Glow

The main components of Glow are:

• a national directory and authentication system 
• a national virtual learning environment (VLE) 
• collaborative software applications 
• support services.  

There are some minimum requirements to ensure that all of the components can operate on school and local authority computers. Here we outline some of these.

Web browsers

HTML 4 compliant browsers will be the minimum requirement for accessing Glow. An online tool will be made available as part of the Glow package which will help to determine whether a computer has the right software versions and plug-ins.

Network client hardware

Computer specifications are driven by the need to support particular web browsers and other applications like Net Conferencing. The Glow supported browser version may detail its own specific minimum hardware/operating system requirements.  

Firewalls

Some of the applications will require that specified ports must be open, on local authority and school firewalls between the Glow Datacentre and the network clients. Each local authority will need to consider the need to reconfigure firewalls with recommendations made by the Glow programme team. All Glow services will be hosted in the datacentre on a specific range of IP addresses, so firewall rules will only be required for these addresses.

Additional software requirements

Some specific services will require additional browser plug-ins or software products to be installed at the client.

Network bandwidth

Real-time applications which feature video, audio or large file transfer or streaming will have implications regarding network load. Local authorities should consider these effects on the installed infrastructure when deciding to roll out a particular service or application.

Document Store

Please find below downloadable versions of all technical standards and policy documents which are relevant to the Glow project.