WinSPC System Requirements
There are two types of WinSPC implementations: on-premises and cloud. In an on-premises implementation, WinSPC is installed on the customer’s computers and those computers communicate with a WinSPC database installed on a server at the customer’s site. In a cloud implementation, the customer’s computers do not have WinSPC installed. Instead, they connect to a WinSPC installation at our cloud location, an installation that communicates with a WinSPC database dedicated to them in the same cloud location. The system requirements differ depending on which of these two implementation types is selected.
On-Premises Requirements
A typical on-premises implementation consists of multiple user computers, commonly referred to as clients, a database server, and an optional application server. Large implementations may employ multiple database servers and application servers.
WinSPC Clients
The recommended operating systems and hardware specifications for client computers are:
- Windows 7 Pro through Windows 10 Pro
- Any contemporary multi-core processor
- 4 GB or more RAM
- At least 200 MB available local hard disk space for WinSPC installation files
- Local network connectivity to the WinSPC database (and, if applicable, the WinSPC application server) of 1 Gbps
- Minimum 1280 x 1024 display resolution (to see all WinSPC windows in their correct sizes)
- Video monitor and video adapter
- Keyboard and mouse or other pointing device
- USB port or DVD-ROM drive if WinSPC will be installed from WinSPC installation media (USB stick or DVD) as opposed to the downloadable executable
As an alternative to clients that meet these specs, WinSPC can be installed directly on tablets that support Win32 installations. Tablets that do not support traditional Win32 installations (e.g., Windows RT tablets, Android tablets, Apple iPads), but can use Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Services technology, can be integrated into a Remote Desktop Services type of on-premises or remote implementation.
WinSPC Database Servers
The recommended operating systems, database server software, and hardware specifications for database servers are:
- Windows Server 2008 R2 through Windows Server 2019
- Microsoft SQL Server (Versions 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019 are all supported in various customer installations) (all editions including Express)
- Oracle Database Server (Versions 9i, 10g, 11g, 12c, 18c and 19c are all supported in various customer installations)
- For hardware specs, please refer to the hardware recommendations provided by the maker of the database server software you intend to use. (Those recommendations will be more than sufficient for WinSPC.)
For a method to estimate WinSPC database storage needs, read Estimating Database Storage in the WinSPC Knowledge Base.
WinSPC Application Servers
Implementation of a WinSPC application server is optional. Core WinSPC features will function without it. You may want to implement an application server if any of the following conditions apply: you want to manage WinSPC users through Active Directory; you want to take advantage of WinSPC’s advanced archiving capability; or you want the performance improvement made possible by the application server.
The recommended operating systems and hardware specifications for WinSPC application servers are:
- Windows Server 2008 R2 through Windows Server 2019
- One contemporary 8-16 thread multi-core processor per server instance to maximize threading, caching speed and database throughput
- 4 GB available RAM (per WinSPC application server instance)
- 1 Gbps network connectivity to the database server
- A solid state drive with available space equaling at least 10% of the size of the attached WinSPC database (A 200 GB SSD is sufficient)
- No other extreme CPU or I/O roles ont he same server (such as Exchange Server)
For additional technical information relating to on-premises implementation, watch the It Aspects of a WinSPC Implementation video.
Cloud Requirements
Customers who opt for cloud implementations only need computers or tablets that can establish a Remote Desktop connection to our WinSPC Cloud server. No other hardware is needed–no computers with WinSPC installed, no database server, no application server, and no Active Directory server. The Remote Desktop connection may be made using any of the proven Remote Desktop technologies: Remote Desktop Client, RD Web Access, etc. If the device a customer wants to use is running a current version of Windows, that device is out-of-the-box Remote Desktop ready. If it is running Android or iOS, free Remote Desktop downloads are available.