Desktop Computing Recommendations for Penn:
2007-2008 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.

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

Key Considerations for This Year

Windows Vista

A key consideration this year when purchasing Windows desktops and laptops will be whether/when to purchase systems with Windows Vista rather than Windows XP Service Pack 2. Please review the following documents, which contain information regarding Windows Vista support and compatibility at Penn, prior to purchasing systems with Windows Vista.

• Vista Product Page and General Support Statement


• Windows Vista Editions


• Windows Vista Compatibility Chart

Sustainability

As part of the University's sustainability efforts, ISC is working with IT staff across campus to clearly document issues related to 'Green IT'. One option available to LSPs is to purchase small form factor or all-in-one desktops when possible - they use slightly less power and significantly less materials than mini-towers or towers. Another option is to buy new displays every other life cycle instead of every life cycle. For information on relative power usage of modern desktops and laptops in common use at the University under various operating conditions, see the Approximate Desktop & Laptop Power Usage page.

Administrative Systems

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.

Desktop Recommendations for General-Purpose Computing

ISC's recommended configurations for new systems are shown below. Estimated prices are effective June 1, 2007, and are based on small form factor Dell OptiPlex (Windows) systems with three-year next-day warranty service, small form factor Lenovo ThinkCentre (Windows) systems with three-year next-day warranty service, or all-in-one Apple iMac (Mac OS) systems with one-year next-day warranty service. ISC will support these recommendations for four years, from July 1, 2007 until June 30, 2011.

Footnotes:

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


2. Systems that use network storage for their entire life cycle may use smaller (i.e. 80 GB) hard drives.


3. See ISC's Monitor, Display, & Video Card Guide for more information.


4. Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 is supported and recommended. It is an appropriate 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 XP to implement the "No Execute" security capability supported by all current Intel and AMD processors. ISC does not recommend, but will support Windows XP Home Service Pack 2. 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.
   
   Windows Vista (Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions) is also supported and recommended for general use, though it is not currently compatible with all University applications. ISC does not recommend, but will support Home Premium. Home Premium is missing important networking and security features, such as domain-based authentication, that are essential to many Schools and Centers in the University. ISC will not support Home Basic. Home Basic is missing many important networking, maintenance, and security features that are critical to many Schools and Centers at the University. See the University's main Windows Vista page for more information and advice.


5. Mac OS 10.4.x is the only supported and recommended choice for new Macintosh workstations. It features superior driver support, connectivity, and security.
   
   Apple's Boot Camp technology, while still in beta, offers the promise of added flexibility in the future for users who need to occasionally use Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista. It should not be used to turn a Macintosh into a full time Windows machine. Boot Camp also requires that both the Windows and the Mac OS operating systems be patched and maintained.


6. 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.

It is recommended that all new hardware purchased for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista systems be listed on Microsoft's Windows Marketplace Test Products List site (only works with Internet Explorer 6 and above).

Scope of This Document

The remainder of this document is divided into several sections:

• Desktop Recommendations for Administrative Systems Users for 2007-2008 - Caveats applying to users of administrative systems


• 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 two exceptions for BEN Financials and Business Objects.

1. Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 is currently the only version of Windows certified by Oracle to work with BEN Financials and it is also the only version of Windows that works with Business Objects (both BEN Financials and Business Objects are currently only supported with Internet Explorer 6). Users of BEN Financials and Business Objects should avoid moving to Windows Vista until support for running BEN Financials within Vista is announced.


2. Currently, all Mac users are able to access/view/markup invoice images in native Macintosh mode.
   
   PowerPC-based 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.
   
   In the near future, users of Intel-based Macintoshes will be able to use Apple's Boot Camp technology (currently in beta and expected to release in October 2007) to run all BEN applications by booting into Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 and using the current Java client. Although an Intel-based Macintosh running Parallels Desktop or other virtualization technology can access the Oracle applications using the current Windows Java client, Parallels Desktop is not certified by Oracle; therefore support is not and will not be guaranteed.

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 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 2006-2007 recommendations. 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, 2010) may reduce purchase and support costs. Schools and Centers interested in purchasing systems at lower cost are encouraged to use the 2006-2007 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 2006-2007 specifications. Choosing between a three- and four-year strategy requires an understanding of local School or Center computing needs. Note that Schools and Centers that choose Windows XP Service Pack 2 and hope to avoid a mid-life operating system upgrade may wish to consider a three year life cycle.

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

For computers with warranties of less than three years, ISC strongly 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 operating system to another (e.g., from Windows XP Professional to Windows Vista) 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 Vista and Mac OS 10.4.x offer enhanced security options that may be needed to support strategic goals in the future. As such, currently supported and recommended operating systems such as Windows XP Service Pack 2 may face retirement within the four-year life cycle.

Note that Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Service Pack 1 and below will no longer be supported as of July, 2007 and Mac OS 10.3.x will no longer be supported as of July, 2008. Please refer to the Windows Operating System Life Cycles and Mac OS Operating System Life Cycles charts for long-term guidance.

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

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/.

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).