Desktop Computing Recommendations for Penn:
2006-2007 Annual Update Guide

Information Systems & Computing (ISC), in consultation with the Penn community, annually publishes recommendations for desktop computers. These recommendations reflect institutional and industry trends but do not necessarily take into account the computing requirements of specific Schools, departments, or Centers.

Before making purchasing decisions, administrators, faculty, and staff should always 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.

When choosing a new desktop system that will be used to access Penn's central administrative systems such as Business Enterprise Network (BEN) and PennERA, it is also important to consider the Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users.

Students should consult their Schools with respect to recommendations for individually-owned computers.

Desktop Recommendations for General-Purpose Computing

ISC's recommended configurations for new systems are shown in Figure 1. Estimated prices are effective June 1, 2006, and are based on Dell OptiPlex (Windows) systems with three-year next-day warranty service, Lenovo ThinkCentre (Windows) systems with three-year next-day warranty service, or Apple iMac (Mac OS) systems with one-year next-day warranty service. ISC will support these recommendations for four years, from July 1, 2006 until June 30, 2010.

Note: It is recommended that all new hardware purchased for Windows XP systems be listed on Microsoft's Windows Marketplace Test Products List site.

Footnotes:

1. A more detailed University-centric perspective on AMD and Intel processors is available from ISC's Processor Guide.


2. Support providers may find that deploying workstations with 2.0 GB of RAM more effectively uses the available slots in some configurations.


3. Systems that use network storage for their entire life cycle can use significantly smaller (i.e. 40 GB) hard drives, though such drive sizes are becoming increasing unavailable on mid-range workstations.


4. There are many attractive options in the display market, especially as 19-inch LCD prices continue to drop. However, 17-inch CRT monitors continue to be a viable alternative. See ISC's Monitor, Display, & Video Card Guide for more information.


5. Systems that remain on Ethernet-connected portions of the University campus or use high-speed off-campus connectivity do not require modems.


6. Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 is almost always the best choice for new workstations running the Windows platform because of its emphasis on security, superior driver support, stability, connectivity, and supportability. It is also the only version of Windows to implement the "No Execute" security capability supported by all current Intel and AMD processors.
   
   Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, when fully patched with security updates, remains a viable alternative to Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2.
   
   Windows 2000 Professional is in the last year of its life cycle (it will no longer be supported as of July, 2007) at the University and should be avoided on new workstations, unless there are compelling reasons such as legacy network connectivity or application support. In cases where Windows 2000 Professional is required, an upgrade to Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista will be required within the life of the workstation.
   
   ISC does not recommend Windows XP Home. Windows XP Home is missing important networking and security features, such as domain-based authentication, that are critical to many Schools and Centers in the University. In addition, Microsoft will not support Windows XP Home for the same extended period that it will support Windows XP Professional.


7. Mac OS 10.4.x is the only supported choice for new Macintosh workstations. It features superior driver support, connectivity, and security.


8. Pricing is generated using the online configurators available from Dell and Apple and is for general reference only. Support providers often will be able to generate significantly more competitive pricing.

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

Scope of This Document

The remainder of this document is divided into several sections:

• Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users for 2006-2007 - Caveats applying to users of administrative systems


• Phase-Out Configurations for 2006-2007 - "Heads-up" summary of existing configurations that should be replaced before July 1, 2007, when they will no longer be supported.


• Laptop Recommendations - Discussion of the differences between desktop and laptop standards, with links to the Laptop Computer Purchasing Guide document.


• Strategies Related to Total Cost of Ownership - Three year versus four year life cycles and other options.


• Additional Information - Links to related information.

Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users

Penn's administrative systems desktop requirements are consistent with the recommendations for general purpose workstations specified above, with a few exceptions for BEN Financials on Macintosh systems. Currently, Mac users are able to access/view/markup invoice images in native Macintosh mode without using Virtual PC. Please note that Mac users will still need to use Virtual PC to access the Oracle applications (i.e., BEN Balances and BEN Buys). Although a Macintosh with Virtual PC can access the Oracle applications using the current Windows Java client, Virtual PC is not certified by Oracle; therefore support is not guaranteed. Finally, Virtual PC does not run on Intel-based Macintoshes, though Apple's Boot Camp technology (and other virtualization technologies) show promise in this area.

Phase-Out Configurations for 2006-2007: 2003 Desktops to be Phased Out By June, 2007

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

Footnotes:

1. This processor phase-out specification is for second generation (P4B), non-numbered Pentium 4 processors with a 533 MHz bus speed. As Intel and AMD have not scaled clock speed significantly in the past several years, the traditional method of classifying aging workstations by clock speed is no longer useful.
2. Note that Mac OS 10.2.x will no longer be supported as of July, 2006 and Windows 2000 Professional will no longer be supported as of July, 2007.

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

Laptop Recommendations

Several distinct categories of laptop computers are available, each designed to suit the needs of a particular class of users. Historically, laptop computers have cost more than equivalent desktop computers and often have lagged a generation behind them in technology. Also, given the physical conditions they are often subjected to, laptop computers generally have a shorter useful life than desktop systems (typically three years or less). Therefore, ISC is providing support for three years for major brands of laptop computers that meet or exceed the 2005-2006 recommendations published last year. The Laptop Computer Purchasing Guide was developed to help you determine which combination of features will best serve your needs.

Strategies Related to Total Cost of Ownership

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

Given the continuous, rapid change in computing technology, purchasing a new system based on last year's recommendations and replacing it in three years (by June 30, 2009) may reduce purchase and support costs. Schools and Centers interested in purchasing systems at lower cost are encouraged to use the 2005-2006 recommendations 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 closely match the 2005-2006 specifications. Choosing between a three- and four-year strategy requires an understanding of local School or Center computing needs.

Finally, many manufacturers now offer four-year warranties, up from the fairly standard three years. If a workstation is going to be in use for the full four year life-cycle, these warranties (which typically add about $50 to the overall cost) may be appropriate.

Leasing

Leasing may make sense as a way to manage purchases 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. While we do not recommend leasing, 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 system 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 upgraded effectively.

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 type of desktop operating system to another (e.g., from Windows 2000 Professional to Windows XP Professional) you should carefully plan for this action. At a minimum, consider changes that will need to be made to the LAN server in the department and software license 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.

Additional Information

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. Windows XP Professional and Mac OS X offer enhanced security options that may be needed to support strategic goals in the future. As such, aging but still supported operating systems such as Windows 2000 Professional may face earlier retirement than previous versions of the Windows Operating System Life-Cycles document indicated.

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. Long-term guidance is also available for Windows Operating System Life-Cycles and Mac OS Operating System Life-Cycles.

Low-Cost PCs – 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 30% 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 in most cases you get what you pay for, and that the costs associated with supporting these systems typically far outweigh the actual purchase price, ISC does not recommend that "Low-Cost PCs" 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.

Further Information

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

ISC provides information on supported products.

Purchasing Services provides information on purchasing desktop computers.

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 connections see http://www.upenn.edu/computing/remote/.

If your School or Center 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; x3-3567).