“Those who used to be Mac detractors now consider the computers a godsend.”
— Jeff Kopmanis
University of Michigan, Department of Mathematics:
Macs Add Up to Math Department Success
Once the initial conversion to the Mac was complete, Kopmanis says it was simple to replicate the process. “We emptied a second, 19-machine Solaris lab one afternoon, and the following morning we had a 30-machine iMac lab online, ready to go,” Kopmanis confirms. “Thanks to Mac OS X Server and NetBoot, we were able to unpack, inventory, and set up each additional lab in only four hours. Plus, the small size of the iMac computers has allowed us to achieve a 1-to-1 student-to-workstation ratio in our labs. Since this directly impacts the quality of mathematics education that UM can deliver, this new lab model was welcomed by our faculty and administration.”
Macs Make Converts
Now that Kopmanis has discovered the ease of computer setup and management with the Mac tools, he and his staff have time to spend on more productive tasks. Leveraging the desktop image created for the computer labs, the IT team has installed more iMac computers in the Undergraduate Advising offices, and kiosks in the Undergraduate office that enable students to register and check their class schedules via the web. In addition, each of the five floors in the math building has an iMac workstation for general use by any department-authorized student or faculty member.
When one of the Macs needs service, adds Kopmanis, the solution is seamless. “In the Solaris environment, when a machine went down it meant that an administrator with root privileges had to go and physically touch the machine to restart it, and make sure it didn’t fail in its file-checks and other functions,” he notes. “With our NetBoot Macs, resetting a workstation means turning it off, and turning it back on … that’s it. There’s no fixing or repairing; everyone can do it.
“My group’s goal is 100 percent online accessibility during lab times,” Kopmanis continues. “And, maintenance is always a concern. With the iMac computers, students can reboot the machine and within minutes it will be fully reloaded and ready for service, without fixes or downtime. Furthermore, maintaining a NetBoot image is exactly like maintaining one workstation, something any IT shop can handle. Even my hardcore UNIX staffers are saying, ‘This is pretty slick.’ And those who used to be Mac detractors now consider the computers a godsend.”
An Anxiety-Free Future
Kopmanis says the 2005 conversion of the remaining Solaris labs to the Mac wasn’t just a matter of his own preference. “Post-docs and grad students began asking for iMac computers for their offices, saying, ‘Can’t I just get one of the Macs? I don’t want the Solaris box anymore,’” Kopmanis laughs. “I’m very happy to say that we’re all-Mac now, in every one of our labs. Being able to deliver such a neat, cool solution that’s such a natural fit is wonderful.
“Of all the projects I’ve been involved in, I can’t think of a more successful project than this conversion to the Mac,” Kopmanis finishes. “Overall, our infrastructure is now top-quality; it’s virtually maintenance-free, and we’ve eased up on our support issues. With the Mac, all of those anxieties are just swept away.”
Photos credit: Esther Eppele, Psychology Department, University of Michigan
