Although pressed to keep up with technology, Hopkins IT will not immediately install Windows Vista on the computing systems.
Microsoft recently released Windows Vista, the first overhaul of the windows operating System since the release of Windows XP in 2001. The software boasts a distinct new visual style, better security and enhanced graphics -- but the system will not soon be available at Hopkins.
The University is still researching the possibility of an upgrade, and Hopkins IT will soon be prepared to offer support to students who have upgraded to Vista and have purchased computers during the last 16 months through the Mobile Computing Program.
Hopkins will not be providing students with free upgrades to Vista, although administrators report that they will continue working with Microsoft to leverage any available educational discounts.
The general opinion of Windows Vista has been that of cautious optimism among Hopkins IT staff.
"I think Vista will be very appealing from the end-user perspective, with its enhanced graphical interface and more dynamic multimedia features. For IT technical support staff, Vista will mean climbing a new learning curve, both for them as well as the users they support," Rich Caserta, a LAN/WAN architect, said.
But Caserta is pleased with the improved security that Vista promises to deliver.
"Vista does offer us the chance to address some issues we've been struggling with in the administrative and research realms, such as using the encrypted file system and BitLocker drive encryption technology to protect Johns Hopkins data from theft or disclosure," he said.
At the moment, Hopkins IT is not recommending that students upgrade their computers. In order to upgrade to Vista, most Windows users will need to upgrade their computer hardware, as Vista demands much more computer memory, and processor and graphics capability than older computers are able to provide.
While students who have recently purchased computers through the Mobile Computing Program will be able to upgrade to Vista, most students' current computers will not support the system.
But the University does plan to recommend laptops that feature Vista through the Mobile Computing Program this year, so the number of student computers running Vista is expected to dramatically increase next fall.
Hopkins is not alone in carefully considering any potential upgrade to Vista. According to Stephanie Reel, chief information officer of Hopkins Information Systems, other universities are also taking their time in considering whether to upgrade. An interim "service pack" for Vista is due out later this year, and IT staff says that they will have a better idea of the timing for major conversion efforts after evaluating the release. One major stumbling block is that some necessary existing Hopkins software is not yet supported by Vista.
"VPN [Virtual Private Network] isn't supported under Vista, and we require VPN to remotely access the library, and a few other applications," Reel pointed out.
While students may begin to see some existing computers being upgraded by the end of the year, the majority of Vista upgrades are projected for 2008.
"During the next few months, we'll support early adopters, work with vendors and application support teams to understand compatibility issues, and make a decision soon whether to have new computers shipped to Hopkins with Vista preinstalled," Steve Sears, director of Desktop Computing Services and project manager, said.
According to Sears, Hopkins had actually begun preparation for Windows Vista over a year ago.
"Last November, when Vista was made available to businesses, our staff had an `early adopter' program ready to support users willing to work through the many changes with a major upgrade, " he said.
Currently, the University is discussing the minimum computer hardware requirements needed to successfully support Vista on new computer purchases. The university will also need to complete a survey of how the large suite of applications used in the Hopkins environment performs with Vista.
