Requirements

This guide assumes you are installing this software on a dedicated application server that meets the following requirements:

Hardware

In order to optimize performance of the criminal history record conversion system, NORC recommends the following minimum hardware configuration:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008
• 16 GB of RAM (32 GB preferred)
• 200 GB Hard Drive (or read/write access to a 200+ GB network drive)
• You have write access to the directory where the software will be installed
• At least one multi-core, high speed Intel or AMD processor (4 preferred)

Note

Increased RAM, hard drive space, processer speed, or number of processors may improve performance.

Software

The criminal history records conversion system has the following application dependencies:

• Python 2.7 development environment and runtime libraries
• NORC Python-ETL open source library. See NORC Python-ETL section in the install guide for installation details.
• 7-Zip file archiver
• MySQL database platform version 5.X
• Mercurial, Git or Apache Subversion source code control system (optional)
• SAS 9.X (required for working with SAS files)

Security

The end user should expect to store the data, both raw and converted, on a password protected, role-based network drive. Likewise, the applications server and its file structure should follow secure, least privileges best practices. If a separate database server is created it and its file structure should also follow the same practices. The entire system should be firewalled to prevent the opportunity for outside, hostile intrusion. Access points will need to remain equally secure. To eliminate the chance of malware spreading or unwarranted penetration, NORC recommends granting entry to the various environments via VPN/Citrix or some other remote login and desktop emulation method.