Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), the Metro Vancouver-based university with campuses in Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley, BC, is in the process of installing 1,600 Dell Wyse zero clients to replace its outdated PCs and  thin client devices. The new infrastructure, designed with the help of Dell, connects to KPU’s Citrix® XenApp® virtual desktop environment to create a highly efficient, cost-effective and user-friendly IT environment for the university’s 17,500 student population and 1,600 staff and faculty.

KPU expects to realize approximately $647,000 a year in cost savings thanks to the reduced hardware costs, longer refresh cycles, reduced ongoing management and maintenance costs, and lower power consumption. At the same time, students, staff and faculty gain the benefits of significantly faster boot-up and log-in times from any of the four campuses and have the ability to run new multi-media rich applications. The Dell Wyse zero client solution also offers high reliability and accessibility with low environmental foot-print for quieter and cooler libraries and computer labs.

The Dell Wyse zero clients are highly robust and able to withstand the rigours of constant student usage. KPU expects the zero clients to have a lifespan of approximately 10 years, extending a traditional PC refresh cycle by at least a factor of two. Hardware savings are estimated at $300,000 per year.

The virtualized environment will reduce the need for dedicated desktop support staff in the near future, allowing four staff members to be redeployed to focus on more value-added work that provides greater benefit to staff and students. These initiatives include extended service desk hours and weekend help desk coverage. The university estimates it will save $324,000 on average annually on staff support costs through more effective utilization of support staff time.

Reduced power consumption also plays a part in reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and is consistent with the university’s ‘Green’ initiatives. Dell Wyse zero clients use significantly less power and require less cooling than traditional PCs resulting in estimated power savings of $23,000 per year as well as reduced carbon emissions.

Ultimately KPU will adopt a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy, which will give staff, students and faculty the option to access their desktops on their own tablet, laptop or smartphone and work effectively from any location. The move to Citrix and Dell Wyse helps pave the way for this upcoming BYOD implementation.  

KPU began replacing its thin client devices last year and expects to deploy 1,600 Dell Wyse zero clients by the end of 2013. This allows the university to truly take advantage of its Citrix® XenApp® environment which now also runs on Dell server technology.

Quotes: “The decision to move to Dell Wyse zero clients and Citrix® XenApp® on Dell servers was very easy. We knew we wanted a zero client solution and quite simply, Dell Wyse was the only vendor that could meet this requirement.

Students, staff and faculty alike are realizing the positive benefits of the zero client deployment. The machines run silently so students can concentrate better. They reduce heat so libraries and labs are cooler, quieter and more conducive to study. Log-in is much faster.  Students and staff can log on to a Dell Wyse zero client in a matter of seconds, which helps them maximize available study time and achieve better academic results. Across the board we’ve had excellent user feedback on the new Dell Wyse deployment.” – Sukey Samra, associate director for information and education technology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU).

“The Dell Wyse zero client environment was a perfect choice for KPU. Not only were we able to provide a highly cost-effective IT solution that offered a significantly reduced TCO, but KPU’s staff, students and faculty also gained significant benefits, including the ability to run  multimedia rich applications. Our track record and experience in implementing zero clients in a Citrix® XenApp® environment was a huge advantage as we could anticipate the challenges and provide tried and tested solutions in response. We’re delighted that KPU now has a technology solution that offers a richer learning environment built on Dell servers and Dell Wyse zero clients.” – Kevin Peesker, president, Dell Canada

The Kwantlen Polytechnic University case study can be found here.