You may know that I used to directly manage the desktop support folks in WBOB. After we migrated our desktop support to OIT FAST, I remained in place as an "adviser" to help FAST coordinate the purchase of systems. So I'm directly involved whenever we replace systems in OIA and AAS.
We all remember the WBOB blackout the morning of July 1 2008, when the building transformer caught fire. WBOB didn't have power for the rest of the day while Xcel Energy scrambled to restore service to our building. That day, a lot of the OIT staff in WBOB were unable to do any work, because their desktop systems were without power. Those that had laptops were able to relocate, and continue working.
And for that reason, after July 1 we have only ordered laptops. (Except for Ops, who have a specific need to use desktops.)
Since then, people occasionally ask about the laptop-only program. This afternoon, I met with the managers in OIA and AAS to share a document that answers those questions. Here are the high points:
All systems should be supported by the FAST group.
FAST maintains a standard image for us, which they deploy to all users. The standard image is based on Windows XP Professional, the officially supported operating system for all Dell laptops and PCs in OIA/AAS. Users who have installed a PC operating system on their own, even if it is the same version of Windows XP Professional, are not running the standard image.
I know that some people run Linux on their work systems. But our total cost of ownership drops dramatically when we run a standard platform. And I'm willing to back that up with my own experience: I'm a huge Linux geek, and I've run Linux full-time on my work laptop since 2002, but converted to the standard Windows build in January 2009. That's how strongly I believe in lowering our total cost.
Some users in OIA/AAS currently have Apple Mac laptops or desktops. These will be replaced with Dell laptops as the systems come up for normal hardware lifecycle replacement.
Protect your system.
- All laptops must be secured using an OIT-provided laptop lock, to deter theft. Refer to FAST if you do not have a lock. Note that using a laptop lock does not completely eliminate the risk of theft; be careful not to leave your system unattended for long periods of time.
Take your laptop home with you.
By being issued a laptop, staff should not expect to use Remote Desktop (or any other protocol) to access their work system from a remote location. If you expect to do work from home, you should take your laptop with you.
Staff who are on call must take their laptops home with them at night.
FAST will deploy one system per user only. In the past, some staff received a second laptop or desktop PC to take home with them, so they could do work from home. Staff who have a second system for take-home should refer to their manager so the system can be returned when a laptop issued.
I'm sure these guidelines will generate questions, and I'd like to answer them. Feel free to stop by my office if you want to talk, or drop me an email.
Just some follow-up on this. Here's another reason a centrally-managed desktop is important, especially if you run Windows. The idea is that Windows desktops that are managed centrally (via FAST) get regular updates pushed to them, reducing the likelihood of malware infection:
(from OIT Tech Brief)
* Conficker C Worm Threat *
Windows operating system users who haven't kept up with Microsoft's security
updates might find themselves infected with the Conficker C worm. Conficker,
also known as Kido or Downadup, cropped up in November, and exploits a
vulnerability in Windows that Microsoft patched in October. The worm threat,
triggered on April 1, attempts to download files from a list of addresses,
redirects DNS requests to certain sites (it doesn't want you finding a fix for
it!) and stops some Windows services and processes. Read more of Conficker C
Worm Threat: http://ecommunication.umn.edu/t/99959/4220037/47812/0/
Jim, is there some data somewhere to support the claim that "our total cost of ownership drops dramatically when we run a standard platform"? It seems to me that if this is the case, all of OIT would benefit from the cost savings, not just OIA and AAS. But as I understand it, FAST is not recommending this. I may not have all the information, though.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for clients (laptops, desktops) typically
includes things like:
* hardware purchase costs
* software license purchase costs
* implementation/deployment
* warranties
* testing costs
* IT personnel
* training (if any)
* failures/outages
* security (including breaches)
* replacement
You can save $$ by standardizing on most things in this list - but you
often see the biggest savings when the hardware is the same, and software
is the same. That's because a bunch of the other items follow those.
With standardized software & hardware, you can get bulk software licenses.
Testing gets easier because you have fewer differences to work with.
Failures are easier to manage - if a "manager" laptop has problems, we just
give them another "manager" laptop, copy their data (if the old laptop
hasn't completely died) then work with Dell separately. Replacement is just
as easy.
When I used to run the desktop support for Webteam, we were fairly small so
we bought whatever desktops/laptops were cheapest at the time. Later, when
I managed the desktop support area for all of EAS, we couldn't continue to
buy client systems in an "ad hoc" mode. So I created the 3 tiers: "manager"
laptops (ultralight), "developer" laptops (heavier, much more powerful),
and desktops (ultra-powerful.) These were standardized, and Ron & Bob no
longer had to worry about finding an exact replacement for someone's
desktop/laptop when it died or had problems - they just grabbed a
replacement machine of the same "tier".
My change to use standardized clients across EAS was a new thing to OIT,
and when OA-FAST entered the scene to take on desktop support after Ron &
Bob, it took some getting used to. Since then, OIT-FAST has started
standardizing desktops across all of OIT.
It's true, though, that OIT-FAST doesn't standardize on Windows-only across
all of OIT. Whether to require all-Windows or permit a mix of Windows/Mac
is left up to the director of each unit. In OIA/AAS, that's Doug's choice.
We are also starting to see OIT moving more to a standardized
desktop/laptop with standards for the OS. I know that OIT Security &
Assurance has been working closely with Paul Honsey (FAST) to define those
standards, and Paul gave an update at the last OIT all-managers meeting.
-jh
At first glance, I would simply say that this is a great story to raise awareness, however I am still a strong believer that going green, should be the normal way of doing things and not done simply for publicity. The fact that Apple has voluntarily chosen to go green is great news but I am sure there must be many people who don’t even care about sustainability; design seems to be the big seller. The question here is what features or points make Apple eco-friendly? I believe the power saving feature actually works in Macs and are enabled by default; Mac goes to sleep if not in use, also a desktop Mac. This is not the case with Desktop Computers (Linux or Windows) which therefore can’t produce their advocacy for green environment.
http://www.askdrtech.com/
Not to be a total jerk, but I thought I'd point to this post, wherein the insightful author, regarding the recent Cornficker virus fun, stated,
Do me a favor: the next time someone tries to sell you the line that "Microsoft has a lower TCO than Linux", please remind them of failures like this one.'
Just sayin'.