What is EduCoMS?
EduCoMS is an online community for IT professionals in British HE and FE institutions that use Microsoft technologies.
The site covers a range of tools, which you can select from the topic areas in the navigation bar above. These include:
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Communication and Collaboration – Exchange, Office, Office Communication Server, SharePoint
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Desktop tools – Windows XP, Vista
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Infrastructure – Forefront, Identity Lifecycle Manager, Intelligent Application Gateway, Internet Security and Acceleration Server, Windows Server
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Server Applications – BizTalk, Performance Point, Project Portfolio Server, SQL Server
You'll also find regularly updated news and events on relevant happenings in the industry.
Who is behind EduCoMS?
EduCoMS is a free resource by and for the community. It was built by Eduserv, the not-for-profit IT services group, with the support of Microsoft, UCISA and the ESCUK. In November 2007 Eduserv negotiated a preferential licence agreement for Microsoft Campus for FE and HE institutions. EduCoMS is part of that agreement to help support and serve the education community.
Eduserv has also renewed special terms on an agreement with the Education Support Centre (ESC), saving at least 10% on the frontline technical support they provide on Microsoft technologies, including all products covered by Campus and Select agreements. New sites joining the Agreement before January 2009 will receive full ESC support for December 2008 free-of-charge. For more information, visit the ESC Agreement page on the Eduserv website.
How can I use the site and start to contribute?
Within each of the topics, you can browse – and contribute to – a range of different types of information. Join the forum for conversation and debate, use library documents to see case studies and tutorials, and post ideas, thoughts and useful links to the wiki pages (and create your own pages!).
You’ll need to sign up as a member of the site to be able to add new content and chat to others in the forums. Following your approval, you’ll be able to add new documents to the libraries, post news items and events, contribute to the forums and post and update wiki pages.
You could upload a simple case study of how you implemented a technology in your institution, a tutorial, news about an event you’re hosting or attending, or ask your peers for their help in a problem you’re facing.
The site is built with Microsoft SharePoint and contributing is simple – follow the ‘add new document links’ and you’re away!
How can I keep up to date with the site?
You can sign up to receive automatic notifications of any changes to all areas of the site. Non-Authenticated users can subscribe to RSS feeds; authenticated users can subscribe to either the RSS feeds or opt to receive email alerts. When browsing the site look for the Action drop down, this will show you the options you have available.
How do I report a problem?
EduCoMS is maintained and supported by Eduserv. If you would like to report inappropriate or offensive content on the site, then please use the Report Abuse function on each page.
For all other queries, email administrator@educoms.net