Just to throw another one in the pot - look at
http://www.genotechs.com/i-markinfo.html for Atromark from GenoTechs.
Haven't used it yet and it is still in Beta (I think) but it may be the most
simple Delphi-based solution out of the lot.... (if it works as advertised
of course).
Xander
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Howard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list delphi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 5:38 PM
Subject: Re: [DUG]: Application Structure
> This discussion is all very useful.
>
> Any thoughts on the relative merits of the Astra solution. It certainly
looks
> to be very simple.
> It would be typical in my app for data entry to occurr over a 2 hour
period
> every morning.
> Reporting would be sporadic during the month with moderate use Mondays and
> (relatively) heavy use in the two days after month end.
> With Astra, is there a problem reporting from a client site to it's own
(remote)
> printer?
>
> Mark
>
> Grant Black wrote:
>
> > I am not sure I like the suggestions of using Terminal Server or
Citrix -
> > isn't it just the conceptual equivalent of giving your clients
PC-Anywhere &
> > tell them to dial into your server?
> >
> > The biggest problem is suggesting running a dial-up line - Telecom
charge 4
> > cents a minute during the day so if you are talking about a dial up line
to
> > an ISP then you are looking at 8 x 60 x 4 / 100 : ~$20 dollars a day
(per
> > site) or ~30 cents per transaction. It would be cheaper to put in leased
> > line (only $90 month for a 33.6 last time I looked - admittedly years
ago),
> > and would give you 24/7 uptime. Of course, you still have to connect to
an
> > ISP & pay charges.... good luck finding an ISP that will guarantee
uptime
> > - voyager lost our link for a couple of hours last week :-(.
> >
> > Its just a personal opinion, but I think that PC's are cheap enough that
> > running dumb terminals just seems wrong.
> >
> > If you want to keep _running_ costs down, then I would be asking the
> > questions about how fresh the data needs to be for reports & the uptimes
> > required. If you have something like a on-line booking system then
> > real-time transactions are going to be important. For a more typical POS
> > type system with nightly (off-peak) reconcilations, then something like
the
> > Astra or Midware looks interesting but you are going to have to think
about
> > the data flows very carefully.
> >
> > If you already have the app running on the LAN & the company seems value
in
> > installing a WAN (hopefully not just for your app), then its not a
problem -
> > just get a network consultant in to set up a WAN link (frame-relay,
leased
> > line, ISDN - get them to do quotes). All you have to do is to make sure
your
> > app is not too bandwidth intensive - ie check you are not using TTables
on
> > large datasets or doing select * on big tables & joins. Unless you have
a
> > badly designed database or large datasets you shouldn't choke a ADSL
link at
> > the server end.
> >
> > > > The Remote sites are not in cities and may not have access to ADSL
> > > > Do these alter your suggested solution?
> > >
> > > With Citrix, you can use dial up and configure it to
> > > reconnect (without losing your session) when the line drops out.
Quite
> > > good really.
> >
> > > > Seems funny to me that Terminal Server (with the application
> > > > residing on the
> > > > server) is a better solution than having the application on
> > > > each site with only
> > > > the database on the server. Comments?
> > >
> > > With YOUR particular situation, its OK. It also keeps your
> > > costs down, as
> > > you only need to install your application *once* at the
> > > server. You can
> > > also configure WinFrame so that you can dial in to do remote
> > > support. The
> > > client machines don't need super CPUs, even a lowly 286 will do!
> > >
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Dennis.
> > >
> > > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > > -------------
> > > New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List -
> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz
> > >
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> > New Zealand Delphi Users group - Delphi List - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz
>
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Website: http://www.delphi.org.nz
