System Requirements |
 
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System Requirements |
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The following versions of Windows are supported:
•Windows 10 (64 bit)
•Windows 11 (64 bit)
•Windows Server 2016 (64 bit)
•Windows Server 2019 (64 bit)
Note also that while other Windows operating systems are not officially supported (i.e. they are not included in the standard test plan implemented by Wood prior to each new release), the software may also be compatible with such systems.
The following general guidelines outline recommended requirements for your machine in order to successfully run Flexcom.
•Operating system. Microsoft Windows. See above for supported versions.
•Processor. Fast speed processor with high amounts of cache. The analysis engine of Flexcom is computationally intensive and performs best on CPUs with strong floating point maths performance. Generally speaking, the higher the processor speed, the faster the program will run. We recommend an Intel Core-i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 or above. This will ensure that Flexcom simulations run as quickly as possible.
•CPUs. When running simulations, Flexcom determines how many processing units are available on your machine, and executes several simulations in parallel across the available processing units. So the more CPUs you have, the quicker the overall throughput. Various components of the user interface perform different operations simultaneously in the background while the program is running, so having free processing units will improve the overall responsiveness of the program. Hence 16 CPUs are generally recommended. Note that the number of CPUs utilised for simulations may be restricted by your licence agreement, so check with Wood if you are unsure.
•Disk space. We suggest 100 GB and upwards. The program installation itself only requires about 350 MB, but once you begin working with the software, the size of results database files may quickly become significant. If you are unsure, past projects may provide a helpful reference for typical disk space requirements. Although straightforward to purchase from the outset, additional disk storage can be difficult to retrofit later if required. You can always purchase an external hard drive subsequently if required, but access speeds will be lower than with a local drive.
•Disk access speed. On a machine with a powerful CPU and high amounts of RAM, disk access may become a bottleneck which limits performance. In Flexcom, some types of simulations require intensive disk access and having a fast SSD will make sure those simulations run faster, utilizing the full potential of the CPU and RAM on the machine. SSDs vary in terms of access speeds (and cost) so you may wish to review some dynamic simulations from past projects. You can examine database file sizes in Windows Explorer and check run times via the Flexcom OUT files. Dividing one number by the other, and taking into consideration how many CPUs are available, will give you some idea of the required write speeds in MB/s.
•RAM. Flexcom is not a particularly memory intensive application, but the program may under-perform if RAM is unavailable. Bear in mind that you will likely use several applications simultaneously, in addition to Flexcom. 16 GB is typically recommended.
•Internet browser. Internet Explorer is recommended for viewing the context-sensitive help within Flexcom (accessed via F1 key), given that Internet Explorer can open CHM files directly. This functionality is generally not present in newer browsers, but some browser extensions, like "Chumium" for Chrome, can provide CHM viewing functionality. Regardless, all Flexcom documentation is fully available online, and this may be accessed by any modern browser, just without the convenience of the F1 key instantly opening a specific article.
•Graphics card. Any Microsoft DirectX 9.0 compatible graphics card. This is mandatory in order for the Model View to work correctly.
•Excel. To use the Excel Add-in, either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Microsoft Excel 2007 or later must be installed.
•Monitor. Flexcom's GUI has several component windows, so a large flatscreen monitor is recommended for comfortable viewing. We suggest a 24-inch monitor as a minimum, or larger if you prefer, with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 or more.
Note also that Flexcom can be accessed directly from the cloud. With this model, the Flexcom software license, plus associated computational power and storage facilities, is delivered as a single coherent package via the internet. This is an alternative model which reduces dependency on local hardware. Refer to Flexcom-on-the-Cloud for further details on the potential benefits of adopting this approach.