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Resolved Question

Requirements for pedestrian turnstile software

Feb 24, 2015 9:32PM PST

Hello,
Do you think the following requirements are adequate and not too high for the software used for a single access point (pedestrian turnstile):
- Microsoft Windows XP/2000 Prof./2003/Vista/7 operating system
- 1 GB RAM
- 10 GB free disk space
- Celeron 2.5 or higher
- LAN Ethernet 10 Mbps

The software functions are:
- employees data entering
- registering swipe proximity ID-cards
- managing access rights (permit/deny)
- creating and managing access options
- viewing events list for a certain employee for a certain time period
- adjusting access control system hardware
- events recording in access control system data base with the ability of data export to a file (e.g. Excel)
- setting parameters of security and fire alarms circuits and grouping circuits into areas
- arming/disarming of security and fire alarms circuits

Discussion is locked

Gregg1988 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Re: requirements
Feb 24, 2015 9:54PM PST

- I wouldn't use Windows XP or 2000 or 2003 or Vista, unless you want to use a really old PC for this purpose that currently has one of those OS'es and can't be upgraded. But then it's doubtful if you can get drivers for the ID-card scanner, and then although such an old PC is cheap (0 - 50 USD) it won't be of much use.
- The 10 GB free disk space is fine, if you keep this machine stand-alone, isolated and not in a network. In that case there's no need to ever use Windows update on it. If you foresee that it will be linked to your network, I'd reserve an extra 30 GB for future Windows updates.
- 1 GB of RAM isn't much, and certainly you can''t get a new PC that has so few RAM. Why not the usual 4 GB for a new PC?


Kees

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requirements
Feb 25, 2015 6:16PM PST

Thanks for the advice. As for the soft requirements, they are not my idea, I found them here.

Why not the usual 4 GB for a new PC?

I think that in the most cases managing PC would have over 1 Gb RAM. Except situations when the user knowingly build a low cost system. As for the price, 0-50 dollars, it's quite optimistic. Some poople prophet 200$ for such simple machine Shocked . I heared that turnstiles don't require complex PC hardware and software as they perform very simple operations. But PC complexity arises when turnstiles are integrated with intelligent access system, which has extra options such as time & attendance, sallary counting, video survaillance etc.

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The thing is
Feb 26, 2015 3:53AM PST

You may be under the odd assertion that a lesser part PC should cost less. That's far from the truth. Mass production pushes the price down. Just look at the laptops at http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Computers-Accessories-Laptop/zgbs/pc/565108 there are complete, ready to use PCs at 200ish bucks.

Even Intel's Compute Stick is in the mid 100's due to no mass production or consumption.

-> If you want to break below 100, look to the Rasberry Pi and such things.
Bob