Higher education establishments, in the USA at least, are beginning to embrace cloud-based solutions to their IT problems.
Oddly though, more and more of them are turning to Google Apps for Education rather than competition from bigger rivals such as Microsoft.
One of the latest to do so, I believe, is Boise State University in Idaho. However, they didn’t switch immediately. They apparently looked at what Google offered in 2007 but it was some time after that before the IT department finally made the decision to migrate.
Speaking with googleenterprise-blogspot.co.uk, Brian Bolt, Lead Systems Engineer at the university said: “We realised that by choosing Google Apps for Education, Boise State could provide much more than a new email platform: an entire set of integrated, cutting edge communication and collaboration tools.”
Mr. Bolt added: “And the huge cost savings would allow us to redirect scarce budget dollars and personnel away from email maintenance towards new technology initiatives that support our school.”
Since the university switched they have been able to transfer the money they would have spent on IT services with their previous supplier to in-house education and teaching services.
The amount is a staggering $147,000 every year.
With 20,000 students studying for a variety of degrees at Boise State University along with 3,000 faculty staff members, the education establishment is very pleased with the benefits that not only Google Apps for Education brings but also those of cloud.
Would they recommend the IT system? I think they probably would.
The point is that people are fed up of clutter and a lack of aesthetic presentation.
Google Apps provides all of that. It’s easy to be organised, but also the way Google market Google Apps for Education is very attractive and appealing.