ITS Technology Recommendations

E-Learning System Requirements

Hardware and software requirements:

Hardware and software guidelines do not supersede, and are not inclusive of, the minimum requirements of the operating system.

Recommendations for Personal Devices

Due to the wide variety of hardware and software configurations, ITS is able to provide limited support for personally-owned computing equipment. Central Piedmont recommends the following guidelines to minimize potential problems while using online services:

• Keep your operating system current and up to date by visiting to the Microsoft Update page. This will help keep your system secure by installing security measures as they become available.
• Install and maintain an antivirus software. Such software can scan, identify and remove harmful viruses from your computer. Free antivirus software can be obtained from vendors such as Microsoft's Security Essentials.
• Make sure your device meets the recommended system requirements for use with the Central Piedmont Cloud Environment, which can be found here.
• Hands-on support for your device to operate in the Central Piedmont environment, called Central Piedmont ITS Express Support, is available at each Student Technology Center and at the ITS Help Desk. The Central Piedmont ITS Express Support will provide you the following services for your device:
  • determining if personal device meets minimum requirements 
  • diagnosing hardware issues/recommending course of action
  • personal device Central Piedmont wireless connectivity issues
  • brand new device software setups
  • Central Piedmont Cloud login issues
  • client Central Piedmont network ID password resets
  • software downloads (On The Hub/Imagine)
  • diagnose viruses/malware which prevent connectivity/recommending course of action
  • Central Piedmont-related software issues

If your device does not meet the minimum requirements for running in the Central Piedmont environment, then Central Piedmont support staff CANNOT work on the device; however, we recommend that you do one of the following:

• check out a laptop from the Central Piedmont Library
• if device is under warranty, return to original vendor
• bring your device to a retail entity in the community to review for repair recommendations

For assistance with technical issues with our online services, please contact the ITS Help Desk.

Protecting your PC Against Viruses

Computer viruses affect home computers as much as computers at the college. ITS has explored various options, and our site licensed anti-virus software is not conducive for home use. We recommend that college employees and students use some form of anti-virus protection of their home computers. Companies such as Microsoft provide free software for home use.

The Microsoft Security Essentials Anti-Virus software can be downloaded for free. Please ensure that you keep any anti-virus software current by periodically downloading the latest updates. The college Help Desk does not provide any support for home computers. Please do not install this software on your office computers. Information Technology Services manages the installation of anti-virus software on all Central Piedmont computers.