Reasons for Hardware Standards

TMCC has established a hardware standard for computers located in administrative work areas and in academic computer labs on http://select.gateway.com/tmcc. The standards were created for the following reasons:

• Liken the need for standardized equipment to the need for a contractor to build a building but every worker is using different parts, i.e., many plumbers putting in the infrastructure but the pipes they use are different and may not fit together; thus leaks or water may not flow.
• The ability of technical support staff to support multiple systems is limited; when the college was smaller and had few users and computers, this was a possibility. As the college continues to grow, supporting multiple versions of computer systems, each requiring different images, etc., is impossible, especially given the full-time staff available to support the college and the reliance on student technicians to provide the support.
• Standard configurations ensure faster response time and faster troubleshooting time since all systems are configured the same. End result: Easier configuration, management, troubleshooting, and upgrading.
• Support staff unfamiliar with disparate systems cause customers to spend time supporting themselves (and each other). This is a cost that often is not considered by organizations, i.e., lost productivity.
• Provides a long-term working relationship with a mainstream computer vendor which makes it more likely that special service or pricing can be obtained for faculty, staff, and students.
• Eliminates variables that must be considered with Information Technology Services and deployment, network access, and hardware configuration/reconfiguration.
• Positions the college to run newer software without requiring upgrades. This eliminates future costs.

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