With so many labs and workstations, keeping educational institutions’ systems secure and operational is a constant challenge. These workstations are particularly vulnerable to inadvertent or intentional misuse since students often change settings or install applications. Often, this results in increased downtime, IT support tickets and disruptions to learning.
Faronics Deep Freeze offers a solution by maintaining consistent configurations across all devices. It simplifies IT management and ensures a stable and secure environment.
What is Deep Freeze?
At its core, Deep Freeze is a reboot-to-restore solution. Every time a computer is restarted, Deep Freeze restores the workstation to a predetermined configuration. This means that any changes made during the previous session are wiped clean — whether it’s a simple document saved to the wrong folder or the installation of malicious software.
Deep Freeze offers several features:
- Instant system recovery: No matter what a student does during their session, Deep Freeze restores the workstation to its original state, ensuring a fresh start every time the system reboots.
- Protection against unauthorized changes: By freezing the configuration, Deep Freeze protects workstations from any alterations, including unauthorized software installations and system settings changes.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Deep Freeze works on both Windows and macOS, which makes it flexible and easy to implement across various types of devices in your institution.
- Centralized management: IT administrators can manage multiple devices from a single console, which makes it easier to deploy updates, configure settings and monitor workstations across labs and classrooms.
- Security against malware: Deep Freeze prevents malware from taking root by restoring the system to its original state after each reboot, eliminating any harmful software introduced during user sessions.
- Customizable maintenance schedules: Administrators can schedule maintenance periods where updates or changes can be applied without disrupting users, ensuring workstations stay updated without manual intervention.
- Energy-efficient options: Deep Freeze includes power management features that help reduce energy consumption by scheduling automatic shutdowns or restarts during off-hours.
How Deep Freeze secures your institution
Deep Freeze does more than just restore system settings; it is also essential for protecting your entire IT infrastructure. The value of security in educational settings cannot be understated, especially when dealing with sensitive student and institutional data. Cyber threats, unauthorized access and data breaches are legitimate issues, and Deep Freeze adds a layer of security to assist limit these risks in the following ways:
- Protects against malware and viruses
Since each reboot restores the original configuration, any malware or viruses introduced during a session are automatically wiped out. This ensures no malicious software can persist, significantly reducing the risk of long-term damage.
- Maintains compliance with data privacy regulations
In educational settings, safeguarding student data is essential. Institutions are often required to comply with regulations like FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), which mandates the protection of student records. Deep Freeze ensures that no personal data is stored on workstations, and so reduces the risk of a data breach.
- Reduces IT support tickets
Without Deep Freeze, IT staff would spend a significant portion of their time troubleshooting individual workstation issues. By restoring systems automatically, Deep Freeze drastically reduces the number of support requests, allowing your IT team to focus on more critical projects.
- Prevents unauthorized software installations
Deep Freeze blocks any attempts to install unauthorized software, helping maintain system integrity and preventing potential security vulnerabilities.
- Safeguards system configurations
Workstations are protected from unauthorized configuration changes. This ensures uniformity across all systems, making it easier to manage and maintain a secure network.
- Protects against accidental data loss
Deep Freeze ensures that any accidental deletions or changes made by students are reversed, protecting system files and software from unintended damage.
Real-life success stories: Ballston Spa and Middlesex University
Educational institutions around the world have experienced firsthand the benefits of Deep Freeze. Take, for example, the Ballston Spa Central School District in New York. After deploying Deep Freeze across its 1,700 workstations, the district saw an 80% reduction in software-related issues and a significant improvement in system reliability. IT support requests dropped dramatically, allowing the tech team to focus on more strategic initiatives. Read the full case study here.
Similarly, Middlesex University Dubai experienced persistent system outages and malware threats as a result of frequent student alterations. After installing Deep Freeze, the university noticed a significant drop in IT support tickets and enhanced system reliability, providing a smooth experience for both students and staff. You’ll find the full case study here.
These success stories show how Deep Freeze may improve IT management in educational institutions by assuring security, uniformity, and efficiency across all workstations.
Deep Freeze: A reliable solution for educational IT management
Deep Freeze is a critical tool for educational institutions that want to secure and maintain consistent desktops. Resetting systems after each reboot prevents illegal changes and removes malware, delivering a reliable IT environment for both students and staff. Additionally, Deep Freeze reduces the IT effort, increases system uptime and provides long-term cost benefits.
For IT managers in education, Deep Freeze offers an efficient and effective way to secure, manage and streamline your systems, allowing you to focus on facilitating a seamless learning experience. Explore how Deep Freeze can transform your institution’s IT infrastructure today. Contact us for more information or to request a demo.
