Workstation Setup, Migration, & Management

Below are the steps you should take to purchase, setup, and manage a new workstation.

 

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Purchasing Computers & Hardware:

Recommended Configurations - Workstation Refresh

1. • Browse the configurations available and recommended by IT through SJSU.

High Performance Configurations

Storage Devices

• • External Hard Drive
  • Network Attached Storage (NAS)

 

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Operating System (OS) & Software Configuration:

Operating Systems Updates

IT highly recommends using either macOS (High Sierra) or Windows 10 operating systems

• • To update your current macOS or Windows OS follow the links below:
    • macOS: How to update your OS
    • Windows 10: How to update your OS

Software Installation

• Basic software recommendations include: Microsoft Office, Adobe CC, and Google Chrome

• To learn about all software available through MLML and other recommended software visit our Software Page

• Software Installation Procedures can be found on our Knowledge Base

 

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Security:

All State-Owned computers will need to meet certain security requirements set by SJSU that IT will install (e.g., Spirion), but a password manager will also need to be setup by you and is required.

Password Management

• • To learn how to keep your passwords robust, safe, and securely stored please visit our Password Storage & Management Page.

Information Security

• • To learn how to keep yourself and your data safe online, please visit our Information Security Overview.

 

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Data Management:

File Migration

1. To efficiently and seamlessly migrate files to your new computer use the following techniques:

   1. 1. Dropbox:

         1. Create folder(s) with all files that need to be migrated in your Dropbox on old computer
         2. Download Dropbox on new computer and sign in
         3. Copy all files and folders from old computer to new computer through Dropbox

      2. Folder Sharing:

         1. Create folder(s) with files you'd like to migrate to new computer
         2. Right-click the folder you'd like to migrate
         3. Select Properties, a small window should pop-up
         4. Click the tab labeled "Sharing"
         5. Follow the instructions on this link to learn more about how to folder share
2. Helpful tips:
   1. Create folders on each computer to keep track of things you will and will not migrate
      1. Name folders: “MIGRATED”, “DO NOT MIGRATE”, etc.
      2. Place folders on Desktop for easy access

Computer Backup

• • See our Computer Backup & Storage Guide

There will be two forms of backing up that you will do for your computer:

1) Backup to Hard Drive

• • • • Purchase an external hard drive to be used to backup your workstation (recommended 1-2 TB)
      • This hard drive should be dedicated for this purpose only
      • Setup the following backup programs available on your device to backup to your external hard drive:
        1. Time Machine - Apple
        2. File History (or equivalent) - PC

2) Create a Disk Image

• • • • Imaging your computer's disk creates a replica of the contents on your computer
      • Using a differential setup creates one initial full image of your disk, then the proceeding images save only the content that has changed since the initial image

 

Storage Management

1. • To keep your workstation backed up and working properly it is important to properly manage the files and data on the computer

   • Backups should be routinely scheduled - can automatically set this up in the backup computer settings (see Backup section above and follow link)

NAS Storage