For the year 2009, we are upgrading the desktops in the @lab. Vendor categories are:

• Dell
• Apple

Following are the hardware configurations in each vendor category we are looking into:

Dell

Dell Precision T7500 and T5500 workstations

The Dell Precision system information is available over here: http://www.dell.com/us/en/highered/workstations/precndt/cp.aspx?refid=precndt&s=hied&cs=RC956904 . The n-series option on the customization page indicates RHEL supported/pre-installed. The T3400 is low-end machine in Precision product line and does not come with Intel Xeon processor. As the name suggests Precision Tx400 comes with Inten Xeon E/W/X 54xx processors and Precision Tx500 comes with Inten Xeon E/W/X 55xx processors. The Intel Xeon 55xx is latest in the offering with virtualization support. Following links provide more info on processors:

• A complete list of Intel Xeon processors is available here: http://ark.intel.com/ProductCollection.aspx?familyID=594 .
• Comparison of E5502, E5504, E5506, and E5520: http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=37092,40711,37096,40200,

Available graphics cards:

• ATI FireProTM V8700
• ATI FireProTM V5700
• ATI FireProTM V3750
• ATI FireProTM V3600
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 1800
• NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
• NVIDIA Quadro NVS 295

OpenSuse support for graphics cards: http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/

Resources for AMD ATI graphics cards

• Driver download - also provides link to product release notes which contain driver support.
• Yet Another Driver Download Page
• Unofficial ATI support wiki for OpenSuse

Resources for NVDIA graphics cards

• Driver download page for Unix

R610

• This rack server is a great system for virtualization needs, part of the Dell PowerEdge Line.
• Basic configuration comes with 1.86GHz, Intel Xeon E5502 single processor architecture
• Provides a graphical and interactive LCD for system health monitoring, alerting and control of basic management configuration
• Optionally can configure this server with virtualization software for a price with: VMware (VMware-ESXiv3.5) or Citrix (Xen Server) or Microsoft (Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V)
• Tech Specs are here and customization options are here

1950

Status: Contacted Dell vendor for more info.

Apple

• Vendor contact information:
  • Andre Vlajk Apple – Higher Education Sales avlajk@apple.com 770.595.4563
  • Jeniffer Knighton Apple - UAB jknighton@apple.com 1-800-800-2775 Ext# 42344
• Inside Account Executive – Kelly Ketter: 512.674.2344 or kketter@apple.com
• Apple Education Sales Support can provide immediate order status, quotes, web proposals and technical support: Call (800) 800-2775 or email Hiedorders@apple.com

iMac

• iMac is a 2.66GHz, Intel-Core2 Duo processor desktop with 2GB memory, 320GB Hard Drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card.
  • Comes with Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, which is the compatible version VMware Fusion 2, VMware product for virtualization on Mac.
  • Configuration options are here

Mac Pro

• Comes with quad-core and 8-core options. This is the only configuration in Mac which has the latest Intel Nehalem processor architecture. The interior design of the workstation has many options/slots for expanding and upgrading the system

Quad Core

• One 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor
• 3GB (three 1GB) memory
• 640GB hard drive
• 18x double-layer SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB
• Configuration options are here

8 core

• Two 2.26GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processors
• 6GB (six 1GB) memory
• 640GB hard drive
• 18x double-layer SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB
• Configuration options are here

Attached herewith is a desktop configuration sheet for @lab.