Apple’s MLTI support plan will continue in similar fashion as today’s program. Each school’s spare inventory will be increased to 2% of the first year’s deployment. Online tools like the MLTI Asset Manager, DepotWorks, and GSX will remain. Just as before, as batteries lose their ability to hold a reasonable charge, they will be replaced.
The MLTI Local Depot will provide both warranty and non-warranty repairs. All costs related to non-warranty repairs will be the responsibility of the local school.
Each school will be issued 2 administrative copies of Apple Remote Desktop to allow technicians to push software updates or make configuration changes. Apple Remote Desktop can also be used to remotely manage computers or gather reports about system configurations and software loads. Remote management tasks can be saved and reused or scheduled so they are performed at off-peak times, or whenever iBooks are available on the network.
The MLTI Firewire Restore Drive solution will be expanded to include 1 drive for every 30 iBooks deployed to the school in year 1. This should better enable schools to support larger deployments.
The Buffer Pool is the MLTI self-insurance mechanism that will help ensure schools maintain working devices for all students and eligible staff. The Buffer Pool provides replacement devices to schools that may have accidental loss or damage to a device that is not covered by insurance. Buffer Pool devices will be stored at the MLTI Local Depot until deployed to a school in exchange for a damaged device or as a replacement for a lost device. All Buffer Pool exchanges/replacements will require DOE approval. NOTE: Buffer Pool devices are distinct from Spare devices. Spare devices are deployed directly to schools only for temporary use by a student or teacher while their primary device is being repaired. Spare devices should never be assigned to an individual as the user’s primary device.
The size of the Buffer Pool in the first deployment was too small. In addition, management of the Pool lacked consistent protocol. As a result, the Department has worked with Apple Computer, Inc. to provide a Buffer Pool which we believe will function as a self-insurance mechanism that all schools will be able to count on.
The size of the new Buffer Pool has been increased from 2% to 7% of the total deployment. The Buffer Pool will be made up of devices provided through the Agreement as well as by recalling devices from schools as enrollments drop. Each school will be preassigned Buffer Pool devices based on school size. The DOE anticipates Buffer Pool allotments as follows:
| Year 1 (06-07 School year) |
1% of your deployment |
| Year 2 (07-08 School year) |
2% of your deployment |
| Year 3 (08-09 School year) |
2% of your deployment |
| Year 4 (09-10 School year) |
2% of your deployment |
At a minimum, small schools will be alloted one Buffer Pool device per year. If a school does not use all allocated Buffer Pool devices in a year, schools can roll them into the next year for use, and so on throughout the 4 years. To facilitate this process, schools with declining enrollments will be required to ship extra devices to the Buffer Pool located at the MLTI Local Depot using shipping protocols similar to those used to ship devices to the Depot for repairs. When an exchange for an accidentally damaged device needs to occur, shipping of the damaged device to the Buffer Pool and the shipping of the Buffer Pool device to the school will also utilize protocols based on the existing MLTI Local Depot shipping protocols. Schools will not pay for shipping.
Optional Self-Insurance Opportunity
Some schools may recognize that historically they have a higher accidental damage rate than what is covered by the Buffer Pool allotments, and they may wish to purchase extra buffer pool devices for their school. Schools may purchase additional Buffer Pool devices. These devices must be ordered this year. This opportunity will not exist in future years, so schools should plan to purchase extra devices for all four years now. When Buffer Pool device exchanges/replacements are requested and approved, Department-provided devices will be used first. If a school exhausts its annual allotment, then locally purchased devices would be used for future exchanges/replacements. If, at the end of the 4 year deployment, locally purchased devices remain in the Pool, schools keep the devices. All Department-provided devices will be the property of the State of Maine.
To purchase additional Buffer Pool devices for your school, please contact the MLTI Project Office for pricing and complete the Optional MLTI Buffer Pool Device Order Form (page 2) and return the form to the Department of Education. Forms must be returned by July 7, 2006 and FAXed to Heather Peel, (207) 624-6601 or mailed to:
MLTI Project Office • Attn: Heather Peel • Maine Department of Education • 23 State House Station • Augusta, ME 04333-0023 |
