ITSS offers help with computer upgrades

Information Technology Systems and Services (ITSS) has launched a campaign, including funding for system upgrades, to help administrators who use Macintosh computers upgrade from operating system (OS) 9 to OS X.

Declining industry support for the older OS 9 technology has made it increasingly difficult to support applications on the Macintosh OS 9 platform -- a trend that's already affecting the performance of a number of applications, say ITSS managers. With the introduction of new administrative software, using the old OS 9 system "is no longer just inconvenient, it's hampering [staff members'] ability to work," said Nancy Ware, ITSS director of financial and research systems.

Although ITSS has a goal of upgrading all administrative users to OS X by December 2004, the upgrade is most urgently needed for Oracle Financials and ReportMart2 users who are currently running Macintosh OS 9.x. ReportMart2 users already are experiencing problems on OS 9, and the older system will not be certified for use after the Oracle Financials upgrade, which is scheduled for implementation the weekend of April 9, Ware said. ReportMart2 users particularly need to start upgrading immediately, she added.

In addition to the operating system upgrade, ITSS has set a G3 processor with 512 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM) as the minimum standard required for Macintosh administrative users. Depending on the type and amount of work that they perform, individual users' hardware needs will vary, said Karen Gibbons, ITSS project manager.

To help Oracle and ReportMart2 users become upgraded to OS X as soon as possible, ITSS will provide:

• Help in assessing the need for upgrades and consulting about appropriate platforms. (ITSS will coordinate assistance through Delphi Project transition team leaders in schools and departments. A list of team leaders is available at the project website at www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/finsys/delphi/who_worktrans.html.)
• Funding for operating system upgrades.
• Funding for memory upgrades to meet a 512 MB RAM minimum.
• Funding for installation for users who do not have a Computer Resource Center contract or local information technology support.

In addition, ITSS is offering the following assistance to all campus Macintosh users, whether or not they use Oracle or ReportMart2:

• Upgrade assessments and consulting;
• Funding for operating system upgrades; and
• Free training.

ITSS will not pay for new computers or application software upgrades.

For further details, see the project website at www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/projects/osxmigration/.