University Owned Computers

All workstations purchased with centralized funds, research, department or other funds (i.e., startup) are university-owned computers. This includes workstations in research labs and in self-supported centers, institutes, labs. 

ITS Policy for University Owned Computers   

University Asset Inventory

ITS maintains a university-wide asset inventory of all University-owned workstations—regardless of the funding source for the workstation. This asset inventory will be used to facilitate the 6-year cyclical replacement for centrally funded computers.  

Funding Sources for University-Owned Computers

Centrally-Funded Computers

• ITS will centrally fund one computer per State-funded faculty or staff, including new faculty/staff

• ITS will replace one centrally funded workstation on a 6-year replacement cycle, unless when exceptions are needed, (exceptions to be considered: the cost to repair versus the remaining lifecycle of the machine)

Other-Funded Computers

• Other-funded cases are listed in Centralized Funding Model for Computers FAQs

• In cases where a computer is not centrally funded:

  • Start by requesting a computer/quote from ITS

  • ITS will provide a quote, receive the order, ensure the assets are tagged and added to the ITS-managed inventory, and deploy the workstation.

  • The grant or departmental funding source will be charged-back for the purchase.

• For Research Foundation purchases, ITS will provide a quote to PIs and RF Purchasing for the PI submit to RF Purchasing to order

Standard Configurations

• ITS will provide standard computer configurations

• ITS will purchase standard configuration computers in bulk and keep them in stock

  • Other funding sources can be used to purchase one of the standard bundles with a department charge-back.

  • Turn-around for standard configurations is usually two weeks from the time the request for a new workstation is finalized. This is typically much shorter than customized orders, as ITS has the standard bundles in stock.

• ITS will securely surplus or scrap replaced computers with the Office of Asset Management

Other funded specification recommendation

• Warranty

  • 5-year hardware warranty for Desktop and Laptop, when available

  • Accidental (hardware damage: drop) for Laptop, when available

  • Reason for:

    • Covers the potential cost of repairs over the expected lifetime of the device. Computers without warranty coverage that are broken will typically need to be replaced.

    • For Other-funded computers that break and do not have warranty coverage, the budget owner would need to pay for any repairs or pay to replace it.

• Enterprise level hardware

  • Examples:

    • Dell - Latitude or OptiPlex

    • Apple - iMac or MacBook Pro

  • Reason for:

    • Enterprise level hardware is higher quality and more reliable

    • Enterprise level hardware support methods are consistent and predictable

    • Non-enterprise-class hardware, such as Dell Inspiron or XPS, do not have streamlined enterprise support features for efficient centralized management

• Recommended operating systems

  • https://albany.atlassian.net/l/cp/MgoD0V80

  • Reason for:

    • ITS has enterprise-level management tools that integrate with standard operating systems

    • Non-enterprise-class operating systems, such as Windows Home editions, cannot join the University’s system for centralized user logon

• Coordinate all computer purchases through ITS

  • Reason for:

    • ITS needs to maintain a complete University computer inventory for asset management

    • Ensure that computers can be centrally managed for the security of our network

Support Services

• ITS provides support to all University-owned computers

• ITS will securely surplus or scrap replaced computers with the Office of Asset Management