Options for Heating PC?

[DrBeaker]

We have an old computer here that controls some aspects of the heating system. Apparently it's the responsibility of the school to maintain and not that of the heating company (supposedly) and to clarify this the computer that runs the heating system and I was only told about it this morning.It's running Windows 7, local user account, on the network with Internet access with whatever software on it controls the heating. Been here long before my time started here.

 

I'd be potentially looking at either upgrading with RAM or SSD or replacing the computer with a new one, running Windows 10 LTSC/LTSB.

 

As they're saying the responsibility is ours and not the heating company, LTSC seems the simplest and best option for this case on face value. I don't want to have this as something IT become responsible for, I want to push it back to the site/heating company as much as I can. The PC is part of a workgroup so I was thinking a local install of Windows 10 LTSC, replicate the same settings they have on the current installation. I don't want to faff around with anything like converting the machine as to a VM as that puts the onus back on us and not them. The heating engineer can come in and install the software onto the new machine as he's advised he can do this.

 

Have others encountered similar situations like this?

[Ditto]

I have not but would agree it's best to push back. I'm sure the heating (boiler etc.) parts are maintained and if the supplier deemed it necessary to have a PC setup as part of the installation, then just as much they should maintain this. I'd be looking to get a copy of the contract and see what it says about service and maintenance. Let's suppose you upgrade and it all come crashing down. Presumably if the the heating company were to install on a greenfield site, they wouldn't want a Win 7 installation as it's off support, so they should have experience presumably of an alternative. If you do end up lumbered with being responsible for the hardware setup (sounds like they will take responsibility for software), then they should provide you with the exact minimum, or better still, recommended specification - and that means no Win 7. Why does it need to be on the network/internet anyway? What ever happens in the long run, I'd only make changes in Summer!

[Chaniel]

I've had this in the past where we supplied the PC but the heating company would troubleshoot any bugs with the software etc. Never really had an issue, just left it running as needed.

 

If their engineers can reinstall the software on Windows 10 and it isn't an issue (aka doesn't need to run on W7) then I'd just throw together a new PC with an SSD and Windows 10 LTSC. Install Veeam Agent and set it to backup every night and then ask them to setup the software and replace the one running W7.

 

Reason for Veeam is that if it goes bust, you can just do a bare metal restore and be up and running quickly, rather than having to get them to reinstall software etc.

[IrritableTech]

We had a PC in the same position a couple of years ago. The BMS system used a PCI card to communicate with the various controllers around site (I think it was probably RS485). The PC eventually failed and we ended up paying for a new IP controller which is now the interface between a VM and the BMS controllers. It's worked a lot better ever since.

 

The engineers are happy to work with us if and when there is a control issue to pin point where the issue lies (and it's rarely with the server or network).

[CHiLL]

We were in the same position, but IT hardware is our responsibility. We simply provided our site team with a an older desktop with our standard Windows 10 1709 image (which we were deploying at the time). Since then, we've upgraded our site to 1903 and chose to leave that machine alone. It is a domain joined machine and uses a local account for the site team to log in and use the software. If hardware fails, we'll repair/replace as necessary and we will ask the heating company to reinstall and reconfigure the software if required.