Using Online File Locker Technology
By: Kelly Agrelius
Web file lockers are quickly emerging as a “go-to” technology tool for K-12 schools today. They’re easy to use and cost as little as $1 per student or teacher per year. They don’t take up any physical space and require no maintenance. All this, and they also solve some of the most pressing file sharing and data storage challenges facing K-12 students and teachers today.
Complex Web pages and dazzling electronic presentations are abundant in schools today, yet the seemingly simple task of storing a file on a server to be accessed later remains a frustrating challenge for today’s students and teachers. To address this problem, many school sites throughout the U.S. have established file servers with shared drive space. However, server and user administration for hundreds or thousands of students and teachers creates a full-time nightmare for a system administrator. In addition, these storage servers typically can’t be accessed from home because of firewalls. Other schools have purchased and issued laptop computers for students to advance the idea of “one-to-one computing.” But, technology support requirements and the high cost of equipment replacement have turned this into a controversial solution in today’s economy.
The ubiquity of Internet connections makes leveraging the Web a more obvious choice for file sharing and storage. However, very few schools are going to ask their students and teachers to attempt to master the complexities of FTP. Instead, a user-friendly interface is needed to simplify the process of file transfer, storage, and sharing. The ideal solution would be to take advantage of Web technology to increase mobility and promote academic performance, while also fostering interest among instructional staff. Yet, the question remains, “How?”
One answer that many private K-12 schools are now turning to is Web lockers. The idea behind these systems is that users can create work on one computer and then stash files in their personal Web locker for completion later – either on the same computer, or on another one at home or elsewhere.
Ease of use is key with Web lockers technology. Each school typically receives its own secure, password-protected Web site, with user-friendly features that take only seconds to grasp. To begin, all students, teachers, and administrators are given access to their own digital drop box, or Web locker, which is available via password from the Web site.
For organizational purposes, a shared directory is usually created for each class, and permissions are set according to the teachers’ specifications. With just a few simple clicks, students can download assignments given by the teacher or upload completed homework to the shared directory, without the risk of the file being stolen or copied. Also, these online storage systems manage filenames using a proprietary file system so that the teacher can receive multiple files with the same name from various students, without getting them mixed up, and without having to teach every student how to embed their name or use some other technique to ensure that filenames are unique.
One of the biggest factors driving the adoption of Web lockers technology is the increasing use of video for special projects in schools today. Having enough storage capacity on hand to accommodate these large files is, therefore, highly important. With Web lockers, all users are given a substantial amount of personal storage capacity; in some cases, vendors provide unlimited data storage for each user. All files are typically backed up daily and preserved from year to year to allow students to easily create a portfolio of work. Built-in security and safety measures—such as blocked file types, parental sign-in, and the ability for teachers and school administrators to monitor what students are storing—quell most concerns in today’s often dangerous Internet age.
Most Web lockers offerings today are based upon software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology. One of the biggest advantages of SaaS platforms is that while they can be accessed from any Internet location, they are often hosted within an off-site co-location center. This means that schools not only reduce their investment in technology infrastructure, but they also eliminate software maintenance and administration costs, as well as the need to implement ongoing data protection and security measures. All of this is taken care of by the SaaS vendor. And, while many schools already rely upon on-site storage area networks (SANs) for administrative files, they can expand their existing storage environments by using SaaS-based systems to support the growing number of files that students and teachers generate on a daily basis.
Schools are also finding that SaaS offers a safer, more secure alternative to allowing students to use portable devices, such as USB drives or compact disks, which can threaten the security of networks. In addition, having students access their data on a separate domain from the school network -- via a SaaS platform -- also addresses further security concerns.
For Chuck Gott, MIS director for Village Christian Schools in Sun Valley, California, allowing students to safely and securely transfer files between home and school was a top priority. Web lockers provided the most economical means of satisfying that need in a simple way. Gott says that a Web-based service is a fraction of the cost of what it would entail for the school to buy and install its own storage system, let alone manage and maintain it.
“Web-based storage has allowed us to provide our students and teachers with an efficient method of transferring files and managing online homework assignments,” he said.
Administrators such as Gott also appreciate that Web lockers provide for a “green” alternative by eliminating the need for paper. Teachers can simply upload one file or assignment, and then post it in all student lockers electronically, instead of making multiple handout copies. For collaboration beyond file sharing, some Web lockers offerings also provide teacher blogs and message boards (for school-wide online discussions), as well as other customized features for enhancing communication.
As budget planning begins for the 2009-2010 school year, the good news for schools is that there are a number of SaaS or Web lockers platforms to choose from that specifically cater to the storage, backup, and file sharing needs of K-12 education. Administrators will be pleased to learn that these platforms are available for as little as $1 per student per year. With SANs priced as high as $50,000 or more today, online storage is simply a more economical choice, particularly as schools also consider the costs of hiring a salaried employee to manage and maintain the SAN.
Even with all of the benefits outlined above, the move to SaaS-based storage is a transitional one for most schools. In some cases, schools are steadily integrating the service, one classroom at a time, and based upon teacher interest. Further down the line, it is anticipated that teachers will be formally trained to plan curriculum using Web-based storage. When that happens, everyone in education will not only know what a Web locker is, but how instrumental it can be to a school’s digital success.
Kelly Agrelius is manager of marketing and sales for School Web Lockers, www.schoolWeblockers.com, and My Web Lockers, www.myWeblockers.com, leading providers of cost-effective, Web-based tools for collaboration, distance learning, and online storage.
