Recommendations for IT equipment
To ensure you receive the best possible support in your work, we would like to provide the following recommendations regarding IT equipment. The goal is to create a good balance between mobility, performance, and security—always tailored to your individual needs.
Every employee is expected to have a dedicated workstation computer for official use. Using personal devices for work purposes is permitted only under special conditions. The acquisition of office equipment falls under the responsibility of the respective workgroups. The necessary resources are already accounted for in the Dean’s Office budget allocation.
If you have questions about our recommendations or need advice on procurement decisions, feel free to contact us at any time via it@fb09.uni-giessen.de.
For most research staff we recommend modern laptops—ideally equipped with a docking station, an external monitor preferably including a docking station, as well as an external mouse and keyboard. This setup enables flexible work, whether in the office, at home, or on the move. Because many of you also handle substantial amounts of data, the devices should be provisioned with sufficient RAM and storage space. If particular software requirements arise, we’re happy to discuss whether additional customizations would be worthwhile.
For coworkers in administration or offices who primarily rely on stationary workstations, solid desktop PCs are advisable. These should have at least a SSD and sufficient memory so that everyday software (such as Office, email clients, or web browsers) runs smoothly. An ergonomic keyboard and mouse can also make the workday more comfortable. If mobile work is possible, a laptop with comparable specifications to the ones recommended for researchers should be procured instead.
In laboratories or work areas that impose special requirements, powerful desktop PCs can be useful—especially when routine analyses or measurements are performed. It is essential that these devices are stable and maintenance‑friendly, as they often need to run continuously for many hours. For lab computers that control measuring instruments, we recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Shared devices pose an IT‑security risk if it cannot be guaranteed that the hardware is inspected between each use and that any installed software is kept up to date. In many cases all users of these computers use a common user account, which introduces another security vulnerability. Therefore, if possible, we recommend avoiding shared devices altogether and instead equipping all lecturers with personal laptops.
If your work requires particularly intensive computing tasks—such as large‑scale data analysis or simulations—or takes place in a unique environment (e.g., in the field), customized special solutions are, of course, possible. Please contact us so we can work together to find the best solution.
If you are considering procuring a server or a NAS (Network Attached Storage) for your research group, we ask that you reach out to us so we can help you choose an appropriate solution. In many cases, existing university infrastructure can be leveraged.
In general, we advise against using PCs for longer than six years, as hardware tends to become less secure and more maintenance‑intensive over time. Exceptions are possible if the equipment still functions and performs satisfactorily. Before handing a used PC over to a new employee, it should first be assessed for suitability. In some cases, a fresh reinstall of the operating system and software may be the best approach. If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact us.