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 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 at the same location. The system requirements of concern to a customer 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 10 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro, Windows 7 Pro
- Any contemporary multi-core processor
- 4 GB or more RAM
- 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
- 1280 x 1024 display resolution (to see all WinSPC windows in their correct sizes)
- VGA 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 implementation.
WinSPC Database Servers
The recommended operating systems, database server software, and hardware specifications for database servers are:
- Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2
- Microsoft SQL Server 2008-2016 (all editions including Express), Oracle Database 12c, Oracle Database 11g
- 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 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2
- One contemporary 8-16 thread multi-core server class processor (per WinSPC application server instance) to maximize threading, caching speed and connections to the database.
- 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 WinSPC database the WinSPC application server instance will be used with. (A commercially available 200 GB SSD should be sufficient for even the largest databases.)
- No other extreme CPU or IO roles to service (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 capable of connecting to external web sites. It is not necessary to have computers with WinSPC installed, or database servers, or application servers. As long as the computer, or tablet for that matter, can browse the Internet and operates at an acceptable speed, it is sufficient.