00:09:54.600 systems that support what you do every day? And 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:57.539 crucially, How well are they understood? How 00:09:57.539 --> 00:09:59.620 well are they documented? Even if just in your 00:09:59.620 --> 00:10:02.039 own head or notes, it could be anything. Your 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.460 work project management flow, your home finances, 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.059 maybe even just how you organize your digital 00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:09.899 files. Are you working with a clear map or are 00:10:09.899 --> 00:10:12.840 you kind of feeling your way in the dark? It's 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:14.440 often the things we take for granted that cause 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:16.860 the biggest issues when they aren't managed well. 00:10:17.690 --> 00:10:19.929 And if you do want to explore these ideas further 00:10:19.929 --> 00:10:22.250 in the context of schools, remember Gary Ackerman, 00:10:22.289 --> 00:10:23.850 the author we discussed, he's written several 00:10:23.850 --> 00:10:26.169 books on education technology, like Technology 00:10:26.169 --> 00:10:29.110 in Schools, isn't like this in business, Efficacious 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:31.730 Technology Management, A Guide for School Leaders 00:10:31.730 --> 00:10:34.190 and Technology -Rich Teaching. Lots more to dig 00:10:34.190 --> 00:10:34.769 into there.