Mac Lights Way to Digital Campus

Profiles in Success: Université Lumiere Lyon 2

Lyon, France — From the iPod to Xserves, the Université Lumiere Lyon 2 is using Apple technology to power its most important pedagogical initiatives. For example, the iPod is now at the centre of an exciting application developed by the university’s IT department. Dubbed “vCab Builder”, or “Virtual Cabinet Builder”, this program leverages the rich media capabilities of iPod to educate and inspire students. Such innovative use of off-the-shelf technology is just the latest example of the Université Lumiere’s proud status as a “digital campus”.

Under the leadership of current President Gilbert Puech, the Université Lumiere Lyon 2 became the first university in France to offer email to all their students in 1993. Since then, administrators and faculty have enthusiastically integrated the use of instructional technology throughout the curriculum. This has made possible a digital learning environment that brings together a virtual office/desk, electronic teaching and an intranet portal for all students and teachers. At the back end, Mac OS X Server, Xserves and Xserve RAID provide the keys to unlocking the potential of this revolutionary environment.

“With an iPod, or by visiting our portal, students can take advantage of valuable digital content”, observes Nicolas Truchaud, webmaster at the Université Lumiere. “After they graduate they will be prepared with important computer skills, and the knowledge of how to use collaborative tools such as iChat, forums and so forth. The digital technologies enable our students to belong to our time”.

After testing numerous platforms, the Xserve and Xserve RAID systems seduced us with their simplicity.

— Alexandre Bonucci, Vice President of Information Technology, Université Lumiere Lyon 2

Apple Servers Power Infrastructure

Providing the type of reliable, powerful digital learning environment needed to support these initiatives was no easy feat, Monsieur Truchaud says. The university initially evaluated PC-based server solutions. But all too quickly, they proved unable to keep the necessary systems up and running safely.

“We went online with one PC server, and within 20 minutes we had a virus”, M. Truchaud recalls. “Obviously we don’t have time to waste worrying about viruses, patches and those types of things. Since we’re all Apple addicts, it made sense to put their technologies — which everyone wanted anyway — in place”.