Lincoln University Case Study - The Novatech Difference

We’ve got a storied recent history when it comes to supplying machines to some of the most revered educational establishments in the country, but one partnership which we’re particularly proud of is Lincoln University. We’ve partnered with the School of Computer Science (SoCS) on multiple occasions to deliver custom hardware which fit their requirements, both for learning and for research.

Discussion

According to Matt Ashton, SoCS’ Technical Resource Manager, their machines support teaching across all programmes: “from game design and development to robotics, machine learning and medical imaging.” As such, they have very bespoke needs when it comes to delivering both learning resources and research equipment, which includes everything from servers to storage.

Given their unique needs, Matt and the SoCS team have always found standard, ‘mainstream’ off-the-shelf solutions to be impractical and unable to meet those needs. The combinations of graphics cards, CPUs and storage are rarely fit for use when it comes to the school’s demands. The only options available from the mainstream brands are either too expensive to be financially viable or not powerful enough.

They also have quite specific requirements for how the machines look, with Matt describing unique “power and aesthetics” as a source of pride for the department. SoCS doesn’t operate as a corporate network, so Matt and the team want their workstations to look like the machines students use at home- something they can feel comfortable with, and something that stands out.

Design

Our most recent project saw the school being kitted out with our Reign Gaming PCs, which sport an Intel Core i5-11600K, NVIDIA RTX 3070, and 16GB of dual channel 3200MHz RAM with a 1TB SSD. While they won’t necessarily be used for gaming, these workstations will play a pivotal role in the academic activities and experiences of students.

We worked closely with the University of Lincoln on these builds to ensure all of the systems would not only look the part but be designed to the latest spec to grab the attention of both current and prospective SoCS students. We also worked to ensure maximum compatibility for the school’s needs in both Windows and Linux operating systems. This gives students a variety of tools, options, and experiences, regardless of their preferred platform.

Delivery

Matt says that our Reign Gaming PCs were an “obvious fit”.

“[They] have always been incredibly well-received,” he adds, “playing a key part in both student satisfaction, recruitment, and helping to build active student societies focused around the use of the facilities.”

This unique kind of expertise is of significant importance to Matt and his team.

It allows them to work together with their Account Manager to devise the perfect machines - bespoke solutions rather than off the shelf products that are not fit for purpose.

Building relationships

Our relationship with SoCS is always evolving. For example, as Matt describes: “The school works with Novatech in planning rolling replacement of computing lab facilities and infrastructure years in advance. This is supplemented by the development and rolling replacement of specialist facilities including peripherals for virtual reality, mobile development, PC gaming, console gaming and streaming.”

We’ve also been involved quite deeply with student activities when it comes to offering support for the various game jams and “hackathons” that SoCS hosts throughout the year. At these events, students are set a task - which isn’t revealed until the event begins. They’ll then have either 24 or 48 hours to complete that task using whatever facilities they have at their disposal. It can be anything from developing a game based around a specific theme to prototyping a bespoke solution to a set problem. These are student-led events that see students and alumni travel from across the country, including students from other universities, to take part because of how well- equipped the labs are. We’ve even gone as far as to provide prizes for these events as an added reward for attendees.

Matt explains: “Attendees to the event are given the freedom to be as creative as they like in developing a game or solution up to a set deadline. They then present their ideas and work to everyone, whether the solution is complete or not. The focus is not on the end product, but on presenting ideas. So even if everything went wrong over the course of the event, we still encourage people to present their ideas.”

In addition to the overall theme, they also include a list of optional modifiers that attendees can work to include in their creations. After all of the ideas and solutions have been presented, a panel of judges, often including industry guests, will pick out individuals or teams that they feel deserve recognition for their work being the most polished, original idea, best use of the modifiers, or overall best creation.

Events like these are prime examples of how SoCS get the best out of our award-winning hardware, supplementing students’ academic studies with social and enjoyable experiences.

Matt and the team don’t just use our machines for kitting out the teaching labs either. They also use them for intensive research projects.

When they’re planning a research project and bidding for funding, members of SoCS and other departments from the University of Lincoln will often discuss with us what equipment will be required to deliver the kind of world-leading research they are renowned for. This technology-first discussion will lead to quotes that form a key part of a funding Application. It’s very much a ‘one hand washing the other’ situation, as if the bid is successful, SoCS will use our machines to put in place a solution that delivers on the promises outlined in the bid. Bids can be for anything from individual workstations running simulations for robotics to GPU servers or HPC systems being built using Novatech-built solutions.

This exceptional post-sale support is just one of the many reasons why the team at the School of Computer Science continue to leverage our mutually beneficial relationship, to inspire technologists as they progress through higher education and onto successful careers.

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