Computer advice

What sort of computer do you need?

You need to decide which type of device is most suitable for you.

For distance education students who cannot access the campus, we are now recommending a desktop, not a laptop computer. This may also be the best solution for students who are doing modules in networking and virtualization and who need more memory than a laptop can cheaply provide. My practical exercises have been tested at a point in time and using conventional PC hardware. If you want to use any other desktop platform (Apple, Chrome Book, Linux), I cannot support it nor confirm that it will work. I have carried out all the practical exercises on a Dell Latitude 5580 from 2017 running Windows 10, with an i5 processor and 32 GB of DRAM. As I revalidate exercises, it is on a Dell 5520 from 2021 with Windows 11.

You may already have a home computer or laptop; it may not be suitable for this module. Check first to see if it meets the specifications discussed below. If you are using an existing home computer or laptop you need to make sure it is performing well, clean, fully patched and has anti-virus. If your computer is old or slow, full of games (!) or is used by other members of your family, it is NOT suitable for you to use for home study.

If you have a laptop from your employer, it will not be suitable for this course. Most companies will lock down their operating systems with Group Policies. These prevent you from installing any software or having administrative privileges. My University laptop has security policies imposed that downgrade it to the functionality of a paperweight! Even Hyper-V or VMWare Workstation do not work correctly.

Although in the past, some people did manage to get through this programme of study using Apple hardware, with the move to the new processors (M1, M2, etc) in 2020, Apple hardware is not compatible with the requirements for practical exercises.