Recommended Hardware
Specifications
(Revised: June 15, 2004)
Every CODY system
is configured to meet our clients’
unique specifications. The following
recommendations are made to help you choose the appropriate hardware for your
system. When considering new hardware or
planning for upgrades to your current system, please contact a CODY support
technician to review your options before
you commit to any purchase.
You will notice no mention of a particular hardware vendor in these
recommendations. We have clients who
successfully deploy Dell, HP, IBM, Compaq, and Micron solutions as well as many
other brands. Our recommendations have
been assembled for a single agency running our RMS, Mobile RMS and/or CAD
systems. If you are considering any
configuration other than a single agency system, please contact your CODY sales
representative for other specific hardware recommendations.
Server Recommendations
Overview
The server is the hub of any CODY system; it houses the Oracle database,
backs-up the application files, and is responsible for maintaining
communications with both wired and wireless clients. Planning for the future is important when
choosing a server. The purchase you make today should fulfill your current
storage and processing requirements and be able to handle future growth.
Processor
We recommend the use of the Intel Pentium 4 and Pentium 4 Xeon 1.2 – 3.2
GHz processors in a single, dual or quad processor configuration. When budgeting for a multiple processor
configuration there may be additional Oracle licensing fees that apply. Please contact a member of our
sales team to discuss this option.
RAM
New types of RAM seem to surface on a weekly basis. Faster types of RAM can increase system
performance but are generally more costly.
You should consider purchasing as much RAM as your budget permits and
that is compatible with your motherboard.
We recommend 1 – 4 gigabytes of RAM on the server. Additional database configuration is required
above 2 gigabytes at no additional charge.
Storage
The cost of
storage space has been drastically reduced over the past several years. As a result, your department may want to look
into a server that supports RAID, a multiple hard drive setup that “mirrors”
the contents of one drive to another drive, guaranteeing that you always have
at least one copy of your entire hard drive as a back-up. RAID configurations
also allow you to “stripe” data across multiple hard drives. (“Striping” is the process of splitting a
file or a block of data into two or more parts and spanning it across multiple
hard drives.) This setup decreases the
time that it takes to write and access data. Both RAID options can be
implemented together allowing you to increase the speed, reliability, and
redundancy of your server.
(storage, con’t)
Your agency should carefully consider its
future storage needs. If you plan to
store large amounts of digital photographs, audio or video, your storage
requirements will be substantial. We recommend a RAID 5 configuration using
five 15,000-RPM drives. (The benefit of
having hard drives with a high RPM rate is that you will be able to write and
access data faster.) The term “Hot
Swappable” indicates the ability to quickly exchange a failed hard drive with a
good one without having to power off the server. Obviously, this maximizes server
availability. The “Hot Swappable” option
comes at an additional cost and may not be needed for smaller agencies.
Removable Media
You will need a single DVD, DVD-R+, CD-RW or
CD-ROM drive and a single 1.44 MB
floppy disk drive.
We recommend a
DDS3 or DDS4 compatible tape backup device with accompanying backup software
for storing database and application files offsite. Many of our clients use Seagate Backup Exec
and Veritas Backup software. Your backup
solution needs to match or exceed the storage capacity of your RAID array.
Larger implementations may benefit from DLT tape systems, but those can be
considerably more expensive. Another,
more cost effective alternative, might be a system that employs a “tape loader”
using less expensive tape media.
Video
A video card that
can support a resolution of 1024 X 768 at a color depth of 16 bits is
sufficient. Your display (monitor)
should also be able to support this resolution and color depth.
Connectivity
Most name-brand
servers come equipped with onboard network components. The components are often built into the
motherboard and have been designed and tested to function correctly with the
default configuration. Third party
networking components should be installed only if your server does not have an
onboard network card or you have confirmed with your hardware vendor that there
is support for the component you wish to install. In most implementations,
there is no need to add anything to the existing network connectivity (i.e.
attempting to “gang” network controllers).
In fact, we have encountered problems in the past with this
practice. If you absolutely require
connectivity in excess of 100 mbps (megabits per second), you should consider
use of Gigabit network adapters and switches, which add considerably to your
cost, but perform as specified without reconfiguration of the server software.
A single 56.6
V.90 or V.92 PCI modem or secure high speed Internet connection is
required. In addition, a current version of Symantec pcAnywhere (version 9.2,
10.0, 10.5, or 11*) must be installed on the server so that a secure remote
connection may be established for troubleshooting, diagnostic and upgrade
purposes. If you plan to use a 56.6 modem for connectivity, CODY requires an
uninterruptible, dedicated telephone line.
*PCAnywhere
version 11 is required when utilizing a Microsoft Windows 2003 Server solution.
Power
CODY recommends the use of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) device
to ensure server availability in the event of short-term power failure or
voltage fluctuation. The capacity of
the UPS device should reflect the power consumption and desired uptime of your
server and display. The UPS device
should be dedicated for use only with the server.
You may also want to consider redundant, “hot swappable” power
supplies. This option will guarantee
uninterrupted power to your server in the event that your power supply, itself,
fails.
Operating System
CODY supports the
following server operating systems: Microsoft Windows NT 4 SP 6a (Oracle 8i
implementations only), Windows 2000 Server family (SP3 and SP4), Windows 2003
server family (Oracle 9i implementations only), and Windows 2000 Professional
SP4 (in a single user environment only).
Environment/Server Location
The cooling and
humidity requirements/restrictions of the server should be taken into
consideration when planning for the location of the server. Attention
to this detail cannot be overemphasized. A server that runs “hot” all the time will
have a shorter MTBF (mean-time between failures) than it would if the unit is
properly cooled.
RMS Workstation Recommendations
Processor
Intel Pentium 4, 1.8 – 3.2 GHz processor or the AMD Athlon XP 1600 -
3200 MHz Processor. As a result of performance
concerns, CODY does not recommend the
use of processors in the Intel Celeron or the AMD Duron families.
RAM
256 MB – 512 MB of RAM.
Storage
CODY recommends a
single 7,200 RPM 30-60 gigabyte hard drive.
Removable Media
A single DVD, DVD-R+, CD-RW or CD-ROM drive and a single 1.44 MB floppy
disk drive.
Video
The video card
should support a screen resolution of 1280 X 1024 at a color depth of 16 bits
with 32 – 128 MB of dedicated or shared video memory. Your display (monitor) should be 17” or larger
and should also be able to support a screen resolution of 1280 X 1024 at a
color depth of 16 bits.
Connectivity
Most workstations
come equipped with onboard network components.
These components are typically sufficient and do not need to be upgraded
unless Gigabit network connectivity is desired/required.
We recommend a
single 10/100 Network Card (or 10/100/1000 Network card for Gigabit operation).
Operating System
CODY supports the
following workstation operating systems: Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
(SP3 and SP4) and Windows XP Professional (SP1)
CODY does
not offer support for the following workstation operating systems: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME
and Windows XP Home.
CAD Workstation Recommendations
All RMS Workstation Recommendations apply
with the exception of the following:
RAM
512 MB – 1,024 MB of RAM
Video
The video card
should support a screen resolution of 1280 X 1024 at a color depth of 16 bits
with 64–128 MB of dedicated or shared video memory. Your display (monitor) should be 17” or
larger and should also be able to support a screen resolution of 1280 X 1024 at
a color depth of 16 bits.
The
CAD multiple monitor (Virtual Desktop) option is available for 2000 and XP with
the addition of a second video card or a single dual-monitor video card. Clients have succesfully configured and
deployed the CAD multiple monitor option using Matrox, ATI Radeon and Appian
Graphics video cards.
MRMS (
Processor
Intel Pentium III 500 – 900 MHz processor and/or the Intel Pentium 4 1.2
– 3.2 GHz processor. Due to performance
concerns, CODY does not recommend the
use of the Intel Celeron processor.
RAM
128 MB – 512 MB RAM
Storage
A single 7,200
RPM 10 gigabyte hard drive is usually sufficient.
NOTE: If you plan to use a high volume of images/video in the MRMS unit, a
larger hard drive may be required.
Please consult a CODY technical support representative to determine the
appropriate hard drive size to meet your needs.
Removable Media
Each mobile unit should have a single DVD, DVD-R+, CD-RW or CD-ROM drive
and a single 1.44 MB floppy disk drive.
NOTE: Network docking capability (to set up
initial load) may be substituted for this system requirement if the particular
MRMS units you will use do not have the disc drives.
Video
The video card
should support a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 at a color depth of 16 bits
with 16 – 64 MB of dedicated or shared video memory. Your display (monitor) should be able to
support a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 at a color depth of 16 bits.
Connectivity
A CDPD, Wireless
LAN or WAN, Dial-up VPN, or RF connection is required to use the CODY software
in a mobile environment.
Operating System
CODY supports the
following mobile workstation operating systems: Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional SP 3 and Windows XP Professional
CODY will
continue support for the following workstation operating systems until January
2005: Microsoft Windows 98 SE IE 6 and
Windows NT 4 Workstation.
CODY does
not support the following workstation operating systems: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows ME and Windows
XP Home.