What are the Advantages of Windows 7 in Education?

Windows XP Pro is the current operating system that most educational organisations in the United Kingdom rely upon for the smooth running of their network.  It is trusted and everyone is used to the interface, but now with the advent now of Windows 7, Microsoft will start withdrawing support for XP.  It is arguable how important such support is (ongoing support can be paid for) but it will mean that freely available security patches will no longer be forthcoming.

Schools, colleges and universities can take advantage of the new Windows 7 system through upgrade licensing and, therefore, many are now considering the swap to Microsoft’s latest platform to future proof their network.  But what are the advantages and implications of such a move.

Microsoft introduced the world to Windows Vista as a planned replacement for XP but this operating system proved universally unpopular despite lots of great features.  Vista proved to be memory hungry, slow and more unstable than XP Pro.

The new Windows 7 seems to be a much fitter product; faster with much more efficient memory use, more meticulous security control (particularly if on a Windows 2008 domain), more features and all providing a stable platform.  For network administrators Windows 7 does bring a number of advantages with improved deployment tools, ease of applying new polices, support for IPV6 and remote working.

The Microsoft website provides information on the features of Windows 7 at http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/.

However, before making the commitment of changing your schools operating system to Windows 7 there are a few important elements to consider that may effect the use of your network.  Perhaps the most crucial of which is the hardware specifications of any existing PC’s, laptops and netbooks.

Your existing machines will need sufficient processing power to manage Windows 7 (if you already running Vista then you’ll probably be fine) but check that the devices you wish to use have at least a Pentium 4, 1.6Ghz (or equivalent) and preferably better.

Whilst Microsoft recommends 1GB of RAM (32bit version) and 2GB of Ram (64bit version) though for efficient and fast use, we would recommend 2GB and 3GB respectively.  Windows 7 is also going to take up a fair amount of hard drive too with 16GB needed for the 32bit version and 20GB for the 64bit version.  

Using the Windows Upgrade Advisor at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor will scan your hardware and highlight any potential issues with graphics cards, USB devices, etc.

Schools should also consider all associated printers and other peripherals as these will require the latest drivers in order to work with Windows 7.  Most machines bought in the last 3-4 years will probably be fine and manufacturers like HP are very good at supporting such upgrades – but check first.  

Legacy software is another issue as some titles may not work with Windows 7 so again, you need to check with the providers as to compatibility.

Of course, introducing a new operating system is also going to be an upheaval for the end users too, especially as XP has been around for so long, and so training is probably going to be a good investment to think about.

So is moving to Windows 7 at your school the thing to do?  Overall yes, this new operating system will future proof your network and give beneficial features but do consider the possible costs that may be necessary.

SchoolCare are specialists in ICT Solutions for education.  Based in Dorset, SchoolCare support the ICT requirements of schools and colleges across the South.  SchoolCare can be contacted through their website at www.schoolcare.co.uk.