Hardware Requirements for Running Lion Server

When writing the specifications for your Lion Server hardware, start with minimum requirements and then add on based on the number of users, type of use, and other specifications specific to your implementation. Here are the minimum requirements for running Lion Server:
Computer: A Mac. Although you can hack non-Apple hardware to run the Mac OS X operating system, it violates the user license agreement.

Hardware Requirements for Running Lion Server

Processor: A 64-bit Intel processor. The oldest 64-bit processor found in Macs that support Lion is a Core 2 Duo. Lion won’t run on Macs with an Intel Core Sole or a Core Duo, which was the first generations of Intel processors that Apple used. (Older PowerPC Macs are also not supported.)
RAM: 2GB RAM base. If you’re running Podcast Producer, you need an additional 512MB of RAM for each processor core. For example, if your Mac has two dual-core processors, you need 3GB minimum.
Hard drive space: 8GB of free hard drive space.
The processor is, for the most part, determined by the Mac model you use. Macs with a dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo are slower than Macs with a dual-core Intel Core i3. Quad-core processors, such as the Intel Core i7, are faster yet.
The Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors offered in the Mac Pro are faster than the Core i7. (Core i5s come in dual-core and quad-core models.) The Mac Pro has the option for a six-core processor. (Logic and Latin would dictate that this is a “sex-core,” but the tech industry is wise enough to stay away from that one.)
The gigahertz (GHz) rating is less important than processor model and number of cores. It has meaning only when you compare two processors of the same model and same number of cores. So a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3 is faster than a 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3.
As a general rule, use more RAM in a computer than the minimum amount of RAM required by the operating system. Some Macs can hold several dozen gigabytes of memory, which is more than most people need.

For hard drive storage, you need as big a drive, or drives, as you have data to store. Hard drive storage is relatively inexpensive.

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Network Server Setup: Hardware Requirements

You not only have to have a server computer on which to install the network operating system (NOS), the server must have sufficient resources to execute the software. Each NOS lists minimum hardware requirements supported by the operating system. For example, the following table summarizes the minimum requirements for the Standard Edition of the Windows Server 2008 R2.

Network Server Setup: Hardware Requirements

Always take these minimums with a grain of salt. Windows Server 2008 will crawl like a snail with 512MB of RAM; you shouldn't bother with less than 4GB, and 16GB is a more appropriate minimum for most purposes.

Minimum Hardware Requirements for Windows Server 2008 R2 

Item	Windows Server 2008 R2
CPU	1.4 GHz
RAM	512MB
Free disk space	32GB

You should also check your server hardware against the list of compatible hardware published by the maker of your NOS. For example, Microsoft publishes a list of hardware that it has tested and certified as compatible with Windows servers.

This list is called the Hardware Compatibility List, or HCL for short. You can check the HCL for your specific server by going to Microsoft’s website at Microsoft HCL. You can also test your computer’s compatibility by running the Check System Compatibility option from the Windows distribution CD-ROM.

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Home Networking Hardware Requirements

Although setting up a home network isn’t necessarily an expensive or difficult project, you will need a few basic pieces of hardware to connect your computers, printers, gaming consoles, and assorted gadgets and do-hickeys to each other — and to the Internet.

Home Networking Hardware Requirements

Need	Purpose
DSL or Cable Modem	A DSL or cable modem connects your computer to a high-speed DSL or cable Internet connection. Although dial-up modems are still available for slower dial-up Internet connections, the connection speeds are far too slow for a home network.
Wired or wireless router	A wired or wireless router connects your DSL or cable modem to your home network. Many DSL/cable modems now have built-in routers that allow you to connect your network directly to your Internet connection.
Wired or wireless network adapters	A wired or wireless network adapter is the device in your computer (or printers, gaming consoles, and other networking equipment) that connects your computer to your network.
Ethernet cabling	Ethernet cabling is used to connect your wired network adapters to a router or network switch. Even if you are using a wireless router, you will need at least one Ethernet cable to connect your wireless router to your DSL or cable modem.

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Windows 8 Hardware Requirements

If you want to upgrade to Windows 8, your computer probably won’t complain; the hardware requirements remain about the same. Windows 8 should run without problem on any PC currently running Windows 7 or Windows Vista. In fact, Windows 8 may run faster on your old PC than Windows Vista did, especially on laptops.

Windows 8 Hardware Requirements

If your PC runs Windows XP, it may still run Windows 8, but probably not at its best.

If you have a technogeek in your family, have him or her translate the following table, which shows the Windows 8 hardware requirements.

The Windows 8 Hardware Requirements

Architecture	x86 (32-bit)	x86 (64-bit)
Processor	1 GHz
Memory (RAM)	1GB	2GB
Graphics Card	DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
HDD free space	16GB	20GB

In common language, the table simply says that nearly any computer sold in the past five years can be upgraded to Windows 8 with little problem.

Windows 8 runs nearly any program that runs on Windows 7 and Windows Vista. It even runs some Windows XP programs, as well. Some older programs, however, won’t work, including most security-based programs, such as antivirus, firewall, and security suites. You’ll need to contact the program’s manufacturer for an upgraded version.

Shopping for a new PC to run Windows 8? To see how well a particular showroom PC can handle Windows 8, point your mouse at any screen’s bottom-left corner and click the right mouse button. When the menu appears, choose System. The Windows Experience Index appears. It has already tested the PC and given it a grade ranging from 1 (terrible) to 9.9 (extraordinary).

Don’t know what version of Windows runs on your current PC? Go to the Start menu, right-click Computer, and choose Properties. The screen that appears lists your Windows version.

(If your Start menu fills the screen with a bunch of colorful tiles, you’re already running Windows 8. If so, right-click in the bottom-left corner, choose System from the pop-up menu, and the System window’s Windows Edition section says which version of Windows 8 is running.)

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