Desktop Virtualization

When H1N1 made its way to the mountains of northwestern Vermont two years ago, the technology experts at Saint Michael's College were concerned students or teachers might not make it to class. The virus didn't reach epidemic proportions at the small Catholic college, but it energized the team already considering ways to bring lessons beyond the classroom.

The VMware View Client for the Apple iPad enables users to access their Windows desktops, applications, and data from anywhere, virtually. Combined with VMware View, the VMware View Client delivers a desktop optimized for the high-resolution, multi-touch display of the iPad. It's available for free in the Apple App Store. Visit www.vmware.com.

Call it the marathon without a finish line: As new network demands such as mobile computing and rich media increase, campus IT strategists are trying to keep running ahead, to ensure that their networks can meet the need.

Professionals who have helped create inviting places for groups to study on campus have vivid memories of the uninviting study spaces of yesterday. “When we studied as a group, if we studied as a group, it was typically in the dining hall,” recalls Jeff Vredevoogd, director of Herman Miller Education.

Caught up in cloud fever, campus IT leaders across the nation have virtualized their server rooms. Having fewer servers didn't make the world come to an end; in fact, just the opposite happened. Staffers have more time to work on critical tasks and energy bills have gone down since IT departments aren't cooling massive data centers anymore.

People rarely work in isolation. But it's not always easy to meet in person to work on a project. Connecting online can be done from almost anywhere. The collaboration possibilities run the gamut from passing a Word document back-and-forth via e-mail to holding a multiparty videoconference.

Read on to learn how a variety of online collaboration tools are helping college and university administrators execute projects more efficiently.

Online college fairs can reach more students than fairs held in the high school gym. The experience offered by the three main vendors varies considerably.

IN THE QUEST TO REACH as many students as possible, admissions officers in higher ed are leaving no pixel unturned.

3DVinci has released the Google SketchUp 7 Hands On book series.

At just four pounds and about the size of a hardcover novel, Toshiba’s TLP-X100U slim mobile projector is easily transportable. However, it is hefty on high-tech features such as closed-captioning and 3LCD technology.