Mount Royal University provides faculty and staff a consistent and sustainable computing environment for the performance of general administrative duties inclusive of document creation/editing, email, and internet connectivity. In order to effectively support the large administrative computing fleet on campus, a baseline computer specification for desktop and laptop computers is in place and reviewed on an annual basis to ensure the administrative work environment is keeping pace with current needs.
Benefits of a baseline computer specification
MRU baseline specification computers are compatible with the university's campus computing environment, including applications like FAST, BANNER, ChromeRiver, Blackboard, and Google email/collaboration tools. All models are regularly maintained through our network domain via group policy and system patch management. Computers procured from our vendor partners are warranty serviced by certified on-site technicians, who maintain their certifications annually.
Baseline computer specifications consist of:
- Carefully evaluated and tested hardware that support university applications.
- A tested system image including the most current version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Microsoft Office, and anti-virus/anti-malware endpoint protection.
- Preferred vendors who maintain a consistent annual build configuration and system price.
- Upgrade capacity for changing work environments.
- A sustainable product life cycle that avoids unnecessary frequent replacement.
How is the computer specification developed?
Prospective computer models are evaluated against a set of criteria prior to adoption as the baseline computer specification for deployment. Specific attention is placed on quality of hardware build, compatibility to the administrative computing environment, and hardware life cycle support. Consideration for changes in industry regulations is also taken to ensure the university is not out of compliance with current technology trends. Set schedules are in place for evaluation of vendors to ensure the best possible product is sourced for our university.
Mount Royal University is a member of a public sector procurement group ShareIT. As a part of this group, MRU and other public sector institutions developed a computer specification that supported administrative and student computing use across all campuses. All members provided their minimum and maximum requirements for computing use in order to develop a baseline model. It should be noted, that Mount Royal University provided a recommended specification that exceeded a majority of the guidelines put forward by other institutions. Mount Royal is counted as one of the leading members of this group: Cybera Membership.
The baseline computing specifications of Cybera members includes the following:
- Intel i5 Processor
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB Hard Drive SATA
- 21" Monitor
- 3 Year Warranty
IT Services is pleased to provide a computing specification to MRU users that exceeds the above specification.