| CaTS PC Guidelines 2007 |
Important Information for Wright State Departments |
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Introduction CaTS publishes equipment guidelines to assist departments and colleges in identifying computer systems that no longer have the required horsepower to run recommended software and access important network resources such as WINGS, WebCT and Banner. These guidelines help departments identify systems that should be replaced as part of the normal budget cycle. Warranty coverage also plays a key role; PCs and laptops purchased from MPC, our recommended supplier, will include a standard 5 year warranty. In the past, CaTS has published a single Minimum Hardware Guideline and suggested that any system falling below this standard be replaced. Starting with the July 2006 recommendations, we are publishing equipment guideline ranges to provide more information and encourage better planning for the future. The information may be more complex, so if you have any questions, please contact the CaTS Help Desk to arrange a consultation. Effective: July 1, 2007 PC Guidelines for 2006 PC Guidelines for 2002-2005 |
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| ALL SYSTEMS | CaTS recommends and supports Windows XP and MacOS X 10.3 and 10.4. Earlier operating systems such as Windows 95, 98, ME and MacOS 9 are no longer supported. All campus systems should have fully patched operating systems, anti-virus software installed and set for automatic updates. |
| RED ZONE
strongly advised to replace |
YELLOW ZONE
time to think about replacing |
GREEN ZONE
recommended minimum |
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Windows PC: < 1gHz Macintosh: < G4 800mHz RAM: 256mb Display: 17" at 1024 x 768 OS: Windows XP, MacOS X Performance of key applications (Office, browsers, WINGS, Banner, anti-virus) will be extremely slow on equipment in this category. Required hardware upgrades (RAM, hard drive, screen, etc) may exceed the value of the system. Current applications and security software may not be available on older operating systems. Systems are 5 years or older, are no longer under warranty and may be at higher risk of hardware failure or data corruption. |
Windows PC: 1gHz - 2.4gHz Macintosh: G4 800mHz - 1.25gHz RAM: 512mb Display: 17" at 1024 x 768 OS: Windows XP, MacOS X 10.3 Performance of applications (Office, Banner) may be slow, but functional. Fewer applications can be run at the same time. Systems in this category are reaching the end of warranty coverage and should be targeted for replacement in the next 12-18 months. May be suitable for lighter use areas such as lab/data entry stations, e-mail stations or users with limited needs. |
Windows PC: 2.4gHz or > Macintosh: G4 1.25 gHz or > RAM: 512mb Display: 17" at 1024 x 768 or > OS: Windows XP, MacOS X 10.4 Standard applications (Office, WINGS, WebCT, Banner) will be well supported in this category. Performance may be ehanced with additional memory or a larger display. Where possible, upgrades to 1gb RAM are encouraged. |
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| Windows VISTA |
In early 2007 Microsoft released a significant new operating
system upgrade. Windows Vista has dramaticly higher system requirements and an extensively redesigned interface that will
be unfamiliar and confusing for many users. CaTS is evaluating Vista, reviewing compatibility with key university
applications and evaluating security requirements. CaTS strongly advises against running Vista at this time. If you would like to prepare for a possible Vista upgrade later in the year, we anticipate a minimum hardware requirement of a 2.4gHz processor with 1gb of RAM. |