IBM and Wyse Technology Provide Smart Business Desktop Cloud Solution to Fischer Middle School

Looking to promote the universal access to technology for Fischer Middle School students in Aurora, IL, IBM has partnered with Wyse Technology to deliver an IBM (News - Alert) Smart Business Desktop Cloud solution to school.

IBM Smart Business Desktop cloud computing services helps you provide "anytime, anywhere" access to applications, information and resources. IBM offers desktop virtualization solutions using cloud computing that centralize a distributed client environment.

Teachers at the school can more effectively work with the different levels of learning in the classroom through the solution implemented by IBM. Allowing teachers to focus more time and attention on those students who require additional assistance, students with a higher level of learning can progress to additional learning activities. Also, to deliver a pilot math program, the Indian Prairie School District and Fischer Middle School have created a technology laboratory.

“Today more than ever, schools need an affordable, reliable and efficient way to deploy and manage desktop infrastructures," said Rich Esposito, IBM vice president of Workplace Services, IT Strategy Services. "A cloud-based or virtual delivery model allows schools and their Superintendents to disperse new curriculum to schools simultaneously and seamlessly. Together IBM and Wyse are improving desktop capabilities and cutting energy and IT costs.”

Catering to as many as 150 students daily, the laboratory houses Wyse thin clients powered by a desktop image streamed by IBM System x server hardware. This open infrastructure has already addressed achievement gaps and helped teachers differentiate instruction for their students, claims IBM. Fischer Middle School is now able to substantially increase the availability of needed educational computing services and applications by delivering solutions on demand.

Recently, the company launched a new Power7 based Unix server with unprecedented energy efficiency. Aimed at firms running large scale database applications or planning to consolidate multiple Unix or Linux workloads onto a single system using virtual software PowerVM, the new 256-core IBM Power 795 offers more than five times better energy efficiency compared to servers from Oracle and Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert), according to IBM.