SuccessWare 21 Deployment Options

Transcription

1 SuccessWare 21 Deployment Options This document is intended for a business owner or manager responsible for IT purchasing and management decisions. It is not a technical specifications document, but rather outlines different deployment options that can be applied to your business needs. This document, in conjunction with our hardware requirements and consultation with qualified technical personnel will assist you in making the most cost effective decisions for your business. SuccessWare 21 can be deployed on our or on your Local Area Network (LAN). The hardware requirements for your LAN are dependent on the number of users and whether or not you will have any remote users. Some example deployment scenarios are given at the end of the document. Note: It is important to understand that any company that is, or becomes affiliated with any of the One Hour Air, Ben Franklin, or Mister Sparky franchises is required to use the Web Hosted deployment. WEB HOSTED DEPLOYMENT (PREFERRED OPTION) The is an environment managed by a third party provider. All web-hosted users of SuccessWare 21 utilize a server farm and high-end database system. The benefits of the Web Hosted deployment include: Lowest hardware requirements computers only need to conform to Citrix Client requirements. This can usually be installed on existing computers without any upgrades. Top quality engineering staff Automatic updates to SuccessWare 21 Offsite data storage for backups SQL Server Enterprise Edition for database back-end Fail-over clustering on database server Full backup power generation (100% Natural Gas Generators) Remote connectivity from anywhere the customer has internet access Automatic application of Microsoft security updates Complete virus protection of your data Access to Job, Call and Assignment information via a web browser using WorkOrders Anywhere. SuccessWare, inc. 1

2 Options and Fees User Fees: $55 per month per concurrent user One-time Setup Fee: $200 (waived for new companies) Note: The above fees do not include SuccessWare 21 software license fees. LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) DEPLOYMENT Any non-web Hosted deployment is installed on the customer s LAN. All network administrative functions and hardware support are the customer s responsibility. SuccessWare does NOT administer customer s networks or support their hardware. Local Administration minimally requires: Comprehensive backup procedures Disaster recovery procedures Network management including but not limited to server and workstation service packs, internal security, external security (such as firewalls and router settings), virus protection, and power management. Must be a client/server network Server must be upgraded to meet SuccessWare 21 minimum requirements All workstations must be upgraded to meet SuccessWare 21 minimum requirements. Fewer Than 10 Users Companies that have fewer than 10 users are deployed using our standard installation and database system with SQL Express. 10 to 20 Users For companies with 10 to 20 users, SuccessWare requires the full version of Microsoft SQL Server for the database backend. This installation option provides the power required for optimum performance of SuccessWare 21. Standard Edition or Small Business Server for less than 20 users The customer must have in-house or contracted administration services to manage SQL Server. This system interacts with the network and backup systems. SuccessWare does not offer training in basic SQL Server administration. SuccessWare, inc. 2

3 More Than 20 Users For companies with 20 or more users, SuccessWare requires the full version of Microsoft SQL Server for the database backend. This installation option provides the power required for optimum performance of SuccessWare 21. Remote Access Microsoft SQL Server Dedicated Database Server The customer must have in-house or contracted administration services to manage SQL Server. This system interacts with the network and backup systems. SuccessWare does not offer training in basic SQL Server administration Customers who need to access their network and SuccessWare 21 from outside of the office will require a Remote Access Installation If you require remote access, we strongly recommend using our Web Hosted environment. If you use remote connection solutions on your network, you are responsible for the installation, configuration and administration of the hardware and software. Note that SuccessWare does not offer support for remote connectivity. Options for remote connectivity include: Remote Desktop Remote Desktop is available through Windows XP or newer operating systems. We recommend this option for no more than one remote connection. Terminal Server/Citrix MetaFrame If the customer is expecting 2 or more remote connections, then we recommend using Microsoft Terminal Services or Citrix MetaFrame. SuccessWare does NOT offer support for these products. The customer must have in-house or contracted administration services to manage this type of remote connectivity. You CANNOT use a direct VPN unless the band width is 100mbs A Virtual Private Network will NOT perform well unless it operates over a dedicated connection such as a frame relay or fiber optic cable. Dedicated servers depending on the number of local users, the number of remote users and the expected database utilization, remote access could require more than one server. See the detailed hardware requirements for more information. SuccessWare, inc. 3

4 SAMPLE DEPLOYMENT SCENARIOS The following are sample configurations to help clarify how the different deployment options might apply to your business needs. Please refer to the SuccessWare 21 Hardware Requirements document for details on specific configurations. Scenario 1 Small office network You have four computers in a peer-to-peer network with an existing DSL internet connection. Two of the computers are running Windows XP, and two are running Windows 7. You can deploy SuccessWare 21 to the with no additional changes to your workstations. Your router may need to be replaced with one that can be properly configured for communication with the hosting servers. You need to add a server, set up a domain, and bring the two Windows XP workstations into compliance with SuccessWare 21 requirements Scenario 2 Small Office, one on-call dispatcher with a remote connection. You have a small office network and you keep a person on call for emergency dispatch of technicians. You want this person to be able to access SuccessWare 21 to keep the data current, rather than having them keep paper records and wait until business hours for the data entry. You also have a part-time bookkeeper that occasionally connects remotely. Web Hosted access to SuccessWare 21 is automatically available from any internet connection. You users connect to their accounts directly from their location. Your network router may need to be replaced with one that can be properly configured for communication with the hosting servers. You need to install remote access software such as LogMeIn or setup and configure Windows Remote Desktop. Each of these options disables local access to the hosting computer on your LAN during the remote sessions. SuccessWare, inc. 4

5 Scenario 3 Medium Size Office, expecting growth to a small remote office in 12 months Your office has a server and six workstations. You plan on opening a second office with three workstations that will need to access SuccessWare 21. Your initial Web Hosted accounts are activated utilizing your existing network. When the new office is opened, three additional accounts are added. The second office needs only a high bandwidth internet connection such as DSL, and the hardware sufficient to meet your local software usage (such as Microsoft Office). No additional changes are required in the main office. Your routers may need to be replaced with ones that can be properly configured for communication with hosting servers. : Your local network will have to be evaluated for sufficient server power. It will need Microsoft SQL Server and Terminal Services. These are purchased from Microsoft and can be bought separately or bundled in Microsoft Small Business Server. A dual processor server with as much RAM as possible is the best configuration. You will need a qualified technician, either on staff or under contract, to manage the Terminal Server and SQL Server. Scenario 4 Large Office, heavy database utilization, remote office, and several people working from home You have 15 users in you primary office, 5 users in a second location and several people that need to access SuccessWare 21 from home or while traveling. Additionally, you run a large number of transactions through the database every day. The Web Hosted deployment of SuccessWare 21 is ideal for this scenario. All connections are to the host servers through your existing internet connections. The high-end database servers can easily handle the transaction throughput and all administration of SuccessWare 21 and the database server is handled by highly qualified technicians. Your router may need to be replaced with one that can be properly configured for communication with hosting servers. For your remote sessions, you will need to use Terminal Services. Because of the number of users and transaction throughput, you will have to install Microsoft SQL Server on a dedicated server. For good performance, the database server will need to have dual processors and as much RAM as can be budgeted. The complexity of the network makes it imperative that you have access to local qualified technical personnel for administrative issues. SuccessWare, inc. 5