5 Trends In Education Technology That VARs Should Know
By Gahn Lane, Vice President, Service Provider and Verticals, Westcon-Comstor
The education market is one of the most complex, challenging verticals in the IT industry. It can also be one of the most rewarding. On one hand, many school districts face shrinking budgets and tighter controls. But on the other hand, implementing the latest technologies can help schools save money – and be more productive. It’s what makes the solution provider channel so valuable! With that in mind, here’s a look at five trends that you should know in order to help you be more successful with your education customers:
- Changes In E-Rate Program. If you’ve sold into the education market, you’re likely familiar with the E-Rate program, designed in the late 1990s to help schools and libraries get affordable dial-tone services. Over the years, it was expanded to include broadband Internet, but this year the program was changed significantly to include cloud-based or hosted services. As one K-12 speaker recently said at a recent Westcon-Comstor event, many schools can’t get the attention of the large integrators. That spells opportunity for smaller solution providers, especially those selling cloud.
- Virtualization. For the last several years, it’s hard to find a list of top technology trends that hasn’t included virtualization. That continues to be the case for the education market, where school budgets seem to get tighter and tighter each year. Most school districts welcome any chance to save money, especially if eliminating servers and/or data centers can cut costs without losing any data performance or production. Virtualization is especially attractive in school districts where declining enrollment leaves buildings with excess capacity or in danger of being closed.
- Video Surveillance. Many school districts invest in video surveillance systems as a means to maintain accurate records of activity on school grounds, and perhaps modify student behavior in a positive manner. For example, video of a student spray-painting a wall becomes important evidence when a parent insists their child couldn’t possibly do such a thing. And it’s not just in school buildings. A growing number of IP cameras are being installed in school buses, to eliminate of the biggest gaps in security for our children, leveraging wireless networking technologies as well.
- Wireless Networking. And speaking of wireless, many buses are now outfitted with GPS technology, allowing districts to know exactly where their buses are at all times. But even more important, some districts are implementing wireless to help students that live in remote areas to get high-speed Internet. For example, one small town in California purchased laptops for each student, only to find that a large percentage of the kids lived in areas without high-speed Internet, which prevented them from completing some assignments. So the district outfitted some buses with WLAN technology that could park in high-concentrated areas that allowed more students to get online.
- Security. The healthcare industry has HIPAA to protect patient data. But there really isn’t an equivalent — yet — in the education space, at least on the national level. Of course, many districts, counties or states have their own laws and compliance procedures for student records and privacy. That decentralization, which while might be a challenge for many solution providers, can also be a differentiator for you. VARs that keep on top of ever-changing and ever-tightening security standards in education are a valuable commodity to school districts. And with increasing pressure for wider standards, it behooves solution providers to start ingraining themselves now with those districts, advising them of the latest security solutions.
While it’s difficult for most solution providers to specialize in everything, focusing on one or two of these trends can make a big difference to your business. Stay on top of what’s happening in the education market, find a trustworthy, knowledgeable partner that can guide you through the murky waters, build the right resources inside your organization and soon you’ll be earning all A’s from your customers.
For information on how you can partner with Westcon Group to provide solutions to your education IT clients, click here.