Software for each of our courses is available in the lab for the specific course, however, if you are interested in having the same software at home, you may consider the software below.
In general, the following software will be used in all Computer Information Technology courses:
- Windows 10 Professional
- HTML5-compliant web browser (Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer 11, Firefox, Chrome, etc.)
- Microsoft 365
Online courses may have individual software requirements. Please contact your instructor if you have any questions.
Software Available to Students
Microsoft 365
All current students at A-B Tech receive access to Microsoft 365 using their A-B Tech username and password. Computer courses using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) may require local versions to be installed for certain tasks.*
To access Microsoft 365 for the first time:
- Visit Microsoft 365
- Type in your A-B Tech student email address for your username (e.g. johnqstudent@students.abtech.edu)
- Type in your A-B Tech password (e.g. the one you use for WebAdvisor/Moodle/Self-Service)
- Log in
- Set your region to "United States" and "East Coast"
Need help? Read our Microsoft 365 Download Instructions.
Microsoft Azure Education Hub
The Microsoft Azure Education Hub provides access to Microsoft software and services. Your instructor will let you know what you need for a specific course. To access the Hub, please follow the steps below:
- Visit Azure for Education and click the blue Sign-in button.
- Enter your school email and password.
- Once signed in, it should take you to the Student Verification page. Please enter your school email address twice and a verification link will be sent to your email.
- Copy and paste the link to a new tab then hit continue.
- Please agree to the Terms and Conditions.
After completing the above-mentioned steps, you should be able to access the Azure portal. If you were directed on the Azure Home page, please type in “Education” on the search box then select “Education Preview” from the search results.
Software for Specific Programs
IT: Network Management
Networking students can request access to VMware software.
IT: Software and Web Development
Web programming tools and technologies change often, and courses may require certain software tools. Please contact your instructor if you have any questions.
- XAMPP - Open-source software. Includes Apache Web Server, MySQL, PHP, phpMyAdmin, CGI
- Coding tools - Many free options exist such as Notepad++, Brackets, Atom, Visual Studio Code, and others.
- Virtual Servers: Virtual computing servers are offered through the Virtual Computing Lab service of North Carolina State University.
- Others - As web development technologies and programming languages change often, other software may be used as needed for class projects.
Digital Media Technology
Please see the DME Software page for information about software for Digital Media Technology.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
All GIS classes use ESRI's ArcGIS. This software is provided through a 1-year Educational License by your instructor. This software will only operate under a Windows Operating System. The software WILL NOT run on a Mac OS unless you use Boot Camp and Windows 7 or a Virtual Machine and Windows 7.
*If you have questions about other software, please contact a faculty member or instructor in the related course.