Recommended Technology Platform
Our Recommended Technology Platform is a standardised set of recommended technologies that we know are robust, reputable and can be efficiently & effectively supported across most customer environments. They are typically supported by the vendors that manufacture or develop these technologies, with valid support contracts or warranties in place ensuring security and product updates are regularly available and able to be implemented. This standardised approach allows our customers to make the most of technology with reduced risk, issues, and downtime, and allows us to train and upskill our teams in providing better support & outcomes for customers. This is updated from time to time, and where possible we have supplied live links directly to vendor websites or online resources.
We do a lot of hard work & research to help customers make quicker technology decisions. Whilst we make every effort to identify a range of technologies that fit customer need, customers still need to validate their specific business requirements and confirm these choices when selecting from the recommended technologies below.
Workstations, Peripherals & Printers
Workstation Hardware
Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability and performance in commercial business/organisational use. Workstation hardware should have a valid vendor or extended support warranty in place. Recommended & supported vendors:
- HP
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Lenovo
Workstation Operating Systems
Microsoft Windows 10 & Microsoft Windows 11 versions that currently have active Security Support (vendor patching development & deployment), a simple online summary can be found at https://endoflife.date/windows
Apple macOS (also known as OS X or Mac OS X) officially supported versions, a summary can be found at https://endoflife.date/macos
Workstation Peripherals
There are a broad range of peripherals available in market. In general, it is hard to provide recommendations for all peripherals however there are a few categories that are typically important to most customer environments.
Docking Stations – supported hardware solutions from mainstream reputable vendors include
- HP, Dell, Microsoft, Lenovo & Targus docks. Device compatibility (Windows v Apple) and port requirements contribute to specific docking station needs – talk to one of our team for more detailed advice.
Monitors – monitors have a bearing on efficiency as well as people’s wellbeing (vision impacts). At a minimum we recommend that customers invest in dual screen set-ups in office or remote work environments, and that monitors are 22″ or larger in size, with a minimum of full HD (1920x1080px), 60 Hz refresh rate and 5ms or less refresh rate. Recommended & supported vendors include:
- Viewsonic, Samsung, Philips, HP, Dell, Sony, LG and Lenovo
Not recommended presently include:
- AOC, BenQ, ASUS, MSI and Acer
Headsets – covered below under Video Conferencing & Calling.
Printers, Print Services & Print Drivers
We recommend reputable printer brands for optimal compatibility and reliability. Customers are encouraged to procure printers from authorised vendors and to include valid printer support contracts or overall managed print agreements. Business printing needs can then be effectively supported by both Tribe and the printer vendor(s), as printers are under warranty support, have security firmware updates available and applied, and any printer drivers are supported on Workstation and Server Operating Systems (as covered above), or via a cloud print solution. Printer vendors include the following:
- Sharp
- HP
- Canon
- Epson
- Brother
- Ricoh
- Konica Minolta
- Xerox
- Toshiba
Label Printers – where customers require commercial label printers (often in warehouse, production or visitor check-ins) the recommended print vendors include:
- Zebra
- Honeywell
Cloud Print Services
If customer environments require a dedicated cloud printing service, the following are recommended:
- PrinterLogic – https://printerlogic.com/
- Printix – https://printix.net/
Fax & Fax Services
It is highly recommended that customers utilise online fax services rather than traditional fax hardware devices. If hardware devices are required, we recommend reputable fax brands for optimal compatibility and reliability, purchased through authorised vendors with hardware warranties in place.
Mobile Devices & Applications
Mobile Phones/Mobile Devices
Supported devices presently include Apple iOS and Google Android current versions as defined by Microsoft supported devices list found @ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/fundamentals/supported-devices-browsers
Supported Mobile Applications (Management & Deployment)
A full updated list of applications supported for management & deployment can be found @ https://intunepckgr.com/applicationlist
Unsupported applications (i.e. those not presently listed above) may be able to be packaged, however additional cost may come against this depending on complexity.
Servers & Infrastructure
Server and Storage Hardware
Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability and performance in business use. Server & storage hardware should have a valid vendor warranty in place. Recommended vendors:
- Nutanix
- HPE
- Dell
- IBM
Server Operating Systems
Microsoft Server Operating Systems that currently have active Security Support (vendor patching development & deployment) – a simple online summary can be found at have https://endoflife.date/windows-server
Linux – please discuss directly with one of our team.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS’s)
Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability, hardware should have a valid vendor warranty in place.
Managed UPS’s
Should have the ability to have SNMP enabled (ideally v3 for improved security). Recommended vendors:
- APC
- Eaton
- Vertiv Liebert
Unmanaged UPS’s
Unmanaged devices can be reactively supported but cannot be actively managed or monitored at all.
Backup Platforms
Backup Services
- Datto SaaS (M365 & Google) cloud backup
- Veeam Cirrus (M365) cloud backup
- Datto On-premises Appliance & offsite BUDR backup
- “Quantum” Backup & DR
- Veeam Backup and Replication
- Nutanix Replication
Backup Appliances
Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability and performance. Appliance hardware should have a valid vendor warranty in place. Recommended vendors:
- HPE
- Dell
- IBM
Virtualisation Technologies
Virtualisation Platforms
Currently supported & licensed versions from the following vendors are recommended:
- Nutanix – https://endoflife.date/nutanix-aos
- VMWare – https://endoflife.date/esxi
Desktop Virtualisation
Currently supported & licensed versions from the following vendors are recommended:
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/virtual-desktop
- Citrix Cloud Virtual Apps and Desktops – Citrix DaaS Delivers Secure Virtual Apps and Desktops to Any Device – Citrix
- Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (supported service versions that run on Microsoft Windows Server OS) – https://endoflife.date/windows-server
Internet Connectivity
Internet & WAN Connections
Customer internet connectivity is recommended to be high speed fibre based wherever possible via a reputable Internet Service Provider. If fibre is unavailable either local Wireless Internet Providers or Starlink is recommended.
Customer office/site locations should be secured behind edge firewalls, or via a secure management WAN solution.
Networking, Wireless & Firewalls
Wired Networking (Switches)
Ideally wired networking devices (switches) should be “managed” (see Cisco’s definition here) – ensuring improved security, control, recoverability and monitoring in environments. For Tribe to be able to monitor & manage the switching infrastructure, they need to be SNMP enabled (ideally v3 for improved security). A probe is required to be installed within a customer’s local network to fully monitor the network infrastructure.
Managed Switches
- Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability, performance, and security features. Switches should be capable of running a vendor supported firmware, and vendors include the following:
- Cisco
- HPE Aruba
- Ubiquiti (Unifi)
- Dell Networking
- Juniper
- FortiGate
Unmanaged Switches
- Unmanaged switches can be reactively supported but cannot be actively managed or monitored at all.
Wireless Networking (Access Points & Controllers)
Reputable brands that are widely recognized for their reliability, performance, and security features. Access Points should be capable of running a vendor supported firmware This includes the following.
- Ubiquiti (Unifi)
- FortiGate
- Juniper
- Cisco Meraki
- HPE Aruba
For Tribe to be able to monitor the wireless infrastructure, the access points need to have the ability to have SNMP enabled (ideally v3 for improved security). A probe is required to be installed onsite to fully monitor the network infrastructure. If SNMP isn’t possible limited monitoring will still be available via PING.
Network Cabinets & Patch Cabling
A critical point to consider is whether you own the content generated by AI tools. Some platforms (especially free ones) may claim rights to the data generated by their models, which could lead to legal complications, especially if you plan to use the output commercially.
Things to verify:
- Does the platform allow you to retain full ownership of the AI-generated content?
- Are there any clauses in the terms and conditions regarding the reuse or reselling of AI-generated materials?
Tip: Always read the terms and conditions of AI platforms, especially when using them for business purposes. If you’re unsure, seek advice!
Cloud Platforms & Productivity Suites
Cloud Productivity Suites
Online productivity suites that are recommended & supported:
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
Cloud Platforms
- Microsoft Azure – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/
- Amazon Web Services – https://aws.amazon.com/
- Google Cloud Platform (currently recommended for SaaS hosted applications only) – https://cloud.google.com/
- Wasabi Cloud Storage (recommended S3 Storage) – https://wasabi.com/
Standard Business Software
Workstation Software
Standard business software that can typically be installed & supported on workstations includes:
- Microsoft Software – Microsoft Office Productivity Suite & all Licensed M365 Applications (Teams, Lists, PowerBI Desktop, OneNote, Visio, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Supported Browsers – Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox & Google Chrome (currently supported versions). Note Apple Safari is supported but more difficult to centrally manage browser settings and configuration.
- Adobe Creative Applications – Shockwave, Photoshop, InDesign (currently supported versions as defined by Adobe at https://helpx.adobe.com/nz/support)
- PDF Reader/Editor Applications – Adobe, Foxit & other commercially licenses & supported PDF products
- 7Zip
- Zoom
Server Software
Standard business software that can typically be installed & supported on servers that are user facing (i.e. running Remote Desktop Services or equivalent) includes:
- Microsoft Software – Microsoft Office Suite
- Supported Browsers – Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari & Google Chrome
- PDF Applications – Adobe Reader, Foxit Suite (Adobe Pro/Reader together are not recommended for Remote Desktop Server environments)
Supported Software Subscriptions
These are subscriptions that we can actively manage on your behalf (applies to software purchased and maintained through us or transferred to us). This includes but is not limited to the following:
- Microsoft Licensing be it NCE/CSP, SPLA, or Volume Licensing
- Fortinet Software Licensing and Maintenance
- Adobe Licensing
Line of Business Applications
Line of Business Applications & Other Business Software
Customers will utilise a wide range of line of business applications or business software that is often developed specifically for their industry, sector, size or a specific purpose within the business. Because this is broad reaching and diverse in nature, we don’t typically make standardised recommendations in this area, other than to utilise the following key recommendations:
- Software should be under a current support contract, agreement or be actively supported by the developer/vendor (such as Software as a Service). Customers are encouraged and are responsible for maintaining valid support agreements with any critical or key software vendors.
- Software should run on currently supported Operating Systems or Cloud Platforms (see above).
- Any business software that contains sensitive financial, private, and business intellectual property information should be secure (multifactor authentication or single sign on at minimum) & recoverable (able to be backed up and restored in some form).
If customers line of business applications or business software meets the above criteria, we will provide support at Level 1 for the software.
Video Conferencing & Calling
Meeting Rooms
For Meeting rooms, we recommend customers use dedicated meeting room hardware, with active warranties and support contracts in place.
At a minimum, Microsoft Team Meeting room equipment should be certified:
- Microsoft Teams Rooms certified systems and peripherals – https://learn.microsoft.com/en
We highly recommend the following vendors for Microsoft Teams Rooms:
- HP Poly
- Logitech
Cloud Based Telephony
Voice Calling can be an essential service for many organisations and is no longer always tied to office desks or locations, or specialist hardware (known as desk phones or handsets). Tribe recommends Cloud Based Telephony systems as recommended, as these typically are more cost effective than traditional on-premise solutions & provide greater flexibility – around remote or mobile working, or even providing your organisation with resiliency in case of disaster.
There are a multitude of options available in the market, spanning traditional on-premise options, cloud-based solutions, or even using Mobile only based services (In which case you don’t need to be looking in this section). Talk to Tribe to evaluate your requirements and to compare costs & functionality. We typically recommend the following Cloud Telephony solutions from reputable nationwide providers (including Tribe):
- Microsoft Teams Calling Solutions
- iPECS Cloud
Individual Conferencing
For individual video conferencing (and calling) in open plan office settings we recommend customers use noise cancelling/suppressing bi-aural headsets from recommended vendors:
- Jabra
- Sony
- Poly
- Microsoft
- Bose
- Yealink
Production, Manufacturing and Internet of Things (IoT)
Production, Manufacturing and IoT Environments
As these environments are typically unique, varied & complex, we do not presently provide general recommendations on any Operational Technology (OT), SCADA or SCADA HMI, production software or support as part of an overall Recommended Technology Platform. We can provide levels of support and advice in certain areas where we have expertise – talk to one of our team to find out more.
