5 tools for a tech team of one

It’s tough managing technology as a one-person team in a school. From handling password resets and account provisioning to ensuring the infrastructure is protected from potential attacks, you have to find the right balance between multiple critical tasks, all while making sure nothing slips. 

The workload can be overwhelming, leaving you stretched thin and often firefighting instead of strategizing. So how do you stay ahead of the curve when every day brings a new challenge? 

This is where embracing effective tools and strategies becomes indispensable. Clever’s suite of tools is specifically designed to alleviate these burdens by automating routine tasks, enhancing system security, and simplifying user management. 

In this article, we’ll explore how features like automated monitoring, centralized password management, and effortless tool rollout can fundamentally transform your operational efficiency.

1. Automation

Schools often have hundreds, if not thousands, of user profiles that they have to manage. Manually creating and deleting each account and ensuring that every student and staff member has access to the necessary resources is practically a full-time job.

Many tech teams, even solo ones, often rely on spreadsheets to track users and changes. While this method can work, it is prone to oversights, especially when multitasking on various high-priority projects.

That’s where the power of automation proves invaluable. By automating these processes, you can:

• Reclaim precious time 
• Eliminate errors
• Focus on larger, more complex projects that will significantly fortify your schools’ cybersecurity against ever-evolving threats.

Clever’s Secure Sync Rostering and Identity Management (IDM) solutions are some of the best tools to help you do just that. Designed to streamline user account management and automate data rostering across all your educational apps, these solutions drastically simplify day-to-day operations.

Clever Identity Management (IDM) simplifies the process of account provisioning and deprovisioning, ensuring every user has appropriate access to the resources they need—and removing access when it’s no longer required. 

This means no more manual entries or stressful bulk updates during peak times such as the start of the school year. 

This tool works hand-in-hand with Clever’s Secure Sync Rostering, which connects your school district’s Student Information System (SIS) to your educational applications. 

To maintain up-to-date access and data accuracy, the system performs automated daily syncs through Clever-Managed Auto Syncs. This constant synchronization ensures that everyone has access to what they need, exactly when they need it.

These tools not only make your job easier but also elevates the overall educational experience by ensuring that technology integration is smooth, secure, and up to date.

Learn more about Clever Secure Sync Rostering and Clever IDM.

2. Centralized password management

Managing passwords across a school system can feel like a never-ending game of catch-up—even for the most experienced teams. When students or teachers forget their passwords or can’t access their accounts, not only is learning disrupted, but resolving these issues can consume a significant portion of your day. 

Every moment spent resetting passwords or unlocking accounts is a moment taken away from other critical tasks. Clever’s Identity Management (IDM) provides a robust solution to this common problem by putting some of the power back in users hands. 

With Clever IDM, students and teachers can independently reset their passwords for key accounts like Google, Entra ID, and Active Directory directly through the Clever platform. This capability greatly reduces the frequency of access-related interruptions and frees you up to focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, when passwords are reset through Clever, we keep them in sync across your various IdP accounts. 

Clever IDM also maintains central control over password creation and distribution, ensuring that security protocols are upheld without compromising the ease of access for users. With Clever IDM, you can generate and distribute randomized passphrases for your users to ensure they start out securely. 

As a result, your school can handle password management more efficiently and quickly, unlocking learning opportunities for students.

By adopting Clever IDM, you streamline user support, enhance security, and ensure that everyone in your school community has the access they need when they need it, making your role as a solo tech team more manageable and far more impactful.

Learn more about Clever IDM and its password management features.

3. Simple rollout

For the lone tech team member in a school, time is a scarce resource. Implementing new tools can often seem daunting—not only do they require learning and setup time, but lengthy and complex deployments can divert attention from daily responsibilities. 

When you’re responsible for the entire school’s technology infrastructure, you don’t have the luxury of dedicating months, or even a full year, to setting up critical systems.

That’s why Clever designed their entire suite of tools, including their IDM and Classroom MFA solutions, to be straightforward and quick to implement. They are built to integrate seamlessly with existing systems, ensuring that you can get them up and running without the need for extensive training or complicated 100-page setup guides.

This means you can start leveraging these tools to improve security, enhance learning, and streamline operations almost immediately. 

Plus, every solution comes with clear, step-by-step guidance and access to a supportive community that can help answer questions and share best practices.

For more information, check out this article.

4. Strong support

It’s not uncommon for a school’s sole IT professional to wear multiple hats, from managing infrastructure to serving as the school’s help desk.

When a problem arises, the challenge isn’t always just about fixing it—it’s also about finding the time and support to resolve issues without disrupting the entire school’s operations.

Without a team to support you, who do you turn to?

With Clever, you’re never alone. You have access to a strong, experienced support team that’s ready to assist you at a moment’s notice. This ensures that you can return to the vital work of supporting educational technology without delay.

Clever’s support extends beyond just reactive problem-solving. Through Clever Academy, the platform offers self-paced training specifically designed for IT teams and their community of educators. 

This resource allows you to build your expertise at your own pace, ensuring that you have the knowledge and skills needed to preemptively manage potential issues and make the most of Clever’s tools.

See how Clever Academy can support a tech team of one.

5. Automated monitoring & reporting

With so much to do and so much to pay attention to, it’s crucial to have a streamlined way to monitor and track your district’s activities. Visibility into your data syncs, such as rostering or identity management, is essential for maintaining smooth operations.

Clever’s built-in monitoring and reporting capabilities offer an easy solution to this challenge. Clever Analytics provides immediate insights into edtech usage across your district, showing you how digital tools are utilized by students and teachers. This visibility helps you optimize resources and ensure educational technologies are leveraged effectively to enhance learning experiences.

Additionally, Clever IDM facilitates a clear view into important operational processes with features that track ongoing sync histories as well as surfacing any issues that occur with account creation so you can be proactive in managing them. 

Login logs are also readily accessible, offering a valuable resource for troubleshooting login issues swiftly—ensuring that no technical hitches hinder educational access.

These tools automate the process of collecting and presenting crucial data for IT staff who work alone. By letting you see what’s happening across your district, Clever helps you manage day-to-day tasks more effectively and frees up your time to focus on strategic projects.

Discover more about how Clever’s monitoring and reporting tools can simplify your IT responsibilities.

As we’ve seen, the right tools can make a world of difference for solo tech teams in schools, transforming overwhelming challenges into manageable tasks. 

If you’re ready to take your school’s technology management to the next level and reduce the daily strain, we’re here to help. Book a call with a Clever cybersecurity specialist to explore tailored solutions that can meet your unique needs.

Or, if you’re ready to streamline your IT tasks today, join  thousands of districts who have already reduced their workload and sign up for Clever.