Desktop Computing Recommendations for Penn: 2000-2001 Annual Update Guide for Local Support Providers (LSPs)

Information Systems & Computing, in consultation with the Penn community, annually publishes recommendations for new desktop computers. These recommendations reflect institutional and industry trends but do not necessarily take into account the computing needs of specific schools or departments. Local support providers are responsible for delivering a variety of computing services within their departments. They consider local costs and operational requirements, and are responsible to ensure that connectivity to University wide systems is maintained as necessary. Consequently, these recommendations should be viewed as one of several important considerations local administrators use to inform their purchasing decisions, rather than as the sole basis for strategic computing decisions.

These recommendations apply to institutionally-owned computers. It is important that users consult with their local support providers (LSPs) before making desktop purchases so that local requirements can be fulfilled. Detailed recommendations are provided below to LSPs to assist them in making recommendations for their units. Students should consult their schools with respect to recommendations for individually-owned desktops.

For users who will access Penn's central administrative systems (e.g., BEN, FinMis, Data Warehouse, and future systems in support of research and student services), it is important to consider the Cornerstone recommendations below when choosing a new system.

Desktop systems purchased under the previous recommendations will continue to be supported by ISC until their previously documented expiration. ISC will continue to review desktop recommendations each year in light of University needs and industry changes.

Desktop Recommendations for General-purpose Computing

If you are buying a new machine, here are ISC's recommended configurations (Figure 1). ISC will support these recommendations until July 2004. It is recommended that all hardware purchased for Windows NT 4.0 workstations should be on Microsoft's Windows NT 4.0 Workstation Hardware Compatibility List. Estimated prices for Windows platforms are effective June 1, 2000, and are based on Dell Optiplex systems with Trinitron monitors and 3 year next-day warranty service. Estimated prices for the Macintosh platform are effective June 1, 2000, and are based on systems with Trinitron monitors.

An Alternate Strategy: A Three-year Life Cycle Based on Last Year's Recommendations

Given the continuous rapid change in computing technology, and the significant price difference between high-end and mid-range system configurations, some departments may find that buying lower cost systems with a shorter planned replacement cycle will reduce purchase and support costs. See the section below on Strategies Related to Total Cost of Ownership.

Desktop Recommendations for Cornerstone Users

Cornerstone is the University's initiative in deploying new administrative systems to support the restructuring of administrative functions at Penn. These new systems may require access by faculty as well as administrators, so keep that in mind when purchasing desktops for their use. In the past, releases of Cornerstone systems ran on desktops that fell below the recommended standard. Future releases will likely require desktops at standard to operate.

New versions of some Cornerstone systems will be based on Oracle's Network Computing Architecture (NCA), which relies on Java to deliver content to client desktops. ISC is currently piloting Oracle Government Financials NCA in preparation for deployment of future versions of FinMIS.

The Java environment that supports NCA is only available for the Windows platform at this time. We hope that in the future NCA will work with Mac OS Java, enabling Macs to access applications based on Oracle's Network Computing Architecture, but cannot guarantee it. The current Windows Java client works under Virtual PC, but Virtual PC is not certified by Oracle, and support for NCA on the Mac is therefore not guaranteed.

Windows 2000 has also not been certified by Oracle at this time.

If you are buying a new machine, the Windows or Macintosh configurations described above (Figure 1) should be sufficient to support administrative applications over the course of the support period. NCA applications are best used at high display resolutions (1024x768 or higher recommended, 800x600 minimum) that will support the large window sizes without scrolling. When choosing monitors be sure to specify a size that will support these resolutions comfortably for your users (17-inch minimum, as high as 21-inch recommended for users who are particularly sensitive to display characteristics).

Laptop Recommendations

Generally, laptop computers cost more than equivalent desktop computers and often lag a generation behind in technology. If you are planning to purchase a laptop to use as a primary desktop workstation it should comply with the appropriate general-purpose or Cornerstone minimum configurations. Due to the physical conditions endured by many laptops, and the rapid changes in technology that affect repair costs, expect laptop computers to have a shorter useful life than desktop computers (typically three years or less). Therefore, ISC is providing support for three years for major brands of laptop computers that meet last years recommended desktop configurations.

There are several distinct categories of notebook computer available, each designed to suit the needs of a particular class of users. The Laptop Computer Purchasing Guide was developed to help you in determining which combination of features will best serve your users.

End of Cycle: 1997 Desktops to be Phased Out During 2000-2001

The following minimum configurations for general-purpose computing represent the general departmental purchase recommendations from three years ago. They will be supported by ISC for one more year only.

Users with systems that do not meet the 1998-1999 Desktop Recommendations (Pentium II, 64 MB RAM, PowerPC G3, 64 MB RAM) should transition to the new purchase recommendations before July 2001.

A comparative history and a four year overview are provided for reference.

Strategies Related to Total Cost of Ownership

Four-year versus three-year life cycle

ISC continues to support a four-year replacement cycle, and departments that choose to deploy systems for four years should consider buying towards the high end of the recommendations to ensure as useful a desktop environment as possible towards the latter part of the computer's lifecycle. The goal behind this strategy is to purchase systems that will not have to be upgraded during their useful life – "closed boxes" that will not require the expense (parts and labor) of upgrades.

Given the continuous rapid change in computing technology, and the significant price difference between high-end and mid-range system configurations, some departments find that buying lower cost systems with a shorter planned replacement cycle reduces purchase and support costs. Departments interested in purchasing systems at lower cost are welcome to use the recommendations published last year as a guide, with the understanding that those systems will only be supported for a three-year cycle. The Value PC Buyers Guide offers recommendations for current systems that meet these specifications.

Choosing the right strategy for a school or center requires an understanding of local computing needs and the support implications associated with alternatives for distribution and maintenance of systems. The following case studies are provided to illustrate how two different strategies may be appropriate in specific settings.

Case Study 1 - Administrative department that supports twenty-four staff desktops

A three-year replacement cycle will require purchase of eight systems per year, which at current pricing (~$1,400/system) will result in an annual system cost of $11,200. A four-year cycle will require purchase of six systems at $2,500 for a total of $15,000. In addition to lower purchase costs, a benefit of the three-year cycle is a reduced chance that the operating system and application software purchased will need to be upgraded during the life of the system.

Case Study 2 - School that supports faculty with high-end desktop computing needs

In cases where some users need the most powerful desktop systems available, a managed two-tier distribution strategy may allow units to get the most from their investment at both ends of the life cycle. In one strategy employed on campus, power users get new high-end systems every two years, with the replaced systems passed down to users with less intensive computing requirements for the second half of their four-year life cycle. This strategy requires the added support costs associated with the mid-life trickle down, but maximizes the value of the equipment over its useful life.

Leasing

Leasing may make sense as a way to manage purchase and reduce total cost of ownership in cases where desktop equipment needs to be refreshed on a two-year life cycle. This is particularly true if there is no ability to re-deploy the systems as they are replaced, and where avoiding the costs associated with proper disposal of systems is important. This strategy may be appropriate for some campus computing labs.

Other Considerations

Upgrade

Departments may choose to purchase less expensive configurations (in particular, less RAM initially). If this is the case, an upgrade may be necessary during the lifecycle of the desktop computer to ensure four years of useful life. In addition, buyers with limited budgets may choose to trade off various components of a desktop system depending on specific needs: for example, memory versus additional hard disk space versus a larger monitor. Remember, it is easier to add additional memory or peripherals later, but some components (like a smaller monitor) cannot be effectively upgraded.

Extended Warranties

ISC recommends purchase of extended warranties where departments are not prepared to make repairs themselves, especially beyond the first year or two of a computer's useful life.

Platform Migration

Departments considering migrating from one desktop system to another (e.g., from Macintosh to Windows) should carefully plan for this action. At minimum, consider changes that will need to be made to the LAN server in the department, software license costs, technical training costs, end-user training costs, file conversion costs, and potential inconvenience to users. Your own expertise plays a major role in assessing migration as well.

Other Issues

Low Cost PC's – Not Recommended

Price reductions resulting from market competition and continued technical innovation make definition of "Low Cost PCs" a moving target. It is generally true, however, that computers priced in the bottom 20% of the current range compromise some combination of performance, reliability, compatibility, or expandability to achieve the lowest possible costs. Compatibility with recommended network products is a particularly important consideration at Penn.

Bearing in mind that you get what you pay for in most cases, and that the costs associated with supporting these systems typically outweigh the actual purchase price, ISC recommends that "Low cost PCs" not be purchased for general use. PCs based on low-end non-Intel processors (e.g., AMD or Cyrix) are also not recommended at this time. The potential risk introduced by these companies is not balanced by a sufficient reduction in price for computers based on these processors. Intel Celeron processors are considered adequate for general-purpose use.

The Value PC Buyers Guide offers recommendations for competitively priced systems that are compatible with Penn's network environment and are widely supported on campus.

Operating System Support

While ISC expects recommended operating systems to persist through the four-year lifecycle of the desktop recommendations, that may not always be possible. Departments should be prepared for the possibility of an operating system migration during the next four years.

Please refer to the Windows System Specifications and Mac OS System Specifications for ISC recommendations regarding system configurations which support specific operating systems and versions.

Additional Information

The Computer Connection offers configurations that match the recommendations discussed above.

ISC provides information on supported products.

Acquisition Services provides information on purchasing desktop computers.

If your school or department is considering major changes or investments, ISC strongly recommends a consultation to weigh pros and cons in today's rapidly changing environment (contact John Mulhern III in ISC, mulhernj@isc.upenn.edu; 573-3567).

All desktop systems should have important data backed up and be virus-free. Additional information on information system security can be found at http://www.upenn.edu/computing/security/.

For more information on off-campus network connection see http://www.upenn.edu/computing/remote/