Background
Norfolk Public Schools is the public-school division serving the City of Norfolk, Virginia. The district has 49 schools, including elementary, middle grade, high school, and auxiliary programs, educating nearly 27,000 students every day. Like many educational institutions, the school relies on its IT infrastructure for critical technology services to support teaching, learning, and administrative functions throughout the entire school system.
Business Challenge
Solution
When the district began planning for this complex project, the CIO and IT leaders worked closely with ePlus, its partner for nearly a decade, to evaluate options and develop a comprehensive solution that would address both immediate licensing pressure as well as the long-term infrastructure needs.
The solution centered on migrating from the legacy HyperFlex environment to Nutanix software running on new Cisco hardware. Since Norfolk Public Schools was already familiar with Cisco from their existing HyperFlex deployment, continuing with Cisco infrastructure provided an easier transition path while adopting the Nutanix hyperconverged software platform. ePlus partnered with both Cisco and Nutanix to jointly architect a solution tailored to the district’s specific requirements. But the unexpected price increase in licensing from its existing vendor added a whole new wrinkle to the team’s plan.
To address the challenge, ePlus developed an aggressive implementation schedule led by an ePlus project manager and staffed with subject matter experts to carry it out. Within 32 days, the project team:
- Conducted site assessments at each location
- Ordered, installed, and configured new Cisco hardware at 53 sites
- Configured the new Nutanix platform
- Migrated over 400 virtual machines to the new platform
- Managed a seamless cutover to the new operating environment
- Consolidated two production data centers into a single site
Business Outcomes
Significant Cost Savings
The migration delivered strong, long-term financial benefits to Norfolk Public Schools. By moving away from their current licensing model, the district avoided the 680% cost increase and secured a five-year licensing agreement with Nutanix that will save approximately $2 million compared to what they would have paid for their existing solution over the same period. These projected savings allowed the school system to invest in modernizing its infrastructure while increasing the return on investment (ROI) of its technology spend.
Accelerated Project Delivery
ePlus demonstrated the value of its deep bench of technical expertise by delivering a six-month project in just 32 days. By mobilizing engineers from across the United States and implementing parallel deployment strategies, the team met what seemed like an impossible deadline. The coordination between project management, technical delivery teams, and account management ensured that every phase, from site assessments through final cutovers, progressed smoothly and on schedule.
Increased Performance and Reliability
The infrastructure refresh brought Norfolk Public Schools from aging hardware to current-generation Cisco servers across all locations. The newer equipment inherently delivers better performance, providing faster response times and improved reliability for the applications and services that students, teachers, and staff depend on daily.
Simplified Infrastructure Management
The new Cisco hardware combined with the Nutanix platform provides Norfolk Public Schools with unified management capabilities across its distributed technology estate. This consolidation reduces administrative complexity and enables more efficient operations.
Access to New Capabilities
The Nutanix platform unlocks functionality that was not available in the previous environment. The district now has embedded disaster recovery services that simply need to be configured rather than requiring separate solutions. Security policies can be integrated directly into the platform, simplifying security management. The system also provides comprehensive visibility through reporting and analytics across the entire platform, helping IT staff monitor usage patterns and reduce resource waste. While the rapid implementation timeline meant the district is still learning to fully leverage these capabilities, they represent significant value that will be realized as the team ramps up on the new platform.
A Valued Partnership Continues
Norfolk Public Schools and ePlus have developed a valuable partnership over the years—and that partnership shined during this project. Throughout this challenging transformation, ePlus reinforced its role as a trusted technology advisor. The team’s ability to consult objectively, present clear ROI analysis, rapidly mobilize resources, and deliver on aggressive timelines demonstrated the value of a true partnership approach. The school district now has a modern, scalable infrastructure platform that positions them well for future growth and evolving educational technology needs.