Supprted System Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener Effective February June 2018 This dcument describes the current system requirements recmmended by WIDA fr the DRC INSIGHT Online Testing System and the Testing Site Manager (TSM). These requirements cver the fllwing items: Hardware devices Accessries and peripherals Operating systems and levels Prcessr, disk space, and memry Screen size and reslutin DRC aggressively seeks ut, validates, and adpts new technlgy t ffer the best testing slutins t ur custmers while keeping pace with cnstantly changing and evlving technlgy standards. In general, DRC sftware applicatins ffer Best Effrt Supprt f new versins f an perating system within ne mnth f public availability f the new versin and Full Supprt within three mnths f public availability f the new versin, r by the next release date f the DRC applicatin, whichever duratin is greater. Current Update: January 23, 2018 Next Update: Early Summer 2018 This dcument is updated regularly, usually three times a calendar year.
DRC INSIGHT and TSM Supprted System Requirements Table f Cntents UPDATE: Supprt Starting and Ending... 2 vs. Recmmended... 2 UPDATE: What s New r Cming Sn... 2 DRC Device Supprt Plicy... 3 DRC INSIGHT Device Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener... 4 Imprtant Ntes... 6 Additinal DRC INSIGHT Device Specificatins... 7 DRC TSM Device Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener... 8 DRC Sftware Supprt Plicy... 9 DRC INSIGHT Sftware Requirements: Supprted Operating System Levels and Supprt Timeline... 10 ios Release Strategy Nte... 12 DRC TSM Sftware Requirements... 13 Trademarks... 13 Page 1 January 23, 2018
UPDATE: Supprt Starting and Ending The fllwing is a quick verview f upcming changes t the hardware and sftware supprted fr DRC INSIGHT and/r the TSM. Fr details, see the apprpriate sectin. Device Supprt Beginning DRC n lnger lists specific supprted devices fr Windws and Chrme OS. DRC will supprt devices (including tuch-screen devices) that meet the minimum system requirements. Device Supprt Ending ipad 4th Generatin (July 2018)* *This device is nt capable f running ios 10.x r newer releases. Apple ended supprt fr ios 10.x in September f 2017. DRC Supprt fr ios 10.x ends in July f 2018, resulting in the end f supprt fr this device. Sftware Supprt Beginning ios 11.x macos 10.13 Sftware Supprt Ending Mac OS 10.10 (July 2018) ios 10.3.x (July 2018) Sftware Supprt Ended NA Device Supprt Ended NA vs. Recmmended Thrughut this dcument, the level f requirements represents a lw cmpliance threshld. Districts r schls planning t test mre than a minimum number f students shuld exceed the minimum level f requirements. DRC advises using the Recmmended level r abve. UPDATE: What s New r Cming Sn The fllwing is a snapsht f significant DRC sftware and hardware updates and enhancements, available nw r planned fr the near future. Available in Fall 2018 fr the 2018 2019 Testing Year: Central Office Services (COS) Central Office Services (COS) sftware will be available fr the 2018 2019 testing year. COS is a pwerful, integrated sftware tl that allws users t easily install, cnfigure, and manage their nline testing envirnment frm a central lcatin. The COS service device sftware prvides Cntent Management and Cntent Hsting t replace the Testing Site Manager (TSM) sftware fr cntent caching. The COS service device sftware is installed lcally n dedicated service devices at ne r mre testing sites. Page 2 January 23, 2018
DRC Device Supprt Plicy Typically, when a hardware vendr, such as Dell r Lenv, discntinues a hardware device, the sftware vendr that prvides the perating system supprt fr that device cntinues supprting the device fr a perid f time. Therefre, fr any device that DRC adds t its fully supprted device list, DRC will cntinue t supprt the device until the sftware vendr fficially discntinues supprt fr the device. Device Categries DRC s apprach is t test and certify ur sftware n the devices mst cmmnly used in the classrm. As a result f its testing, DRC grups devices int the three categries described in the table belw. Device Categry Fully Supprted Nt Suitable Fr Online Testing Descriptin DRC has evaluated and tested the device. It is suitable fr testing with DRC INSIGHT and/r the TSM*. DRC has evaluated and tested the device. Fr varius reasns, it is unacceptable fr testing with DRC INSIGHT and/r the TSM. Any device that des nt fit int the ther categries falls int this categry. DRC has neither evaluated nr tested the device it may r may nt be suitable fr testing with DRC INSIGHT and/r the TSM. Other Device manufacturers use different methds t implement tuch-enabled screens fr their devices, with the technlgy evlving ver time. DRC typically tests DRC INSIGHT with tuch devices made by the mst cmmn manufacturers fr educatinal settings. Generally speaking, DRC INSIGHT will perate effectively n similar tuch-screen mdels and DRC will prvide best effrt supprt fr these mdels. *Certain devices, such as ipad devices r Chrme devices, can be used fr DRC INSIGHT, but nt fr the TSM sftware. Page 3 January 23, 2018
DRC INSIGHT Device Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener Sites that tested nline using DRC INSIGHT in 2016 2017 with satisfactry results shuld be able t use the same testing devices in the 2017 2018 schl year if the device and perating system versin is currently supprted by DRC (fr example, ipad 2 and ipad 3 devices are n lnger supprted). Sites that did nt test nline using DRC INSIGHT in 2016 2017, r that are examining their current testing cnfiguratins, shuld use the specificatins in the fllwing tables as a guideline fr this year s testing and fr cnsideratin f future equipment purchases related t nline testing. The tables that fllw indicate the current DRC INSIGHT device requirements, as well as devices that DRC fully supprts and devices that are knwn t be unsuitable fr nline testing. Fully Supprted Devices Prcessr Available Memry Unused Disk Space Screen Size Reslutin Windws Bth tuch-screen and nn-tuchscreen devices that meet the requirements in this table Intel 4th Generatin Cre i3 4005U (r AMD equivalent) Intel 5th Generatin Celern N3050 (r AMD equivalent) 2 GB RAM Recmmended 4 GB RAM 10 GB Recmmended 20 GB r mre 9.5 1024 x 768 Mac (OS and macos) and Linux Nn-tuch-screen devices nly Recmmended Intel 6th generatin prduct family r greater (r AMD equivalent) Chrme OS Bth tuch-screen and nn-tuchscreen devices that meet the requirements in this table Intel 4th Generatin Celern 2955U (r AMD equivalent) Recmmended Intel 6th generatin prduct family r greater (r AMD equivalent) 2 GB RAM r mre Recmmended 4 GB RAM r mre NA See the Imprtant Ntes that fllw the table Page 4 January 23, 2018
DRC INSIGHT Device Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener (cnt.) Fully Supprted Devices Prcessr Available Memry Unused Disk Space Screen Size Reslutin Apple ios ipad 4 r newer ipad Air devices ipad Pr Devices: 9.7 and 12.9 Nte: ipad mini devices are nt supprted. NA 1 GB if n ther Apps are running and wireless netwrk cnnectivity is ptimized NA See the Imprtant Ntes that fllw the table 9.7 r greater 1024 x 768 Recmmended 2 GB See the Imprtant Ntes that fllw the table Page 5 January 23, 2018
Imprtant Ntes Tablet/Netbk/Chrmebk Devices Because tablet/netbk/chrmebk devices are nt easily cnfigurable fr memry and strage (disk space) upgrades, DRC recmmends that these devices be streamlined fr the DRC INSIGHT App when used fr testing. T achieve this gal, all applicatins and features that are unnecessary fr testing shuld be disabled, remved, r turned ff t ensure that the maximum amunt f device memry is available fr testing. This includes services such as Bluetth (unless a Bluetth keybard r muse is needed), GPS, and pwer saving mdes that reduce perfrmance t maximize battery life. DRC als recmmends rebting these devices befre testing. These activities help free available memry. Devices that lack sufficient memry during testing may experience issues. IPA Sftware Intelligent persnal assistant (IPA) sftware, such as Siri fr ios and macos, r Crtana fr Windws 10, shuld be disabled during testing fr the apprpriate devices. In sme cases, this functinality can be disabled autmatically using administratr cntrls such as Mbile Device Management (MDM) sftware. If IPA sftware is nt disabled, the testing site is respnsible fr ensuring the security and integrity f the test by actively mnitring that students are nt using this capability during the test. Chrme OS Supprt and Chrme Devices As f July 2017, DRC will ffer the fllwing levels f supprt fr Chrme OS fr the 2017 2018 testing seasn: Full Supprt fr the current stable channel level Best Effrt Supprt fr stable channel levels between level 58 and the current stable channel level End f Supprt (n supprt) fr stable channel levels belw 58 Based n these supprt levels, DRC recmmends replacing any Chrme devices that have reached, r will reach, End f Life (EOL) within the 2017-2018 schl year. Fr reference, use the fllwing link t help determine the EOL f a specific Chrme device: https://supprt.ggle.cm/chrme/a/answer/6220366 Autmatic Operating System Updates and Other Backgrund Prcesses Operating system vendrs such as Ggle, Micrsft, and Apple are mving t a mdel where perating system updates ccur autmatically in the backgrund. Update prcesses running in the backgrund n testing devices cnsume CPU and memry, and can affect the testing experience audi playback may be chppy and Speaking test respnses may be distrted. T avid this situatin, verify that n backgrund prcesses are running n testing devices during testing. Als, if a testing device is set t accept perating system updates autmatically, verify that it has the mst current versin f the perating system befre the test sessin starts. Page 6 January 23, 2018
Additinal DRC INSIGHT Device Specificatins Supprted Accessries Muse English language keybard (internal and external, wired and wireless) Tuchpad Stylus fr tuch devices Other input devices as supprted fr accmmdatins (determined in cnjunctin with each state department f educatin) The input device must allw students t select and deselect; drag items; highlight text, bjects, and areas; enter letters, numbers, and symbls; use the Shift, Tab, Return, Delete, and Backspace keys. Other Smart Bard interfaces are nt supprted Headsets Headset with micrphne (see the link belw) Recmmendatins fr Headset Specificatins Internet Cnnectivity Devices must be able t cnnect t the Internet using wired r wireless netwrks Wi-Fi Recmmendatins The maximum number f devices a Wireless Access Pint (WAP) can supprt varies depending n the manufacturer and mdel f the WAP device being used fr testing. DRC recmmends never exceeding 80% f the maximum capacity f the WAP specified by the manufacturer. Fr example, fr a WAP device with a maximum capacity f 20 cncurrently cnnected devices, DRC recmmends that n mre than 16 devices be cnnected cncurrently. If the number f cncurrently cnnected devices is expected t exceed this threshld, additinal WAPs shuld be implemented. Nte that all ther netwrking hardware must be able t accmmdate the maximum number f devices that culd ptentially be cnnected t the wireless netwrk cncurrently. If yu plan t test using a wireless netwrk, cmplete a wireless site survey t ensure that there is sufficient wireless cverage in testing areas. This survey shuld address cverage, and verify that students can take the test in the same area f the building at ne time (device density). The survey shuld accunt fr Internet bandwidth and ther traffic in the building at the time f testing, including LAN (wireless and wired) traffic, WAN traffic. Fr mre infrmatin, see the Site Technlgy Readiness Checklist fr Deplying WIDA Online Assessments. Pwer Supply Fr battery devices, a fully charged battery with a tw-hur life Recmmended Device cnnected t a plugged-in pwer supply Page 7 January 23, 2018
DRC TSM Device Requirements fr ACCESS fr ELLs 2.0 and Screener The fllwing table lists the supprted devices, number f cncurrent testers, prcessr, memry (RAM), LAN bandwidth, and available disk space requirements fr bth the 32-bit and 64-bit versins f the TSM. Nte that these requirements apply acrss all dmains f WIDA testing. Test TSM Versin Supprted Devices Number f Cncurrent Testers Prcessr Available Memry Available LAN Bandwidth Available Disk Space All Dmains Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking 32-bit TSM 64-bit TSM 32-bit Windws, Linux desktp and laptp devices 64-bit Windws, Mac (OS and macos), Linux desktp and laptp devices 1 25 26 150 1 25 26 150 151 275 2x dual-cre i5 at 2.4 GHz r equivalent 2x dual-cre i5 at 2.4 GHz r equivalent 2x dual-cre i5 at 2.4 GHz r equivalent 2x dual-cre i5 at 2.4 GHz r equivalent 4x dual-cre i5 at 2.4 GHz r equivalent 2 GB RAM 50 Mb 4 GB RAM 100 Mb 2 GB RAM 50 Mb 4 GB RAM 100 Mb 8 GB RAM 200 Mb 20 GB r mre 20 GB r mre Imprtant Ntes The TSM shuld nt be installed n mbile r tuch-screen devices. The TSM shuld be cnnected t the netwrk thrugh a wired cnnectin. A TSM cnfigured fr respnse caching is ptinal. Fr the Writing test, the TSM can handle fewer cncurrent testers if respnse caching is active. Page 8 January 23, 2018
DRC Sftware Supprt Plicy When a sftware vendr, such as Micrsft r Apple, ends supprt fr an perating system (r level), they discntinue free security updates fr that sftware. This can present large and immediate security and supprt risks t the sftware s users. As a result, DRC strngly recmmends that all clients affected by the end f supprt prcess begin the transitin as sn as pssible t allw sufficient time fr the prcess. Supprt Timeline Best Effrt Supprt ccurs at bth ends f the sftware lifecycle. Phase 1: After DRC sftware testing begins and befre the sftware is fully supprted by DRC. DRC ffers Best Effrt Supprt fr any new versin f a supprted perating system (OS) prduct within 30 days f public availability f the OS prduct versin, r by the next planned cmmn r client-specific release date f the DRC applicatin, whichever duratin is greater. Phase 3: After the sftware is n lnger supprted by the vendr and befre the end f DRC supprt. Once the OS prduct versin has reached the end f vendr supprt, DRC ffers Best Effrt Supprt until the next planned cmmn r client-specific release date f the DRC applicatin, at which pint it is restricted frm use unless DRC chses t extend supprt. T accmplish the dual gals f minimizing security risks t DRC clients while making necessary sftware changes, DRC has established a multi-phase supprt timeline fr the transitin frm an unsupprted perating system r level t a supprted perating system r level. Nte: DRC assumes n respnsibility r liability fr sftware transitin prcesses at testing sites. Phases 1 and 3: Best Effrt Supprt The DRC Supprt team will help trublesht issues reprted cncerning the perating system r level and DRC sftware applicatins as best we can, but DRC cannt guarantee a reslutin. If a prblem is uncvered, DRC Supprt will reprt the issue t DRC Develpment. Again, we cannt guarantee a fix, sftware update, r reslutin timeline fr sftware fixes r updates. If DRC determines that an issue is related t a client s netwrk, hardware, r third party sftware, the client must btain supprt directly frm the sftware vendr r the hardware manufacturer. Phase 2: Fully Supprted When an OS prduct is n the DRC supprted prduct list, DRC perfrms applicatin testing fr all majr versins f the prduct publicly supprted by the prduct vendr and fr all minr versins f the prduct when DRC deems testing is necessary. Any new versin f a supprted OS prduct will be Fully Supprted by all DRC applicatins within 90 days f public availability f the versin f the OS prduct, r by the next planned cmmn r client-specific release date f the DRC applicatin, whichever duratin is greater. Phase 4: End f Supprt The next release f DRC sftware applicatins will nt wrk with the unsupprted perating system r level. It is restricted frm use. The table that fllws indicates the current supprted perating system levels fr DRC INSIGHT and the TSM. It als prvides a timeline fr changes in terms f the varius supprt phases. Page 9 January 23, 2018
DRC INSIGHT Sftware Requirements: Supprted Operating System Levels and Supprt Timeline Operating System Windws Level Windws 7, SP1 Windws 8.1 Phase 1: Best Effrt Supprt Incming/Current Phase 2: Fully Supprted Windws 10 Semi-Annual Channel servicing ptins Windws Server 2008, R2 SP1 Windws Server 2012 Windws Server 2012, R2 Windws Server 2016 Phase 3: Best Effrt Supprt Outging/Ending Phase 4: End f Supprt DRC recmmends using perating system levels that are Fully Supprted. When End f Supprt ccurs during a typical testing cycle, DRC will cntinue t prvide Best Effrt Supprt until the testing cycle ends. DRC recmmends that sites upgrade t a fully supprted level befre the testing cycle begins. indicates the current level f supprt. DRC currently supprts the Hme, Pr, Enterprise, and Educatin editins f Windws 10. We d NOT currently supprt the Windws 10 S cnfiguratin f Windws Pr. DRC fully supprts the mst recent versin f Windws 10 available fr the Semi Annual Channel servicing ptins within 90 days f public availability f the new versin. DRC will ffer Best Effrt supprt fr previus versins f Windws 10 available fr the Semi Annual Channel servicing ptins that Micrsft maintains supprt fr with servicing updates. Fr details, see the Micrsft Windws 10 versin supprt website. Page 10 January 23, 2018
DRC INSIGHT Sftware Requirements: Supprted Operating System Levels and Supprt Timeline (cnt.) Operating System Mac (OS and macos) Nte: Mac server sftware is nt supprted. Linux Nte: Linux server sftware is nt supprted. Level OS 10.10 OS 10.11 macos 10.12 macos 10.13 Ubuntu 14.04 LTS versin, with 32- and 64-bit Gnme 3.4, Unity Shell Ubuntu 16.04, LTS versin, with 32- and 64-bit Gnme 3.4, Unity Shell Ubuntu 18.04, LTS versin, with 32- and 64-bit Gnme 3.4, Unity Shell Phase 1: Best Effrt Supprt April 2018 (anticipated) Incming/Current Phase 2: Fully Supprted Phase 3: Best Effrt Supprt Outging/Ending Phase 4: End f Supprt July 2018 April 2019 July 2019 July 2018 (anticipated) ios 10.3.x July 2018 11.x (latest versin) Chrme Chrme OS recent stable channel DRC recmmends using perating system levels that are Fully Supprted. When end f supprt ccurs during a typical testing cycle, DRC will cntinue t prvide Best Effrt supprt until the testing cycle ends. DRC recmmends that sites upgrade t a fully supprted level befre the testing cycle begins. indicates the current level f supprt. The macos 10.13 sftware is currently Fully Supprted fr testing devices. T use a TSM with macos 10.13, yu must use the URL https://lcalhst:8443 t access the TSM. See the ios Release Strategy Nte that fllws. Page 11 January 23, 2018
ios Release Strategy Nte The ios release strategy prvides bth majr and minr release versins. Majr release versins are indicated by the number t the left f the decimal pint. Fr example, release 11.x and release 12.x are majr release versins. Minr release versins are indicated by the number t the right f the decimal pint. Fr example, release 11.1 and release 11.2 are minr release versins f majr release versin 11. DRC supprts bth types f release versins. DRC fully supprts the mst recent majr release versin f ios within 90 days f public availability f the new versin. During the 90 days f testing/verificatin, DRC prvides Best Effrt Supprt f the new majr release versin. DRC prvides Best Effrt Supprt fr minr release versins f ios as sn as they are made available t the public and will fully supprt these versins as sn as DRC cmpletes testing/verificatin. DRC will attempt t fully supprt minr release versins within 30 days f their release. Nte: DRC will ffer Best Effrt Supprt fr any previus versins f ios fr which Apple maintains supprt. Page 12 January 23, 2018
DRC TSM Sftware Requirements The DRC TSM sftware requirements are the same as the DRC INSIGHT requirements with the exceptin that the TSM sftware cannt be installed n an ios, Chrme, r Andrid device. The TSM sftware will wrk with INSIGHT sftware installed n these devices. The 32-bit versin f the TSM runs n nn-tuch Windws desktp and laptp devices, and Linux desktp and laptp devices. The 64-bit versin f the TSM runs n nn-tuch Windws desktp and laptp devices, nn-tuch Mac (OS and macos) desktp and laptp devices, and Linux desktp and laptp devices. Trademarks The fllwing are trademarks r registered trademarks f Micrsft Crpratin in the United States and/r ther cuntries: Internet Explrer Micrsft Micrsft Edge Windws Windws Vista Windws P Windws 7 Windws 8 Windws 10 Windws 10 S The fllwing are trademarks r registered trademarks f Apple Crpratin in the United States and/r ther cuntries: The fllwing are trademarks r registered trademarks f Ggle Crpratin in the United States and/r ther cuntries: Chrme Chrme OS Chrmebk Ggle Play Firefx is a trademark r registered trademark f Mzilla Crpratin in the United States and/r ther cuntries. Linux is a registered trademark f Linus Trvalds. Ubuntu and Cannical are registered trademarks f Cannical Ltd. Gnme is a trademark f the Gnme Fundatin. Apple ios* ipad Macintsh Mac OS and macos Safari *ios is a trademark r registered trademark f Cisc in the United States and ther cuntries and is used under license. Page 13 January 23, 2018