The upgrades involve both hardware and software.  The hardware portion consists of replacing the system unit, keyboard, and mouse.  The monitor will remain the same. 

The software portion of the upgrade includes changing the operating system from OS/2 to Windows NT.  Existing word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software (Microsoft Word 6.0, Powerpoint, and Excel) will not be changed.  All FAMIS machines will have Word 6.0 installed.  A FAMIS machine can have the Microsoft Office suite (which includes Excel 5.0) if a license has been purchased for it.  Only certain machines in each county office currently have Microsoft Office.  No additional licenses are being purchased to accommodate adding Microsoft Office to more machines.  Included in the new configuration for all the upgraded computers is Lotus Smartsuite.  Smartsuite includes a spreadsheet program which is compatible with Excel and a word processing progam compatible with Word.  Smartsuite includes Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet, WordPro, Lotus Freelance Graphics, Lotus Approach, Lotus Organizer, and Lotus ScreenCam programs.  Therefore, there should be little need for additional Microsoft Office licenses.

The upgrade will begin in June, and will continue through to the end of 1999 until all FAMIS workstations and servers have been upgraded.  Cole and Callaway Counties will be the first counties upgraded.  This will enable testing the upgrade procedure before taking it to the rest of the state.  A detailed, county-by-county schedule will follow in a separate memo.

Preparing for the upgrade; what counties must do

1.  Appoint an upgrade coordinator 

Appoint someone from the county office as a coordinator for the upgrade.  This person will be the contact person for the Computers Plus installation team, for Data Processing and for county staff.  In most cases, this will be the Remote Site Coordinator, but county offices may appoint whomever they choose.  

2.  Tag existing computers

Each county must identify each computer being upgraded by attaching a tag to it.  The only machines being tagged should be the FAMIS workstations.  (The servers in the county office's computer network room, as well as EBT and non-FAMIS workstations, do not need tagging.)  Please use a copy of the attached "FAMIS Computer Tag" for each machine and tape it to the side of the monitor where it will be easily visible to the installation team.  (Two tags will fit on one sheet of paper.)  It will help the installers greatly if the same tag format is used throughout every DFS office, so they will always have the same information in the same place.  Please ensure that all requested information is included on each tag.  The tagging must be complete before the upgrade in a county can begin.

3.  Assure existing computers have been backed up

Any files stored on the existing computers will be lost if they are not backed up.  The county office should provide for backing up each existing machine's documents, spreadsheets, or other user-created files to diskettes.  These can then be copied to the new machines by county staff. 

4.  Resolve differences in licenses

Computers Plus will prepare the workstations in two configurations.  This will be done in advance at the Computers Plus warehouse.  One configuration has Microsoft Word 6.0.  The other configuration has Microsoft Office (which includes Word 6.0, Powerpoint, and Excel 5.0).  The inventories completed by counties earlier this year will be used to determine how many of each configuration must be prepared.  In a few cases, the number of licenses indicated by the counties had to be adjusted when compared against the number of licenses actually purchased.  Therefore, the number of machines tagged for each configuration should match the number of licenses verified by Carol Blecha on the inventory.  If there is a discrepancy, contact Carol Blecha, FAMIS, at email BLECUBS (preferably) or 573-681-0100.  Keep in mind that Lotus Smartsuite will be on every upgraded machine and may meet your needs for tasks for which Word 6.0 may not be suitable.  Any discrepancies must be resolved at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the upgrade in a county.

5.  Receive upgraded equipment

Computers Plus will ship the required number of machines in each configuration to the county office a few days before the installation team arrives to install the machines.  When the machines are delivered, the county upgrade coordinator must sign for them.  The machines then should be kept in a single secure location until the installation team arrives.

6.  Assist the installation team

The upgrade coordinator must be available to answer questions for the Computers Plus installation team.  The installation team will move all the upgraded equipment into the proper place and will configure the computers with terminal ID's, printer ID's, etc.  The upgrade coordinator or other county office staff will not remove old equipment, put in place new equipment, or perform any of the installation process.

7.  Provide temporary space for the old equipment

As the installation teams remove old equipment, they will box it (including the system unit, the keyboard and the mouse) and move it to a location designated by the county office.  None of the old equipment being upgraded is to remain in the county offices.  The equipment being removed will be picked up by General Services shortly after the installation has been completed.  There is no need for the county office to prepare a work order (GS-2) for this.  Data Processing will prepare the work orders and will verify that all old equipment has been picked up by General Services.

8.  Verify the installation 

Data Processing will provide each county office with a copy of the purchase order for that office's machines.  Attached to the purchase order will be a certificate summarizing the "FAMIS PC Hardware and Software Upgrades."
 
The county upgrade coordinator should verify that the numbers of each configuration installed matches the amounts shown on the certificate and the purchase order.  Once the number has been verified, the upgrade coordinator should sign in the box labeled "State Approvals" and forward the signed certificate to the Project Director in the Division of Data Processing at the address shown on the form.

In an overnight process, Data Processing will verify the installations.  If they find any discrepancies, they will work with Computers Plus to resolve them.

If a computer is found to not work correctly after the installation has been verified, handle this as usual with a call to the FAMIS Support Desk (1-800-MO-FAMIS).

• Review this memorandum with all appropriate staff.

 
• Appoint an upgrade coordinator as described above.

 
• Follow other steps as indicated to prepare for the upgrade.