School districts across America use NComputing to upgrade student computing and ensure long-term sustainability

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF., August 4, 2009 – President Obama's stimulus package has earmarked billions of dollars for schools to pay for educational technology, but not for long-term maintenance costs. Smart school districts have solved the dilemma by expanding computing access with NComputing. The company's $70 virtual desktops allow up to eleven students to share a single computer while reducing maintenance and electrical costs by as much as 90%.

School districts are now making critical decisions on how to best spend their federal stimulus dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Tangipahoa Parish (Louisiana) School District decided to spend their stimulus funds on a districtwide computer upgrade and expansion program based on NComputing virtual desktops. The IT staff determined that NComputing would be the lowest-cost solution for expanding student computing access. The solution does not require additional IT staff or infrastructure upgrades that would saddle the district with long-term expenses that they couldn't afford. For example, only the shared PCs have to be replaced every three to five years. NComputing virtual desktops last for multiple PC generations and don't require ongoing maintenance.

"Buying PCs was too expensive and we wouldn't have been able to provide the necessary support," said Mike Diaz, assistant director of technology for Tangipahoa. "We only have four technical support staff for 19,500 students and the stimulus funds won’t pay for more. We tried out NComputing and that was the answer. We were amazed at the performance and low energy use. We can now buy three times as many computing seats for the same money. The additional computing in the classrooms gives the students more computer time and enhances their tech skills."

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s computers are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer's capacity. NComputing enables a single computer to be virtualized so that many users can tap the unused capacity and share it as if each person had their own computer. Each user enjoys a full desktop experience by connecting their own monitor, keyboard, and mouse to an NComputing access device, which is then connected to the shared computer. Unlike other desktop virtualization solutions, the patented and highly efficient NComputing desktops deliver rich multimedia and full-screen video. The devices use just 1 watt of electricity which also reduces the need for air conditioning and qualifies for substantial energy-efficiency rebates. Schools deploy NComputing in classrooms, computer labs, libraries, and offices.

"NComputing is the perfect solution for schools. It drastically reduces upgrade and maintenance costs and, in fact, lowers long-term expenses," said Stephen Dukker, chairman and CEO of NComputing. "More than 1,500 districts, including seven of the nation's 10 largest, have already saved hundreds of millions of dollars by choosing NComputing."

NComputing customers typically save 50 percent on purchase costs, 70 percent on maintenance, and 90 percent on energy use.

"We wanted to bring computing into the classrooms, but our older school buildings weren't wired to deliver enough juice," said Tangipahoa's Mr. Diaz. "Last year, a couple new PCs blew out the electrical systems in two of our high schools. Now, we've put six computing seats in every single classroom in the district with no strain on the electrical systems. We also expect our support calls to go down by 90 percent so our staff can focus on new initiatives instead of driving around putting out fires."

NComputing is the most popular desktop virtualization solution in U.S. schools with more than four million students already learning on NComputing systems. NComputing expects that number to double in 2009.

About NComputing, Inc.
NComputing, Inc. is the fastest growing desktop virtualization company in the world with millions of users in 140 countries. The company's award-winning, patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. It is the perfect solution for leveraging the power and potential of PCs and cloud computing. For more information, visit http://www.ncomputing.com.

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