The media and academic computing department at Youngstown State University has continued to update campus computers from Windows XP to Windows 7 — a project that began back in April when Microsoft stopped offering support for the XP operating system.
When the project started, there were 1,250 computers across campus that needed to be updated. As of Aug. 20, 900 of these computers have been updated, a number that includes all of the computers in the university’s labs.
As the university division specializing in desktop computer systems and hardware, the media and academic computing department has spearheaded the operating system changeover.
Michael Hrishenko, director of the media and academic computing department, along with Jeffrey Wormley, a network administrator and the project leader, played key roles in the upgrading process.
Before making the transition from Windows XP to Windows 7, Hrishenko said his department and its team of students had to test the stability of the operating systems that would run on campus computers.
“When you change operating systems, you have to look at the software you’re using that will support … the platform you’re building to,” he said. “Windows 7 would be the best option from a business perspective.”
Updating to Windows 7 also means the campus must update its software — like Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader — to ensure programs continue to run smoothly.
The media and academic computing department has also begun utilizing software developed by Altiris Inc. to manage the university’s computers. Wormley expects this software to assist in future operating system updates, allowing the university to efficiently keep computers up to date.
“Bringing all these old machines up to that level will make life a lot easier for us here on out,” he said.
Wormley said that he expects the updating project to be finished before the end of fall semester.
