The minimum specifications below are required for CIO Solutions to provide proactive services at a fixed, predictable cost. While the recommended specifications are not required, they greatly enhance the quality, stability, and reliability of your network.

During the course of your support agreement, CIO Solutions can upgrade your systems through maintenance, special projects, and purchases of new hardware to bring your systems up to minimum and recommended specifications.

Minimum Requirements:

Networks (Minimum):

  • Business Class Internet Connection. Residential circuits or satellite connections are not reliable enough to provide consistent remote or backup services.
  • 6 Mbps Download / 1.5 Mbps Upload or faster Internet connection
  • Business Class network switches with Gigabit speed capability
  • Sophos or Watchguard Firewall
  • Backbone networking equipment plugged into APC UPS for battery backup protection

Networks (Recommended):

  • 15 Mbps Download / 5 Mbps Upload or faster Internet connection required to avoid additional charges for manual offsite backups
  • Dell or HP Managed Switches (proactive service requirement)
  • Sophos or Watchguard Firewall with Active Security and Support Subscription (proactive service requirement)
  • A UPS with network management (proactive service requirement)

Servers (Minimum):

  • Dell or HP (proactive service requirement)
  • Hardware manufactured 5 or less years ago with an active hardware warranty from the manufacturer
  • Hard Disk Drives must be configured with a hardware RAID controller and disk redundancy
  • Remote Access Controller
  • Dual Power Supplies
  • Protected with a UPS with network management (proactive service requirement)
  • Server is running Microsoft Windows Server 2012 or later

Workstations (Minimum):

  • Dell, HP, or Lenovo Laptops/Desktops (proactive service requirement)
  • Business Class desktop, laptop, or thin client
  • Hardware manufactured 4 or less years ago
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or newer Professional version of Microsoft Operating System
  • Mac OSX 10.12 or greater

Workstations (Recommended):

  • An active hardware warranty with the manufacturer
  • Wake on LAN capability

Mobile Devices (Minimum):

  • Apple iPhone running iOS 9 or greater
  • Apple iPad running iOS 9 or greater
  • Smartphone running Android OS KitKat or greater

Printers (Minimum):

  • Business class printer (no ink jet printers)
  • Network print capability

Definitions and FAQ

Business Class – a device designed for business use, not residential or SOHO use.
Professional Version – Microsoft Windows software designed for a business environment. Residential versions of Microsoft software (often called “home” or “media center” versions) cannot join a network domain in a business environment and cannot be centrally managed.

Proactive Service Requirement – While CIO Solutions can provide technical support for devices that do not meet the proactive service requirement, we are unable to perform many of our proactive and preventative tasks on these systems. As a result, any troubleshooting of these devices may result in additional support costs and/or unintended downtime.

Firewall – a device designed to protect your network from unauthorized access via the internet.

Why does CIO Solutions require or recommend certain brands? We have a strong relationship with vendors such as Dell and WatchGuard. This allows us to get better pricing and faster warranty repair service, among other value-added benefits. In addition, CIO Solutions chooses brands of equipment that can be proactively managed, in order to maximize our clients’ uptime.