Due to the rapidly changing nature of computer hardware, Explorer Systems finds that as soon as we research and publish specifications, they change. We feel, therefore, that the best advice we can offer when shopping for a server is this: Choose the most powerful server you can afford. Include the largest amount of ram, fastest front side bus, the largest disk space running at the fastest RPM, and any RAID configuration that makes sense for your institution. Include a tape backup so you have means of backing up your data regulary to recover in case of a disaster.
Server Specifications: |
| Less than 100,000 visitors per year |
- Choose the most powerful server you can afford with the best maintenance agreement.
- Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000 server, Windows 2003 server, Windows 2003 Small Business Server. Make sure to include appropriate number of licenses.
- Choose the most memory you can afford. 2 GB is the minimum we recommend.
- Choose the largest disk space running at the fastest RPM, with an onboard RAID 1 controller (for mirroring 2 identical disks). 2 100 GB mirrored drives is the minimum we recommend.
- Single CPU is probably fine. Get the best one you can afford at highest MHz.
- CD RW drive, and floppy drive.
- Tape backup DAT drive and tapes if at all possible. Otherwise consider a DVD ROM drive so you can backup your database.
- UPS with software to perform proper shutdown in case of power failure.
- Highest MHz Front side bus you can afford.
- Gigabit network card comes standard in almost any server box these days.
- CAT 5 Cable throughout your network.
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| 100,000 - 500,000 visitors per year |
- Choose the most powerful server you can afford with the best maintenance agreement.
- Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000 server, Windows 2003 server, Windows 2003 Small Business Server. Make sure to include appropriate number of licenses.
- Choose the most memory you can afford. 3 GB is the minimum we recommend.
- Choose the largest disk space running at the fastest RPM, with an onboard RAID controller suited to your needs. Total usable disk space of at least 300GB recommended. Consider hot swappable drives.
- Multiple CPUs are recommended, dual at minimum.
- CD RW drive, and floppy drive.
- Tape backup DAT drive and tapes.
- UPS with software to perform proper shutdown in case of power failure.
- Highest MHz Front side bus you can afford.
- Gigabit network card comes standard in almost any server box these days.
CAT 5 Cable throughout your network.
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| Greater than 500,000 visitors per year |
If you do not have a high-level IT Tech on staff, we recommend using a consulting service to help you choose your server. At the higher-end server level there are a multitude to choices you will be required to make about the server and operating system that we are not equipped to provide. Contact us if you need help finding a good hardware consultant, as we may know someone in your area.
- Choose the most powerful server you can afford with the best maintenance agreement.
- Operating Systems Supported: Windows 2000 server, Windows 2003 server, Windows 2003 Small Business Server. Make sure to include appropriate number of licenses.
- Choose the most memory you can afford. 5 GB is the minimum we recommend.
- Choose the largest disk space running at the fastest RPM, with an onboard RAID controller suited to your needs. Total usable disk space of at least 500GB recommended. Hot swappable drives are recommended.
- Multiple CPUs are recommended, dual at minimum.
- CD RW drive, and floppy drive.
- Tape backup DAT drive and tapes.
- UPS with software to perform proper shutdown in case of power failure.
- Highest MHz Front side bus you can afford.
- Gigabit network card comes standard in almost any server box these days. You may want more than one.
- CAT 5 Cable throughout your network.
- Make sure your network is capable of handling the load – check switches, network cards in client PCs, and all cabling.
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Client PC Specifications: |
Front Desk PC's (peripheral hardware interface choices will be influenced by the physical ports you have available on each workstation)
Make sure to choose Windows XP as the Operating System for all PCs. There are no Windows Vista drivers for most peripheral hardware yet, (as of July 2007).
Configuration 1 - Boca Ticket Printer and Stand-alone Cash Drawer
BOCAs are made to order and can be serial or parallel
Stand-alone cash drawers can be USB, serial, or parallel
Configuration 2 - Receipt Printer and Printer Driven Cash Drawer
Receipt printers can be USB or parallel
Printer driven cash drawers are connected to the receipt printer via RJ11 cable
Configuration 3 – BOCA Ticket Printer, Receipt Printer, and Stand-alone Cash Drawer, (if you print tickets and use integrated credit cards, you’ll also need to print receipts)
BOCAs are made to order and can be serial or parallel
Receipt printers can be USB or parallel
Stand-alone cash drawers can be USB, serial, or parallel
Optional additions for any of these configurations:
Cherry Keyboard (keyboard with a magnetic card reader) – used on stations that process integrated credit cards: available in PS2 or USB interface
Metrologic barcode scanner - used in the Gift Shop to scan merchandise barcodes, or can be used at front desk to scan membership cards: available in keyboard wedge or USB interface
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| Lightly Used PCs (<4 hours per day, only 1 or 2 Explorer modules simultaneously) |
- Choose the highest MHz your budget will allow.
- Choose the most RAM you can afford. We recommend a minimum of 512MB, if you’re running hardly any other applications on that machine, otherwise, increase that number.
- Choose the highest Video RAM you can afford.
- Choose disk space appropriate for the station, again depending what the station is used for besides Explorer. The actual Explorer software takes up less than 100MB.
- CD-ROM or CD RW is recommended. At minimum make sure the PC has access to some server share folder so you can copy files back and forth.
10/100 Network Card (operating at 100MB) at minimum, Gigabit is better.
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| Heavily Used PCs (6+ hours per day, multiple Explorer modules simultaneously) |
- Choose the highest MHz your budget will allow.
- Choose the most RAM you can afford. We recommend a minimum of 1GB, and this assumes you’ll also be running email, internet, and MS Office applications on that machine. If you’re doing even more, then increase that number.
- Choose the highest Video RAM you can afford.
- Choose disk space appropriate for the station, again depending what the station is used for besides Explorer. The actual Explorer software takes up less than 100MB.
- CD-ROM or CD RW is recommended. Make sure the PC has access to some server share folder so you can copy files back and forth.
Gigabit Ethernet card is recommended.
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| Administrator PC (for the Explorer Power User) |
- Choose the highest MHz your budget will allow.
- Choose the most RAM you can afford. We recommend a minimum of 1GB, and this assumes you’ll also be running email, internet, and MS Office applications on that machine. If you’re doing even more, then increase that number.
- Choose the highest Video RAM you can afford.
- Choose disk space appropriate for the station, again depending what the station is used for besides Explorer. The actual Explorer software takes up less than 100MB.
- CD-ROM or CD RW is recommended. Make sure the PC has access to some server share folder so you can copy files back and forth.
- Gigabit Ethernet card is recommended.
10/100 Network Card (operating at 100MB)
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| Operating Systems - Choose 1 |
- Windows 2000 Professional
- Windows XP Professional SP2 32 bit
- Windows Vista Professional 32 bit (not yet recommended due to lack of device drivers).
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT SUPPORT NON-BUSINESS OPERATING SYSTEMS SUCH AS WINDOWS ME, XP HOME, VISTA HOME, or MEDIA CENTER.
ALSO NOTE: 64 BIT VERSIONS OF XP PROFESSIONAL AND VISTA PROFESSIONAL OPERATING SYSTEMS ARE UNTESTED.
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| Monitors |
- Monitors should have a minimum of 1024 x 768
- Flat Panels for Front Desk are recommended
- All should run at 75 MHz Refresh Rate or better
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