Transition to Windows NT

The ICS staff, advised by the Information Resources Council, is embarking on an evaluation and planning effort for the gradual upgrade from Windows 3.11 to Windows NT as the campus standard for desktop computers and network servers. In short, this transition to Windows NT will provide a more intuitive, user-friendly interface for the College's microcomputers, while significantly increasing reliability, security and available features. The Information Resources Council (@TO:IRC) will be continuously reviewing and advising this planning and implementation process which is expected to take two to three years to complete fully. Meetings of the Council are open to the campus - please feel free to attend.

Why move to Windows NT?

Windows NT is far more reliable than Windows 3.11. Whereas computers running Windows 3.11 should be rebooted daily, if not more often from "crashes," computers running Windows NT usually run for weeks or months before they are rebooted, and even then rebooting is optional. If one program crashes in Windows NT, it normally does not affect other programs, or the stability of the computer in general. Windows NT does not need to be rebooted after the local file servers are rebooted for maintenance or other failure. Unlike Windows 95, Windows NT does not require the old DOS operating system, and so all those very common limitations of "640k conventional memory" are gone. Kenyon bypassed the more consumer-oriented Windows 95 step (or Windows 97 as the latest release is named) in this transition electing instead to make a single transition to Windows NT. Windows NT has much better security features to protect data while allowing one to share information with others without having someone mediate the process on your behalf. Windows NT is also a "multitasking" operating system, which means it can do several things at once. Finally, Windows NT will allow us all to use the new programs and upgrades to existing programs that require the power of NT for information access and communication, including e-mail to the desktop.

Windows NT is highly integrated into the network as well, and Kenyon will take advantage of this as we upgrade not only the office microcomputers to Windows NT for the office workstation, but as we upgrade the campus servers to Windows NT too. In the end, the Kenyon community will have more dependable computers, with much higher performance and security, and a higher level of access to programs and information, than ever before.

Could we simply avoid this upgrade and stay with Windows 3.11? No - not if we are to meet the campus' needs for networked resources with the staff complement we have today. Windows 3.11 will not run the latest releases of software, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer. Windows 3.11 requires a much higher level of staff support than Windows NT.

What is involved?

The College budgeted funds to upgrade software licenses to Windows NT, and for some computers, to add memory. The ICS staff will have to visit each desktop computer and inventory the programs that each person uses to make sure that the upgrade won't have any unanticipated effects. Nearly all programs that run under DOS or Windows 3.11 will run under Windows NT, but it doesn't hurt to double check. The staff will then install and test the software, and it is likely that we will suggest that personal files be relocated to a network drive for backup and ease of access. Training for each client will occur immediately prior to, during and immediately after this upgrade ("just-in-time" training). There are differences in the Windows interface from Windows 3.11, and this will be the focus of the training, but nearly all of what one learns from Windows 3.11 is applicable to Windows NT. If you use Windows 95 at home, you should have no problem with the Windows NT interface for it is nearly identical.