The document discusses the LibreSchool project, which aims to support schools that want to create or migrate computer labs to GNU/Linux and open-source software. It outlines the main goals of the project, which include fostering sharing and collaboration within schools. The project has two phases - lab creation and training. It also discusses why the creators chose to use NethServer as the server distribution to manage the labs, and some additional tools like Ansible, Network Package Manager, and Doraemon that were developed to further help manage the lab environment.

1. LibreSchool 1NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
THE LIBRESCHOOL PROJECT
Integrating NethServer in a scholastic FOSS environment
E. Vavassori, F. Fusili – BgLUG

2. LibreSchool 2NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
What is LibreSchool?
A short introduction

3. LibreSchool 3NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Main goals
● Support schools which want to
create or migrate didactic
laboratory to GNU/Linux and FOSS
● Foster sharing, collaboration and
participation culture (community )
within scholastic borders

4. LibreSchool 4NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Two phases
Lab creation
● Lab optimization
● Server deployment (1h)
● Teachers’ client
deployment (1,5h)
● Other clients
deployment (1,5h)
● Total time: 4h
Training
● Basics (8h)
● Lab maintenance (8h)
● Office automation
(20h)
● Specific software
(2h/software)

5. LibreSchool 5NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Technical goals
● Fully manageable by non-technical people
● Client independent (from user/hardware)
● Web content filtering
● Automatic non-presidiate backups
● Automatic “centralized” updates
● Reuse of old hardware
● Personal credentials
● Shared folders

6. LibreSchool 6NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Peculiarities
● Fat client/Server infrastructure
● Separate LAN for the lab
● PXE boot for quick/easy deployment
● (sort of) roaming profiles
● Ansible playbooks for server deployment
● Ansible to simulate Windows Group Policies
● Client OS is Edubuntu 14.04 LTS (still?)
● Server OS is NethServer 6.x (still?)

7. LibreSchool 7NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
CARAVAGGIO
I.C. «Mastri Caravaggini»

8. LibreSchool 8NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
BERGAMO
I.C. «Gabriele Camozzi»

9. LibreSchool 9NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
BERGAMO
Liceo SeminarioVescovile

10. LibreSchool 10NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Why NethServer?
Choosing the right server distribution

11. LibreSchool 11NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Goals
● FOSS distribution, no proprietary
software => ethical decision
● Free as in beer => no additional
costs for schools
● Web management console => ease
configuration/maintenance
● Enterprise-level distribution =>
Firewall/Proxy/Webfilter/Shared
folder

12. LibreSchool 12NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Zentyal
● First choice
● Started with version 4.1
● Based on Ubuntu
● Clean interface
We did not choose it because
Change of policy: version 4.2 excluded
mandatory packages (proxy)

13. LibreSchool 13NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
ClearOS
● Second choice
● Based on RedHat
● Version 6
● Good web interface (packages)
We did not choose it because
Over 25 clients, a payed license is required

14. LibreSchool 14NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Other evaluated alternatives
● UCS Univention Corporate Server: required a
Windows AD Domain Controller
● Linux Schools Karoshi Server: no web
interface
● Koozali SME Server: too complex, cannot
install
● FUSS server: Debian-based, no web interface

15. LibreSchool 15NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Finally, NethServer
● Last choice?
● Once we discovered e-smith and templates,
we simply loved it :)
● Awesome, clean and minimalistic web
interface
● Supportive community and good
documentation
● Completely free

16. LibreSchool 16NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Known technologies
What we already knew

17. LibreSchool 17NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara

18. LibreSchool 18NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
New technologies
What we learned

19. LibreSchool 19NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Ansible
Vagrant Epoptes
NethServer
OpenVPN

20. LibreSchool 20NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Ad-hoc developments
Still, the solution wasn’t complete

21. LibreSchool 21NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Network Package Manager
● What if a teacher needs a certain software
for his/her lesson?
● What if a software is deemed not suitable
and needs to be removed from each client?
● What if the teacher needs a specific
programs but scholars don’t?
Our answer:
Network Package Manager

22. LibreSchool 22NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Network Package Manager

23. LibreSchool 23NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Network Package Manager

24. LibreSchool 24NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Doraemon
● How a new client
should be named?
● What are domain
information?
● What role has the
client?
● What packages should
it install for its role?
Our answer:
Doraemon

25. LibreSchool 25NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Doraemon

26. LibreSchool 26NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Doraemon

27. LibreSchool 27NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Doraemon

28. LibreSchool 28NethServer Conference - September, 30th 2017, Gradara
Thanks for your attention!
• Email: info@libreschool.org
• Site: libreschool.org
• Sources (GPLv3): github.com/bglug-it
• On community.nethserver.org: @syntaxerrormmm,
@fuso, @pfinardi, @paspo