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Case Study: How One School IT Team Transformed Their Network Visibility

VelocityPulse Team - Customer Success25 January 20263 min read

A practical look at how a UK secondary school implemented VelocityPulse to monitor 400+ devices across multiple buildings with a two-person IT team.

Managing IT infrastructure in education presents unique challenges: tight budgets, diverse device types, and the expectation that everything "just works" for teachers and students. This case study examines how one UK secondary school transformed their approach to network monitoring.

The Challenge

Oakfield Academy is a 1,200-student secondary school with a two-person IT team. Their infrastructure includes:

  • 400+ devices across 3 buildings
  • A mix of Windows PCs, Chromebooks, and managed iPads
  • Multiple VLANs for staff, students, and BYOD
  • An ageing core network with limited visibility
Before VelocityPulse, the team relied on manual checks and user reports to identify issues. Problems were often discovered when teachers couldn't access resources mid-lesson - the worst possible time.

The Solution

The IT team deployed VelocityPulse agents on three servers, one per building. Within an hour, they had visibility into every device on their network.

Phase 1: Discovery

The initial scan revealed 47 devices the team didn't know existed on their network. Some were legitimate (a new printer in the art department), others required investigation (unidentified devices on the guest network).

Phase 2: Organisation

Using VelocityPulse categories, the team organised devices by:

  • Location: Main building, Sports hall, Sixth form
  • Type: Workstations, Printers, Network equipment, CCTV
  • Priority: Critical, Standard, Low
This organisation made the dashboard immediately useful for daily operations.

Phase 3: Proactive Monitoring

With alerting configured, the team now receives notifications when:

  • Any critical device (servers, core switches, internet links) goes offline
  • Response times exceed acceptable thresholds
  • New devices appear on secured VLANs

The Results

After three months with VelocityPulse:

Reduced downtime: Issues are identified and addressed before users notice. The team resolved a failing switch during a quiet period rather than during period 3 when 200 students were mid-assessment. Better resource allocation: Historical data showed the Sixth Form building experienced network congestion between 10:00-11:30 daily. A targeted investigation revealed 40 students attempting to stream video during free periods. Traffic shaping resolved the issue. Improved planning: Capacity reports now inform infrastructure investment decisions, with data to support budget requests. Audit readiness: Complete device inventory with historical status data supports compliance requirements.

Key Takeaways

For schools and other education institutions considering network monitoring:

  • Start small: You don't need to monitor everything on day one. Begin with critical infrastructure.
  • Involve stakeholders: Share relevant dashboards with senior leadership. Visibility builds confidence and supports budget conversations.
  • Document as you go: Use device descriptions to capture institutional knowledge. The next person to manage this network will thank you.
  • Review regularly: Schedule a monthly review of your monitoring setup. Networks change; your monitoring should too.

    • Try VelocityPulse in Your School

    VelocityPulse offers special pricing for UK educational institutions. Contact us to discuss your requirements, or start a free 14-day trial to see how it works with your network.