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Windows & Network Issues >> General Windows & Network Issues >> Multiple (Windows) Sites
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Message started by awaretech on 02/10/11 at 11:37:22

Title: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by awaretech on 02/10/11 at 11:37:22

Hi,

We will be expanding our company to a second building that will be connected via WAN @ T1 speeds. The buildings will be on the same Windows Domain. Can Evo/PVSW run over a WAN connection?

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by skyywalker on 03/19/11 at 12:21:07

the t1/wan(/vpn??) link will work but the latency (lag) for the new building users will probably get annoying when compared to what your users in the main building are used to.

if that turns out to be true, i'd put a terminal server on the LAN with the Evo server - or move Evo to a terminal server - and have the new building users RDP into it. that should give your new building users a better experience.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by GasGiant on 03/21/11 at 05:21:08

Our terminal server is in the same rack as our PSQL server. TS users have a better "user experience" (faster program operation) than network users, especially with searches and reports. Since DBA/Evo uses the PSQL database in a transactional way, a network round-trip is required for each record. The shorter the round-trip, the faster the reports run. That's why I run things like MRP, BOM roll-ups (BM-G), Update Costs (IN-L-E) and Rebuild Stock Status (IN-L-E or IN-D) directly on the PSQL server.

That being said, there are some downsides to Terminal Server use. Firstly, don't use this method to run DBA Classic. Classic will max out CPU usage each time it runs a command. Huge delays are experienced once you hit the third user session on the TS.

Another thing to watch for is users closing the RDP window without closing Evo first. They can leave stray sessions open and gobble up licenses. I had one user who kept closing the RDP window and opening new ones throughout the day. One day she had six licenses tied up at the same time! We have since put in a Cytrix server, which eliminates the multiple sessions, but I still have to clear sessions from internal users sometimes.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by awaretech on 03/21/11 at 07:28:55

Thanks Colin and Malcolm. There's the potential that 1/2 of my users (20 of 40) will be in the new location. I haven't yet gotten into TS/RDP; my Evo Server is 64 bit, has 4 GB RAM and a Xeon 2.33 GHz processor. Can it handle 20 TS users on Evo along with its current job? PSQL is also on that server.

I'm assuming my users would only log on to a TS session for Evo, not all their other work (MS Office, CAD etc.)...?

Thanks again for your input.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by GasGiant on 03/21/11 at 09:34:04

Yes, your server would likely be fine with the load if the TS users are only there for Evo, not apps. We have two TS set up for 20 users each and their load is never very taxing, even with ten users on it for all of their work.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by skyywalker on 03/21/11 at 11:27:06

GasGiant wrote:

Another thing to watch for is users closing the RDP window without closing Evo first.

In each user's Properties (domain or local), the Sessions tab has some options for handling idle RDP sessions. just warn your users against leaving Evo sitting idle while in the middle of a transaction.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by awaretech on 03/21/11 at 13:57:59

GasGiant wrote:

Our terminal server is in the same rack as our PSQL server.

Colin,

So you've got a TS server, a PSQL server, and an Evo server, all three on separate servers? I think we're pretty close in size (as far as Evo users, anyway), so whatever setup you've got may work well for me, too.

Title: Re: Multiple (Windows) Sites
Post by GasGiant on 04/15/11 at 05:40:21

Sorry, missed this reply. PSQL and Evo are on the same server.