K-12 Voice. Service in the Cloud. A Bang-for-the-Buck Review. Ten Key Drivers for Considering Voice. Service in the Cloud

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1 K-12 Voice Service in the Cloud 3 Enter ENA Connect: A Smarter, Simpler, More Powerful Voice-inthe-Cloud Solution 6 Designed with the unique needs of schools in mind, ENA Connect solutions offer four different Extension Classes 7 Real Results, Right Now: Memphis City Schools Case Study 9 ENA in Education 10 From the Gartner Files: The K-12 Cloud 360: A Decision Framework for Education 14 About ENA A Bang-for-the-Buck Review Cloud computing is simply the leveraging of virtual, network-based data center services such as applications, infrastructure and platforms. It allows for various services, shared resources and information such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, storage and development frameworks to be provided on-demand over the Internet. In fact, if you have been utilizing hosted or managed services for any of your Information Technology (IT) applications, for example, you are already implementing cloud-based services. The cloud has become an accepted infrastructure for IT services and more and more school districts are considering utilizing cloud-based applications to drive cost and productivity efficiencies as well as centralize services. There are significant benefits to cloud-based services, but as outlined in the Gartner note contained within this newsletter, similar to other outsourced IT applications, A 360-degree analysis of the cloud, versus in-house decisions, should include educational fit, technology emphasis, risk and reward considerations, total cost of ownership, and a bang-for-the-buck review. 1 Featuring research from 1 Analysis and evaluation of application implementation effects, such as bandwidth traffic management, need to be considered as cloud-based services are deployed. Ten Key Drivers for Considering Voice Service in the Cloud VoIP, the ability to use Internet Protocol (IP) to place voice calls and transport voice traffic over the data network, is growing in importance for K-12 school systems, enabling schools to make cloud-based voice services a critical part of their technology infrastructure. Regardless of district size, school administrators and technology leaders are discovering how hosted VoIP communication lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) while improving productivity and security for schools. School districts face escalating pressure because technology requirements are expanding while funds and resources are significantly shrinking. As a result, districts need creative solutions that will allow them to grow services to meet the increasing demand of their users despite diminished budgets. Gartner Industry Research Note G , Bill Rust, 17 December 2010

2 Ten Key Drivers - Hosted VoIP, or voice services in the cloud, can address these school district challenges, offering an affordable and costeffective way to: 1. Leverage E-Rate Funding - Replace aging and legacy telephone systems that are a burden to maintain and support and eliminate costly long distance and service charges 2. Overcome Funding Challenges - Impact TCO by drastically reducing capital expense outlay and providing predictable and economical flat-rate monthly fees 3. Create User and District Value - Enhance overall communications and productivity through increased, sophisticated features and functionality of hosted IP voice communication services 4. Achieve 24x7x365 Peace of Mind - Reduce the IT support burden as the platform maintenance responsibility shifts to the hosted voice service provider 5. Enable Advanced and Unified Communications - Enable advanced communication applications and initiate a unified communications strategy 6. Extend Your Current Investment - Facilitate IP convergence as voice services can typically utilize and leverage your existing data infrastructure 7. Expand Communications - Provide users with the utmost in flexibility as phone lines are no longer tethered to a single location jack and users are free to move their phone anywhere that has network access 8. Be Prepared - Build disaster recovery and continuity into your technology support plans as the service is hosted off-site and calls can be easily redirected 9. Flexibility and Simplified Support - Improve response times and user-level support with easy moves, adds and changes (MACs) to the system as well as scale on demand 10. Improve Communication and Safety - Boost safety and security as well as productivity by affordably providing a phone in every classroom Cloud-based services are important considerations for saving time and money and voice service in the cloud, such as ENA Connect, brings direct financial value, lowers total cost of ownership, improves communication within the school community, contributes to operational excellence and enhances security for schools. K-12 Voice Service in the Cloud is published by ENA. Editorial supplied by ENA is independent of Gartner analysis. All Gartner research is 2012 by Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved. All Gartner materials are used with Gartner s permission. The use or publication of Gartner research does not indicate Gartner s endorsement of ENA s products and/or strategies. Reproduction or distribution of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Although Gartner research may include a discussion of related legal issues, Gartner does not provide legal advice or services and its research should not be construed or used as such. Gartner is a public company, and its shareholders may include firms and funds that have financial interests in entities covered in Gartner research. Gartner s Board of Directors may include senior managers of these firms or funds. Gartner research is produced independently by its research organization without input or influence from these firms, funds or their managers. For further information on the independence and integrity of Gartner research, see Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity on its website, 2

3 3 Enter ENA Connect: A Smarter, Simpler, More Powerful Voice-in-the- Cloud Solution As education technology requirements are growing exponentially and technology support costs are recognized as the fastest-growing element of district technology budgets, ENA understands it is critical to find solutions that minimize the burden on school resources and enable school districts to begin to shift their technology resources and dollars to activities that have the greatest impact on operational efficiencies, student achievement and educational outcomes. As a turnkey, full-featured, cloud-based Interconnected VoIP service designed specifically for education, ENA Connect was designed with that in mind. All testing, configuration, and platform deployment as well as all ongoing maintenance, support and upgrades are included in the service at an all-inclusive, affordable price. ENA s carrier-class hosted voice solution offers a robust service with a full suite of advanced features and functionalities. And because our solutions are hosted, easy to use and almost infinitely scalable, they also represent a significant cost-savings and an effortless entrée into cloud-based telecommunications. Administrators, educators, parents, students and the community at large depend on reliable telecommunications services, and no one understands that better than ENA a trusted leader in reliable, education-centric, missioncritical communication and connectivity services. ENA designed our ENA Connect offering to meet the unique needs of schools. Advances in technology have dynamically changed how we work and communicate with each other. New technologies continue to evolve that allow faster, easier, more feature-rich calling services. Enhanced communications today means peace of mind and productivity for all users. ENA Connect is a Priority 1 E-Rate eligible, highly reliable, Interconnected VoIP service that helps schools avoid large up-front capital expenditures associated with purchasing, upgrading and maintaining on-premises PBX equipment. ENA Connect is a great solution for schools that use Centrex today, do not have any PBX system at all, or would like to replace a legacy Key System or PBX in one or more of their facilities. Like traditional Centrex, the ENA Connect solution delivers features like voic and four-digit dial directly to individual handsets, and combines those features with integrated, generous local and long-distance calling options. Unlike traditional Centrex, however, ENA Connect is a true PBX replacement, with dozens of valuable calling features integrated into each package with simple, flat-rate billing. ENA Connect also provides the ability to transfer or port your current telephone numbers, in most markets. ENA Connect delivers dedicated, feature-rich telecommunications services, providing a high-value alternative to traditional telephone company service. Schools are looking for telephony solutions that both qualify for Priority 1 E-rate funding and that are open and flexible to avoid being locked into a single proprietary (and often expensive) solution. ENA Connect provides all the advantages and none of the headaches or cost barriers of implementing traditional telephony solutions. The charts on the following pages highlight many of the requirements that ENA considered in designing voice services for the education community. ENA Connect 100% Priority E-Rate Eligible 70-Plus Next-Generation Features Carrier-Class Reliability Full Scalability No Headaches The ENA Connect suite delivers a complete, end-to-end telecommunications solution with all the robust features of a nextgeneration IP PBX without having to purchase, manage or continually upgrade any premises-based equipment. Plus, customers get full redundancy, extension flexibility and ENA s renowned attention to customer service and maintenance. Because our service is hosted, there s no outlay of capital expenditure, other than the phones themselves only a flat monthly rate that compares favorably with the cost of many customers aging, underperforming telecommunications solutions. ENA s voice implementation offers an economical solution to upgrading old telephony systems. The feature set and customer support are far superior to other voice providers. Maury County Public Schools is extremely satisfied with the ENA Connect product. Tommy Schuyler, Instructional Technology Manager/Network Administrator, Maury County Schools, TN 3

4 LOWER TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP Doing More With Less K-12 Considerations/Needs Advantages/Benefits of an ENA Solution There is a growing desire in school districts for cloud-based, managed services that package all maintenance, support, software and hardware upgrades for the duration of the service as a means to eliminate or reduce overall costs related to: Network management and maintenance Moves, adds and changes (MACs) Large capital expenditures Technology obsolescence Costly cabling and wiring The burden on district resources ENA Connect is a fully hosted, cloud-based Interconnected VoIP service that combines carrier-class dial tone calling capabilities with next-generation IP Voice features in one convenient, costeffective and Priority 1 E-Rate eligible solution: All ongoing maintenance, support and upgrades are included Intuitive online administrative and end-user interfaces mean you don t lose control with a cloud-based solution No large capital expenditures required Exceptional scalability Leverages existing classroom cabling Easy-to-follow invoicing resulting in dramatic reduction in telecom paperwork, related staff time and billing disputes and confusion CARRIER-CLASS RELIABILITY Top-to-Bottom Reliability K-12 Considerations/Needs Advantages/Benefits of an ENA Solution Today s schools demand full-function, real-time solutions to support their growing voice communication needs. This requires a platform (both hardware and software) that is highly reliable and secure. To ensure reliability, solutions must provide: The ability to remain fully operational under multiple failure scenarios The greatest practical degree of architectural and geographic resiliency (within the constraints of E-Rate guidelines) ENA Connect delivers carrier-class reliability and our service includes: Highly secure carrier facilities with redundant utility power protected by redundant battery and generator backup A design that allows for multiple component failures with no degradation in service Geographically resilient platforms, separated by multiple states ENA s long-proven expertise managing secure, turnkey networks 4

5 5 ENHANCED SECURITY Making Your Campus a Safer Place K-12 Considerations/Needs Advantages/Benefits of an ENA Solution In order to ensure timely communication and the safety and security of students and staff, schools require solutions that will enable them to proactively disseminate and capture critical information and respond quickly in the event of emergencies. VoIP solutions must provide: Ability to maintain and seamlessly route communication to alternate locations in the event of a natural disaster Accurate and up to date location information to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) when 911 calls are made ENA Connect was designed with the safety and security needs of students, teachers and administrators in mind: Call redirection to a different location within seconds in the event of a disaster Emergency weather alert notification to the phone Dynamic E911 call routing based on campus location 911 notification to alert designated staff members that a 911 call has been placed ENHANCED COMMUNICATIONS Changing the Way Communities Connect K-12 Considerations/Needs Advantages/Benefits of ENA Solution In addition to the traditional features available through a variety of competitive voice services, schools require solutions that help streamline communications and address unique requirements important in a K-12 environment: Schools have a diverse base of users and need packages tailored to each user group Integration with existing user directories Integration with overhead paging systems Efficient front office call-routing features to quickly and efficiently handle and route high volumes of calls A means to reduce and track the source of frequent bomb threats or other malicious calls ENA Connect provides a suite of 70+ time-saving and convenient end user telephony features specifically designed to deliver more functionality for the education professional: A robust set of both standard and highly advanced telephony features providing a comprehensive, cost-effective solution Each ENA Connect extension comes with Unified Messaging capabilities (voic ) Telephone integration with LDAP directories Integration with a variety of analog overhead paging systems Anonymous call rejection/malicious call trace Loud ringer package for use in noisy areas Support for industry-standard G.711 and G.722 (HD voice) codecs Handset options for use in noisy areas such as cafeterias or bus garages 5

6 Designed with the unique needs of schools in mind, ENA Connect solutions offer four different extension classes FIGURE 1 ENA Connect Extension Classes Source: ENA ENA has designed and built our ENA Connect service offering using equipment and architecture that was designed for carrier-class reliability in real-world implementations. All of our ENA Connect plans include local calling, and most include domestic long-distance calling in an all-inclusive, cost-effective flat rate. ENA s Interconnected VoIP platform delivers dedicated, feature-rich telecommunications services and offers a high-value alternative to traditional telephone company service. In addition to the cost, design, and disaster recovery benefits of cloud-based voice service, school districts will be able to provide a significant productivity enhancement, through an upgraded telephone system, to its teachers and administrators. ENA Connect now makes it cost-effective and affordable to install a telephone in every classroom, opening up new operational and productivity efficiencies, as well as improving safety and security for your staff and students. From our experience in delivering ENA Connect solutions to school systems, we know that users welcome this transition as they immediately experience real benefits from the new phone system. Source: ENA ENA Connect gives us all the features we have long needed but could never afford. The User Portal makes it very easy for our staff to manage all their account settings. ENA s voice engineers and technicians are some of the very best. They are usually able to resolve the issue with just one phone call. Bobby Crane, Technology Coordinator, Clarksville Community Schools Corporation, IN 6

7 7 Real Results, Right Now: Memphis City Schools Case Study Transformative Impact: MCS Sets a New Vision for IT in Education Using Cloud-Based Services In 2008, Memphis City Schools published a request for proposal to procure a new, fully-featured, VoIP telephony system to replace its existing voice over ATM solution and to procure a new state-of-the-art, fullymanaged network infrastructure to replace its obsolete ATM network with a high-speed, fiber-based IP network. After evaluating multiple alternatives, ENA was selected as the partner of choice, and together MCS and ENA, along with local, minority- and women-owned subcontractors and suppliers, started full implementation in January By May of 2010, and right on schedule, the 13,500-handset and 466-fax line implementation at 188 sites and the new WAN platform were complete. Project Profile Customer: Memphis City Schools Memphis, TN Project: ENA Connect Cloud-Based Interconnected VoIP Service and District-Wide Managed Broadband Network Implementation Number of Students: 105,000 Number of Employees: 16,500 Number of Sites: 188 Number of Handsets: 13,500 Solution As an education-focused managed network service provider, ENA designs, implements and manages its customers networks as a single point of contact and accountability throughout the life of the contract. ENA s carrierclass voice solution is no exception. With a fully hosted, robust and easyto-use solution, MCS now enjoys a smarter, simpler and more powerful voice solution with over 70 next-generation IP features all without having to purchase, service, manage or continually upgrade any premises-based equipment. ENA is responsible for the maintenance of all voice circuits and wide area network circuits, customer technical assistance center and trouble management services, DNS services, IP address management, network security and comprehensive network utilization reporting. This approach has enabled MCS to take advantage of the combined strengths of multiple vendor relationships through a single source and have access to extensive resources and expertise to offer speed, reliability, scalability, continuous upgrades, carrier neutrality, low total cost of ownership and best-of-breed technologies.. Key Benefits Voice: Increased voice calling capacity for inbound/outbound calls Unlimited nationwide calling at no additional cost (depending on package) Enhanced voice quality and infrastructure with resiliency Improved phone support, thus reducing the time for phone installations, moves, adds and changes (MACs) Enhanced voice/calling features including unified messaging 911 call notification The high-level goals MCS established for the VoIP and WAN project were: Increased reliability Flexibility Scalability Increased capacity Cost savings Data, voice and video convergence, including the ability to multicast live broadcasts The inclusion of minority- and women-owned suppliers in meaningful project roles Internet and Network: No capital expenditures for infrastructure upgrade Annual cost savings of $1.7 million Improved network uptime to % High-speed bandwidth at all sites scalable from 100 Megabits to 1 Gigabit Improved network monitoring and support, reducing MCS technical support burden Enhanced features to include convergence of voice, data and video in addition to increased infrastructure capacity with resiliency 7

8 There are enormous efficiencies and operational enhancements that technology affords a large organization such as Memphis City Schools. The base business of a school district is teaching and learning and any job analysis will reveal that all operations are in the service of our core business. It is therefore essential that, as this report informs, the technology tools of a school district be holistic in approach, deployment and utilization Indeed, we are building a learning community with technology. Irving Hamer, Deputy Superintendent, Academic Operations, Technology and Innovation, Memphis City Schools, TN Summary Large school districts, such as Memphis City Schools, face a multitude of challenges in quickly upgrading their IT infrastructure to support new applications that are critical to achieving operational efficiencies and aggressive objectives to improve student outcomes. In order for MCS to focus their available resources on the priorities at hand, they turned to a trusted partner in ENA to deliver key elements of their IT infrastructure in a structured, non-disruptive approach. As a result of this successful partnership, MCS now has access to a world-class, best-practice, cloud-based VoIP solution as well as a technology infrastructure that enables greater use of critical instructional, professional development and operational solutions. The successful implementation of the hosted, cloud-based voice service at MCS is one of the largest Interconnected VoIP installations in the nation. The success of the project was a direct result of the MCS planning and analysis process prior to the implementation of cloud-based voice services. Similar to the process outlined in the Gartner note, MCS analyzed: 1. Technology Fit 2. Technology Emphasis 3. Total Cost of Ownership 4. Relative Value 5. Risk Versus Reward In their 2010 Technology Annual Report ( aoti/docs/tech%20annual%20reportlow.pdf), MCS outlined their process and vision for technology services supporting the three major categories of technology usage in the district: academic technology, administrative technology and district technology. MCS describes district technology as the glue that binds the functional operations to each other and to school system stakeholders by taking responsibility for voice, video and data communications throughout the district. MCS utilized the cloud decision framework rubric for evaluating and implementing their voice, video and data communication technologies and subsequently selected ENA as their managed services provider to deliver these services. Source: ENA 8

9 ENA in Education Service Is The Solution ENA is a tremendous asset, not just on service but the knowledge ENA brings related to E-Rate and all the other valuable solutions ENA offers. I ve had good experience and bad experiences with vendors, so when you find one that you know you can count on and you know that they ll do right by you, you tend to want to hold on to those. John M. Williams, Executive Director, Technology and Information Services, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, TN ENA has been serving the K-12 education community since 1996 with managed district-wide and statewide networks and communication solutions. ENA believes that a network is much more than just hardware and software. It is about connecting people so reaching and using valuable information is as easy and reliable as turning on the lights. That is our mission, and it reflects our commitment to providing trouble-free, reliable connectivity and telecommunication services. ENA is a pioneer in network-based services for K-12 schools and our experience includes unmatched levels of success in the E-Rate funding program. ENA provides services to over 580 school districts nation-wide. As part of our service delivery, we serve six statewide contracts and seven of the largest school systems in the country with one or more of our managed services including Internet access, WAN, voice and video services. Our statewide contracts include: 1. Idaho Education Network 2. Indiana Department of Education 3. Indiana State Library 4. New Hampshire K-12 Connectivity Consortium 5. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools E-Rate Consortium 6. Vermont Department of Education Large school districts we serve include: 1. Atlanta Public Schools, GA 2. Baltimore City Public Schools, MD 5. Memphis Public Schools, TN 6. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, TN 7. Prince George s County Public Schools, MD ENA s services have evolved into a comprehensive, managed service offering that includes: Internet and WAN connectivity for data, voice and video including end site equipment Network monitoring and management Security and firewall services Interconnected VoIP services IP video and conferencing services Content filtering and archiving services Traffic management Web hosting Instructional and productivity tools ENA is managed by experienced technology professionals who ensure ENA remains on the cutting edge of technology service providers for the K-12 community. Source: ENA 3. Houston Independent School District, TX 4. Indianapolis Public Schools, IN 9

10 From the Gartner Files: The K-12 Cloud 360: A Decision Framework for Education Technology leaders in K-12 education should work with representative stakeholders to complete a 360-degree analysis in choosing between cloudbased and in-house IT solutions or services. Here, we illustrate the use of five frameworks and a spider graph to complete and communicate the results to senior management and other decision makers. Key Findings A growing number of cloud-based solutions and services are available to K-12 school districts. The hype around sourcing options identified as cloud-based can mislead decision makers to forgo an analysis. Recommendations Treat cloud versus in-house options like any other sourcing decision. A 360-degree analysis of the cloud, versus in-house decisions, should include educational fit, technology emphasis, risk and reward considerations, total cost of ownership, and a bang-for-the-buck review. Include input from stakeholders in developing a 360-degree view of the cloud versus an in-house decision. ANALYSIS School organizations are offered a number of technology solutions and services delivered over a loosely defined cloud. Technology leaders should look at those opportunities just as they should any sourcing decision. Above all, deciding to go to the cloud (or not) without analysis should be avoided. Here, we offer a 360-degree framework for use in making the cloud sourcing decision. School district CIOs might use it to make the cloud decision independently, but the best use of the cloud decision framework is when it is applied collaboratively with representative stakeholders from across the school district. A key benefit of the collaborative approach is the shared ownership of the decision, mitigating the risk of an IT-centric decision or the appearance of one that does not resonate with the stakeholder community. Gartner has published TVO Portfolio of Frameworks Process Can Pinpoint the Value of IT in K-12 Education and related documents that fully describe the five areas of analysis that are used to prioritize technology initiatives. The five areas are (1) technology fit, (2) technology emphasis, (3) total cost of ownership, (4) relative value (i.e., bang for the buck ) and (5) risk versus reward. The frameworks are directly applicable to the decision to deliver IT solutions or services through the cloud or keep them in-house. Brief definitions of the frameworks are provided in Table 1. Table 1 also shows the rubrics used to determine a cloud or in-house score for each framework. A Cloud Versus In-House Scorecard is provided in Table 2 and used to summarize the deliberations of the XYZ School District in choosing either to deploy through a cloud offering for hosted or to continue with the incumbent system as hosted in its data center. Keep in mind that this example is intended to illustrate the use of the cloud decision framework, and could just as easily be used to provide a comparison between two cloud options e.g., Microsoft live@edu versus Google, rather than a cloud versus in-house decision. In this example, we are including the input from the stakeholder community (SC) in the analysis, and a summary of the discussion and the resulting scores are organized in the scorecard. A spider graph is used to illustrate the result of the analysis and guide the sourcing decision (see Figure 1). The framework score for each option is plotted, resulting in two five-side figures, one for the cloud option and one for continuing with in-house hosting of . The graph is configured so that the figure with the greatest area represents the best option. In this case, the cloud option was determined to be the best fit for the XYZ School District. The value of the framework scorecard and the graphical representation of the scores determined for each option are valuable beyond the deliberation phase as they both are effective tools for illustrating the cloud versus in-house options from a 360-degree vantage point and convincing senior management and other decisionmaking or funding entities that a deliberative and inclusive analysis was completed. Furthermore, using the same basic frameworks used to involve stakeholders in other IT business decisions enhances ownership of the process and acceptance of the results. 10

11 11 Table 1. Cloud Decision Framework Definitions Framework Technology Fit Definition Are the expected outcomes aligned to prescribed processes or practices, and does the technology support that alignment? Rubric 0 No alignment to needs 1 Meets some current needs 2 Meets current needs 3 Exceeds current needs 4 Meets anticipated future needs Technology Emphasis Is a technology solution being applied as essential to the desired outcomes, or is technology applied just for the sake of using technology? 0 Technology for the sake of technology or doing it because we can 1 No difference between existing practice or solution 2 Minor convenience over existing practice or solution 3 Minor convenience and improvement over existing practice or solution 4 Clear and discernible use of technology Relative Value The bang for the buck comparisons of one or more solutions or IT initiatives. The relative value comes from the conflux of cost, the number of users and the amount of time the solution is used. 0 Low user and usage footprint for cost/user 1 Low user footprint for usage and cost/user 2 Low usage footprint for number of users and cost/user 3 High user or usage footprint for usage and cost/user 4 High user and usage footprint for cost/user Risk-Reward An assessment of the risk and reward of solutions or IT initiatives in three categories: (1) operational efficiency, (2) constituent service level and (3) political capital. The rubric for risk and reward is scaled from 0 through 3 rather than 0 through 4. Doing so keeps it consistent with the Risk Versus Reward four-quadrant matrix used in the Risk Versus Reward framework. 0 Hot Zone (High Risk, Low Reward) 1 Maintenance Zone (Low Risk, Low Reward) 2 Opportunity Zone (High Risk, High Reward) 3 Low-Hanging Fruit (Low Risk, High Reward) Total Cost of Ownership The true cost of an IT initiative or solution, including unanticipated or otherwise unfunded costs borne by the user community, spread over a period of time. 0 Much higher than existing practice or option 1 Higher cost than existing practice or option 2 Cost-neutral 3 Less expensive over time 4 Significant cost savings Source: Gartner (December 2010) 11

12 Table 2. Cloud Versus In-House Scorecard Cloud Score 2 Framework Scoring Fit 0 No alignment to needs Noncloud Score 2 1 Meets some current needs 2 Meets current needs 3 Exceeds current needs 4 Meets anticipated future needs For the solution, the SC found little difference in what they expected from the cloud offering and the legacy solution. Some discussion pointed to the loss of control of data and issues of security, but that discussion was deferred for the Risk-Reward analysis. 2 Emphasis 0 Technology for the sake of technology or doing it because we can 2 1 No difference between existing practice or solution 2 Minor convenience over existing practice or solution 3 Minor improvement over existing practice or solution 4 Clear and discernible use of technology Once again, the SC determined that there was essentially no difference between the cloud and in-house deployment with regard to the appropriate emphasis on the use of technology. 3 Total Cost of Ownership 0 Much higher total cost than existing practice or option 1 Higher total cost of ownership (TCO) 2 2 Cost-neutral 3 Less expensive over time 4 Significantly lower total cost Staying with the current practice is cost/neutral. The savings in the cloud are potentially much higher, but initial setup costs including archiving requirements resulted in the score of 3. continued 12

13 Table 2. Cloud Versus In-House Scorecard Cloud Score 4 Framework Scoring Relative Value 0 Low user and usage footprint for cost/user Noncloud Score 3 1 Low user footprint for usage and cost/user 2 Low usage footprint for number of users and cost/user 3 High user or usage footprint for usage and cost/user 4 High user and usage footprint for cost/user The SC found that the cloud offering was lower in overall cost than hosting the system itself and that there was really no difference in the extent of use or the number of users. 3 Risk-Reward 0 Hot Zone (High Risk, Low Reward) 1 1 Maintenance Zone (Low Risk, Low Reward) 2 Opportunity Zone (High Risk, High Reward) 3 Low-Hanging Fruit (Low Risk, High Reward) The Risk Versus Reward discussion necessarily addressed issues such as vendor viability, avoiding possible vendor lock-in, the protection of data integrity and security, service levels and, in this case, archiving. The SC in the XYZ District was comfortable that the proposed contractual arrangement provided for security and privacy, that the service-level agreement was in line with its needs, that the provider was well-established in the market (i.e., viable). The school district also arranged for archiving in the same contract. Source: Gartner (December 2010) FIGURE 1 Graphical Presentation of Cloud Versus In-House Deployment in XYZ School District Gartner Industry Research Note G , Bill Rust, 17 December 2010 Total Cost Risk vs. Reward Educational Fit Cloud In House Relative Value Educational Emphasis Source: Gartner (December 2010) 13

14 About ENA ENA provides managed network, communication and video conferencing services to customers in the education, library and government sectors. Founded in 1996, our scalable solutions facilitate collaboration, increase productivity and decrease the cost of information management through the convergence of data, voice and video technologies. ENA currently manages multiple statewide and district-wide education and library networks, successfully serving over 5,345 end sites, 580 school districts and 230 libraries, more than 3.1 million students, teachers and administrators, and more than 6.2 million librarians and patrons. Empowered by their networks, ENA s customers can focus on what matters most: preparing students, strengthening communities and leading enterprises into the 21st century. For more information, please visit For information on ENA s services, please contact: Headquarters: Education Networks of America, Inc McGavock Street Nashville, TN Phone: (615) or (866) Fax: (615) info@ena.com Website: Product and Service Portfolio ENA provides a converged suite of services that can be customized and bundled to meet the specific needs of a school. 14