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Supported Operating Systems


Supported:

  • Windows 10 (Education, Enterprise and Professional)
  • MacOS 13.6.7 (Ventura) or greater

Starting summer 2017, all new desktop systems will be installed with Windows 10.

Disallowed

  • Microsoft Windows 8
  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Windows Vista
  • Microsoft Windows XP

Disallowed operating systems are not allowed to connect to the university network because they pose a security risk to the entire network. We understand that there are some cases where outdated operating systems are still needed to run legacy software or interface with older equipment. In such cases, ITS will work with you to determine a solution that allows you to continue using your computer without exposing the network to security risks.

Update Schedule

Security and application updates for computers running Windows 10 and MacOS are installed between the hours of 12 AM and 6 AM on Saturday. If your computer is powered off during this time, security updates will be installed the next time the computer is powered on. If a restart is required to complete installation, you will receive a notification stating your computer will automatically restart within 24 hours to complete the installation.

In the event a vendor releases a critical security update to correct a vulnerability, ITS will assesses the impact to campus systems. If necessary, these updates will be installed outside of the normal Saturday update window. If a restart is required to complete installation, you will receive a notification stating your computer will automatically restart within 24 hours to complete the installation.

Release Timeline

Companies do not align their product release with academic schedules, and they often release an update just prior to or during the academic year, which does not allow for internal testing. This release schedule does not allow ITS to test the new software thoroughly prior to the start of the academic year and does not allow faculty members enough time to update course materials that may change with new software. While both companies provide pre-release versions, these versions are adequate for preliminary testing but cannot be used for final testing prior to releasing them for production to our community.

To prevent disruption during the academic year, we postpone all major releases for the summer, which allows us to test new operating systems and software during the academic year and discuss the changes with faculty and staff members.

Availability of New Operating Systems

In recent years, both Apple and Microsoft have migrated to a model of continuous upgrades for their operating systems. Apple offers two operating systems: OS X for Macs and iOS for iPads and iPhones, while Microsoft offers Windows as its standard computing OS. This model of continuous updates and direct-to-client relationship, even prior to releasing a final product, creates many challenges for Information Technology Services, some of which are:

  • Security: How do newer operating systems interact with University systems? For example: does VPN work as expected; Can the user still use all resources as with the previous version of the OS?

  • Reliability:  Will the user encounter an unacceptable amount of system crashes or freezes with the new OS? Will the new OS work well with existing devices on campus, such as classroom projectors, research equipment, etc.?

  • Usability: How much has the new OS changed? Do we need to offer training sessions prior to a rollout? Will the user be at least as effective in performing expected tasks with the new OS as with the previous OS?

  • Release Timeline: Companies do not align their product release with academic schedules, and they often release an update just prior to or during the academic year, which does not allow for internal testing. To prevent disruption during the academic year, we postpone all major releases for the summer, which allows us to test new operating systems and software during the academic year and discuss the changes with faculty and staff members. As an example, Microsoft releases upgrades to Windows 10 twice a year, in March and August. Similarly, Apple typically releases new versions of OS X during the fall semester.

    This release schedule does not allow ITS to test the new software thoroughly prior to the start of the academic year and does not allow faculty members enough time to update course materials that may change with new software. While both companies provide pre-release versions, these versions are adequate for preliminary testing but cannot be used for final testing prior to releasing them for production to our community.


These challenges are not new to ITS, but they are new to regular users since companies are now catering directly to the customer even with pre-release software. We will continue to support our users by addressing the concerns above and providing timelines for the coordinated deployment of new operating systems.