Technology Record - Issue 22: Autumn 2021

56 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om S ince the announcement of Microsoft’s next operating system (OS), Windows 11, a lot of attention has been focused on the new advanced features it offers, as well as how it consolidates functions and improves the user experience. With any major OS release, attention should also be placed on compatibility and whether businesses should rip and replace their existing IT technologies, or whether they can upgrade their existing devices. Businesses must consider a few key factors when making this decision. First, they should look at the system require- ments needed to upgrade. It is wise to exceed any minimum specifications in order to obtain a smooth and seamless user-experience. According to the Windows 11 launch state- ment, users will need a central processing unit (CPU) that is one gigahertz or faster, with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor. In real terms, this means that 8th Generation Intel Core processor and its successors, and AMD Zen+ and later are compatible. Another important point for businesses to consider is its dynamic random access memory (DRAM) requirements and whether these will also be compatible with their CPU, both today and in the future. For RAM/DRAM itself, the minimum require- ment is to have at least four gigabytes. Industry- wide changes in memory technology are another key consideration. Looking at the recent shift from 8 to 16 gigabit DRAM and its compatibility with the latest Intel CPUs may provide a defini- tive answer as to whether or not an organisation’s devices are suitable for a Windows 11 upgrade. If they are, then this is a great opportunity to get the most out of systems by upgrading memory, and a cost-effective way of modernising devices with Windows 11. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) was perhaps an unknown term prior to the Windows 11 announcement, but it is mandatory in order to use Windows 11. TPM itself is a cryptoproces- sor that secures a computer on a hardware level, preventing risk of attack by using an integrated cryptographic key. This then works with other systems and applications within a computer. As it is hardware based, it is considered more secure than using software encryption alone. This means that those with less than TPM 2.0 won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11, unless they purchase and install a TPM 2.0 Module. Another consideration for compatibility with Windows 11 is solid-state drives (SSDs). There has been great excitement around DirectStorage, but this is only beneficial for running computer games. As such, the only enterprise-related requirements are to have at Windows 11: upgrade or refresh? To reap the rewards of moving to the new operating system, businesses must first consider compatibility before deciding whether to upgrade existing devices or start afresh ROB E R T A L L EN : K I NG S TON T E CHNOLOGY V I EWPO I NT “This provides an opportunity to elongate the life cycle of devices, increasing performance, security and offering a better user experience”