Information Technology

State Government Enterprise IT Standards

Standard S-002-001

Technology:	Platform Architecture - Software
Category:	PC/Client Operating System: Workstation (desktops and laptops)
Purpose:	Recommended guidelines for new procurements & upgrades Revisions to standard issued 10/27/1998
Effective Date:	April 8, 2005
Review Cycle :	Annual

 

Standard:

Product Recommendation:
(select one of the following)

A. Microsoft Windows XP-SP2
B. Open System Architecture

Commentary:

The Microsoft Windows operating system is the predominant product currently deployed across the state enterprise. With the installed base of this market-leader product, it makes sense to continue in this direction as departmental upgrades and new purchases are executed. However, emerging technologies in the area of open systems architecture provide an opportunity for the state to evaluate other operating systems and desktop productivity software options.

In the future, as new versions of the operating system become available, workstations procurements will include the most current OS licenses available. The software vendors providing product under this standard must include permission for the enterprise to load older releases of the operating system onto the workstations until all compatibility issues with applications or peripherals have been resolved. Further, the vendors must provide authorization for the subsequent rolling forward to the release purchased with the desktop when compatibility issues have been resolved.