Getting started
Pilot programme
Run a scoped pilot of Cloud Pulse, Student Web Host Manager or Cover Manager: one module or cohort, agreed success criteria, real teaching conditions and a clear decision at the end.
Education Host runs scoped pilots so institutions can evaluate a platform under real teaching conditions before committing: typically one module, cohort or school, with success criteria agreed up front, support during the pilot, and a clear review at the end. Pilots are scoped during an initial consultation.
How does a pilot work?
Pilots follow the same honest structure regardless of platform:
- Scope — one module, cohort or school; what is in and out
- Success criteria — agreed up front with teaching and IT stakeholders
- Setup — a real deployment of the platform, not a mock-up
- Run — under genuine teaching conditions, with support throughout
- Review — what worked, what did not, and a decision either way
What can be piloted?
Cloud Pulse pilots typically run one practical module's labs — for example a Linux, security or AI module — with a reusable template and a defined cohort. Student Web Host Manager pilots typically provision hosting for one course or module group. Cover Manager pilots run the absence-and-cover workflow for a school across a defined period.
What does a pilot cost?
Pilot terms are scoped in the initial consultation — scale, duration and any charge depend on the platform and what the pilot needs to prove. The scoping conversation is free, and a Cloud Pulse demo with trial access can be booked directly.
What happens after the pilot?
A structured review against the agreed criteria, then a decision: expand to full deployment (the pilot configuration carries forward), adjust and re-run, or stop — with your data handled per the agreed wind-down. No automatic rollover into a contract.
Pilot programme — frequently asked questions
Direct answers for IT, security, procurement and teaching teams.
- Can we pilot before procurement completes?
- Typically yes — pilots are commonly used to generate the evidence procurement and IT reviews need. Pilot terms are kept deliberately simple and agreed in the scoping conversation.
- How long does a pilot run?
- Long enough to prove the success criteria under real conditions — often aligned to a teaching block or module. Duration is agreed during scoping rather than fixed.
- Do students use the real platform during a pilot?
- Yes. Pilots run on real deployments under genuine teaching conditions — that is the point of piloting rather than watching a demo.
- What if the pilot shows the platform is not the right fit?
- Then we say so and stop — with your data handled per the agreed wind-down. An honest no is a better outcome than a bad deployment.
- How do we start?
- Book a consultation and tell us which module, cohort or school you have in mind — we will scope the pilot, criteria and timeline with you.
Every deployment starts with a conversation
Tell us about your institution, modules and requirements — we will answer the technical and commercial questions honestly, including where something is not the right fit.