Desktop Computing Recommendations for Penn:
2001-2002 Annual Update Guide

Information Systems & Computing (ISC), 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. They should therefore be viewed as one of several important considerations informing purchasing decisions, rather than as the sole basis for strategic computing decisions.

It's very important that administrators, faculty, and staff also consult their local support providers (LSPs) to ensure that local requirements are fulfilled. LSPs consider local costs and operational requirements, and are responsible for ensuring that connectivity to University wide systems is maintained as necessary. In addition, when choosing a new system that will be used to access Penn's central administrative systems (e.g., Business Enterprise Network systems such as BEN Financials, Data Warehouse, and future systems in support of research and student services), it is important to consider the Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users below.

Students should consult their schools with respect to recommendations for individually-owned desktops.

Desktop Recommendations for General-purpose Computing

ISC's recommended configurations for new machines are in Figure 1. Estimated prices are effective June 1, 2001, and are based on Dell OptiPlex (Windows) systems with Trinitron monitors and 3 year next-day warranty service or Apple Power Macintosh (Mac OS) systems with Trinitron monitors and 1 year next-day warranty service. ISC will support these recommendations for four years, from July 1, 2001 until June 30, 2005.

Note: It is recommended that all hardware purchased for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Professional workstations should be on Microsoft's Windows Hardware Compatibility List.

Footnotes:

1. Based on past experience, it is possible that 256 MB RAM will not be enough for the full four-year life cycle.
2. Windows 2000 Professional and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 are significantly more reliable and supportable than other versions of Windows (e.g., Windows 95/98/ME). Windows 2000 Professional is generally the best choice for the Windows platform because of its superior driver support, better reliability, and better connectivity.
3. Though Mac OS 9.1 will continue to be a recommended version of the Mac OS for the early part of Fiscal Year 2002, it is possible that Mac OS 9.1 may not be supported for the full four-year life cycle.

ISC's Performance PC Buyer's Guide offers quarterly purchase recommendations for new systems that meet or exceed these specifications.

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, many departments find that purchasing a new system based on last year's recommendations and replacing it in three years by June 30, 2004 reduces purchase and support costs. See the section below on Strategies Related to Total Cost of Ownership.

Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users

Penn's new administrative systems (e.g., Business Enterprise Network systems such as BEN Financials, Data Warehouse, and future systems in support of research and student services) are based on Oracle's Network Computing Architecture (NCA), which relies on Java to deliver content to client desktops. Currently, the Java environment that supports NCA is only available for the Windows platform. Although a Macintosh with Virtual PC can run the current Windows Java client, Virtual PC is not certified by Oracle; support for NCA on the Macintosh is therefore not guaranteed. We hope that in the future NCA will work with Mac OS Runtime for Java.

New and updated BEN applications planned for rollout in Fiscal Year 2002 will require systems that meet at least the 1999-2000 Desktop Recommendations. Existing desktop systems that do not meet the 1999-2000 standards should be replaced by the time these new applications are rolled out. New systems that meet the recommended Windows or Macintosh configurations described in Figure 1 above should be sufficient to support administrative applications until June 30, 2005.

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 further discussion, please see ISC's Monitor & VRAM guide.

Laptop Recommendations

Several distinct categories of notebook computers are available, each designed to suit the needs of a particular class of users. Generally, laptop computers cost more than equivalent desktop computers and often lag a generation behind in technology. Also, given the physical conditions they are often subjected to, laptop computers generally 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 the configurations in the Laptop Computer Purchasing Guide, which was developed to help you in determining which combination of features will best serve your needs.

Minimum Standards For 2001-2002: 1998 Desktops to be Phased Out By June, 2002

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

Users with systems that do not meet the 1999-2000 Desktop Recommendations (Pentium III, 128 MB RAM, PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM) should plan to replace those systems before July 2002.

Note: while these systems are supported by ISC until July 2002, new BEN applications planned for rollout in Fiscal Year 2002 will require systems that meet the 1999-2000 Desktop Recommendations. In cases where users of administrative applications have desktop systems that do not meet the 1999-2000 standards, please plan for a system replacement by that time.

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, but given the continuous rapid change in computing technology, and the significant price difference between high-end and mid-range system configurations, many departments find that a three year cycle reduces purchase and support costs. Departments interested in purchasing systems at lower cost are encouraged to use the 2000-2001 recommendations published last year as a guide, with the understanding that those systems will only be supported for three years. The Value PC Buyers Guide offers recommendations for current systems that meet 2000-2001 specifications.

Choosing between a three- and four-year strategy for requires an understanding of local school or center computing needs. The following case studies 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 (~$1,300/system) will result in an annual system cost of $10,400. A four-year cycle will require purchase of six systems, which at current pricing (~$1,725/system) will result in a total of $10,350. 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 systems cannot be redeployed as they are replaced. This strategy may be appropriate for some campus computing labs.

Other Considerations

Upgrade

Buyers with limited budgets may choose to purchase less expensive configurations (in particular, less RAM initially). In such cases, an upgrade may be necessary during the life cycle of the desktop computer to ensure four years of useful life. Buyers with limited budgets may also 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 easy 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

If you are considering migrating from one desktop system to another (e.g., from Macintosh to Windows or from Windows 95/98/ME to Windows NT/2000) you 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, and file conversion costs. The level of expertise you have with the new operating system is also an important factor, and you should plan for training costs if appropriate.

Other Issues

RAM

Based on past experience, it is possible that 256 MB RAM will not be enough for the full four-year life cycle for both Windows and Mac OS workstations. Whenever possible, buy RAM so that some slots are available for future upgrades.

Operating System Support

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

While ISC continues to support Windows 95, it is becoming increasingly difficult to support. Microsoft has announced that they will no longer be supporting Windows 95 as of December 31st, 2001.

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.

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.

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.

Additional Information

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

ISC provides information on supported products.

Acquisition Services provides information on purchasing desktop computers (requires PennNet ID and password).

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/.