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On This Page: Environment Thresholds | Desktop
Recomendations | Software
Recommendations
FY2005 Administrative Computing Desktop Environment
Thresholds
The initiative to transition to a 4
year renewal cycle for desktop
computers continues in this fiscal year. The 'threshold' recommendations
listed below reflect this initiative by indicating Macintosh computers
and
Microsoft Windows computers first purchased during the summer of
2001 or later as continuing to be effective for Administrative Computing
desktop needs.
Monitor replacements will continue to be assessed independent
of
computers.
Cost sharing will continue for laptop deployments during FY2005.
Macintosh
Desktop Thresholds:
- Power Mac G4 desktop computers with cpu speed of
700 MHz or greater
- 256 MB of memory (RAM) or greater
- 40 GB hard drive and CD-RW
- MacOS X 10.2.8 or greater
- 17 inch Flat Panel (LCD) or Monitor (CRT)
Microsoft
Windows Desktop Thresholds:
- Dell Optiplex desktop computers with cpu speeds of
1 GHz or greater
- 256 MB of memory (RAM) or greater
- Windows XP Pro OS,
- Note: Windows 2000 Pro OS is planned for retirement
as of mid FY2005
- 17 inch Flat Panel (LCD) or Monitor (CRT)
FY2005 Administrative Computing Desktop Recommendations
Recommendations for new desktop computers may be adjusted
during
the fiscal year due to vendor product line revisions or vendor partnership
negotiations. The initial recommendations for Fiscal Year 2005 are
as follows.
Macintosh
Computer Recommendation:
- Apple Power Mac G4 desktop computer with dual cpu's
running at 1.25 GHz
- 512 MB of memory (RAM)
- 80 GB hard drive and DVD/CD-RW (Combo Drive)
- MacOS X 10.3 or greater
Microsoft
Windows Computer Recommendation:
- Dell Optiplex GX270 with cpu speed of 2.6 GHz or
greater
- 512 MB of memory (RAM)
- 40 GB hard drive and DVD/CD-RW
- Windows XP Pro Operating System
NOTE: floppy
drives continue to be included in our configuration for the
time
being but may be dropped at any time.
FY2005 Administrative Computing Desktop Infrastructure Software
Recommendations
Some current recommendations and anticipated changes
in desktop infrastructure
software include the following.
Macintosh (Mac Os X 10.3 or Higher):
- Apple's 'Software Update' run at least weekly to apply all
Apple corrections/enhancements
- Virex 7.2 or higher with Virus description updates as
they become available
- Safari web browser 1.2 or later, or Netscape 7.02
- Eudora 6.1
- Microsoft Office X (Microsoft Office 2004 anticipated)
- SUN Java Run Time 1.4.2
Microsoft Windows:
- Windows
Critical Update service running to assist in quickly
applying corrections/enhancements
- VirusScan
7.0 or higher with daily Virus description updates
- Internet
Explorer web browser 6.0 SP1
- Netscape
web browser 7.02
- Eudora
5.2 (may become a minimum version soon to help
control
junk e-mails, etc.)
- Microsoft
Office 2003 or XP with MS Office Updates applied
- SUN
Java Run Time 1.4.2 or higher
- Kerberos
for Windows 2.6 or 2.5
FY2005 Administrative Computing Desktop Application
Software
Macintosh:
(MAC OS X 10.3 or Higher) :
Coeus - new release anticipated this summer (which will
require MacOS
X 10.3 and Java Run Time 1.4.2 or higher)
Microsoft
Windows:
- SAPgui
6.20 release for Windows to become 'required' in the fall
- Coeus new release anticipated this summer (which
will require
SUN Java Run Time 1.4.2 or higher)
Special Considerations For Desktop Configuration And Security
Software Updates:
Over the course of FY2004 it became critically important
that all desktop
computers stay up to date with Operating System and other software
vendor patches and updates. This need continues
at MIT and for the time
being we must assume will be an on-going need for all computers
connecting to the Internet. Daily Automated Updates are urgently
recommended for the Operating System, Anti-Virus software, and
Office Suites at a minimum.
E-Mail
The latest versions of MIT installers for Eudora (5.2
or higher) are
configured to Authenticate on Send for all outgoing e-mails. This
feature could become a requirement at any time now as a means
to control malicious e-mails claiming to be sent from individuals
or computers on the MIT network (when in fact
they originate
elsewhere) and through the IS&T e-mail infrastructure. This feature
can also be effective when an ISP (Internet Service Provider) has
blocked the traditional ports used for sending e-mail. Please ensure
that all computers have the latest releases of the e-mail applications
and that the product is configured to Authenticate on Send.
For further information see:
Setting up AppleMail for Secure SMTP
http://web.mit.edu/is/products/applemail/smtponlyapplemail-102.html
Setting up Microsoft Outlook for Secure SMTP
http://web.mit.edu/is/products/outlook/smtponlyoutlook.html
Setting up Microsoft Outlook Express for Secure SMTP
http://web.mit.edu/is/products/outlookexpress/smtponlyoutlookexpress.html
Additional Software Information is available at:
The Software Release Team web page <http://mit.edu/swrt/>
The MIT Software Distribution web page <http://mit.edu/software/>
Software at MIT <http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/software/>
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