System Requirements
Introduction
The goal of this document is to provide detailed recommendations about what type of server configuration (hardware and software) is recommended by Aptora’s technical staff for running a Microsoft® SQL Server database engine; the backbone of Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition. This document is not intended to provide pricing or vendor recommendations.
Before looking at the Detailed Recommendations for a server system please review the General Server Requirements.
Operating Systems
Any of the following operating systems can be used: Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, Windows Server 2000, Windows XP (all versions), Windows Server 2003 (all versions), Windows Vista (all versions), Windows Server 2008 (all versions) or Windows 7 (all versions). Total Office Manager is kept up to date. It is important that you keep your operating system up to date with all of the most current Service Packs, updates, and drivers. This is your responsibility. If you do not, it is possible that Total Office Manager may not operate correctly.
Windows 98 is no longer supported by Microsoft (as of June 2003) and therefore NOT recommended. We will not support Windows 98, NT, or ME.
Mac® OS Support
Using the free Boot Camp feature, Apple’s Mac® OS X operating system supports the most popular 32-bit releases of Windows XP and Windows Vista. When you use either operating system on your Mac, your Windows applications will run at native speed. Windows applications have full access to multiple processors and multiple cores, accelerated 3D graphics, and high-speed connections like USB, FireWire, Wi-Fi, and Gigabit Ethernet.
Alternatively, if you have an Intel based Mac, you may also purchase a copy of Parallels or VMWare. They allow you to run Windows in virtualization without requiring a dual boot. If you have an older Motorola® Power Chip based Mac, you may wish to purchase Virtual PC.
NOTE: A separate license for Microsoft Windows may be required when running in a virtual environment.
Terminal Server & Remote Access
Total Office Manager can be implemented in a Terminal Server environment to enhance the experience of remote users. Rather than rely on an internet connection to obtain the data stored in Total Office Manager you can use a Windows® Terminal Server so the application can access data at local network speeds. If your technician or remote office loses connection temporarily they can pick-up where they left off because the Terminal Server will continue running until they explicitly close the software/connection.
Even better, with Windows Server 2008 you can use the RemoteApp feature to run Total Office Manager as if it were running on the local computer in the field, and the data will be transferred at local network speeds.
Please consult with your System Administrator for more information regarding possible Terminal Server configurations.
Future Versions
Aptora’s goal is to stay up-to-date with the latest technology. As new operating systems and servers become available we will strive to make our software compatible. We cannot recommend or guarantee support of newer versions before they are publicly available. We will post information about compatibility on our Web site as it becomes available.
Workstation Requirements
| System Device | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | See notes above | Windows Vista Business or Windows 7 Professional |
| Processor | Pentium 4 | Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, AMD Phenom or equivalent |
| Hard Disk Space | 200 MB free | 25% of the total partition size |
| RAM | 256 MB (128 MB available)* |
512 MB Available* |
| Video | 1024 x 768 16-bit video driver |
1280 x 1024 or higher Dual-monitor for Dispatchers (compatible when running multiple instances) |
| CD-ROM | Required For Installation | 48x CD-ROM Drive |
| Network Adapter | 10/100 mbps (if networking ability is desired) |
10/100/1000 mbps |
| Printer | Compatible with most | Laser or high-speed ink jet printer |
| Software | Internet Explorer 5.5 | Internet Explorer 7.0 Microsoft MapPoint 2009 |
| Other | Mouse or pointing device | Optical/Laser Mouse Standalone email client if email features are desired |
| Internet Connection | Dial-up/Satellite (Used for updates) | Broadband (Cable, DSL, Fiber, etc.) |
| Email Client | Local client software is required to email appointments, Invoices/Sales/Receipts, phone messages, work orders and other information | Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 or equivalent |
| * We recommend that you install all of the memory your system can handle. It's currently very cheap and will generally offer the largest performance increase of anything else you do. | ||
Caller ID Requirements
| System Device | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | See notes above | Windows Server 2008 64-bit (Any Edition) |
| Processor | Pentium 4 | Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, AMD Phenom or equivalent |
| Hard Disk Space | 20 MB free | 25% of the total partition size |
| RAM | 256 MB (128 MB available)* |
512 MB Available* |
| Video | SVGA (800x600) 16-bit video driver |
1024 x 768 (or higher) High-Color (32 bit) 65536 colors |
| CD-ROM | Required For Installation | 48x CD-ROM Drive |
| Network Adapter | 10/100 mbps | 10/100/1000 mbps |
| Communications Port | SERIAL INPUT | SERIAL INPUT |
| Other | Mouse or pointing device | Optical/Laser Mouse |
General Server Requirements
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 4 or higher | Windows Server 2008 64-bit (Any Edition) |
| SQL Server 5 Users or Less |
SQL Server 2005 Express
Edition† (Free) |
|
| SQL Server 6 Users or More |
SQL Server 2005 Express Edition†* (Free) | SQL Server 2005 Workgroup, Standard or Enterprise** |
| Processor (CPU) | One (1) Pentium 4 | Dual- or Quad-Core Server-Grade Processor |
| Hard Disk Space | 1 GB free | 20% or more of the total disk space |
| Total RAM / Allocated to ‘APTORA’ Instance | 512 MB / 256 MB | 2 GB / 1 GB or more |
|
† Please read the SQL Server Express Limitations section of this document. * Having more than five users connected simultaneously could limit performance. ** Licensed editions of SQL Server can be purchased from most Microsoft
resellers.
|
||
SQL Server Express Limitations
| Specification | Limit |
|---|---|
| Physical Processors (CPUs) | One (1) |
| Physical Memory (RAM) | One (1) GB Allocation to SQL Server |
| Database Size | Four (4) GB |
Detailed Recommendations
For systems being configured to run SQL Server, please use the system requirements available on Microsoft’s Web site at the following URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/system-requirements.aspx
IMPORTANT: The Total Office Manager database and setup configuration do not currently support the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine.
There are four main editions of SQL Server available from Microsoft. Below you will find information about what editions are recommended based on the planned configuration and use of Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition. Most companies will begin using Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition with SQL Server Express Edition, and will later upgrade to an edition with fewer limitations based on their needs at that time.
SQL Server Express Edition is recommended for companies that plan to have five or fewer simultaneous users in Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition. The database size and memory limitations of this SQL edition are not typically an issue with these types of configurations. If at anytime the limitations are exceeded an upgrade to a fully licensed copy of SQL Server will be needed to continue functioning with minimal or no performance constraints.
SQL Server Workgroup Edition is recommended for companies that plan to have six or more simultaneous users in Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition. The memory limitations of this edition are very reasonable, and there is no limit to the size of the SQL database.
SQL Server Standard and Enterprise Edition will typically not be needed for most companies that use Total Office Manager Enterprise for day-to-day operations. If the company plans to use SQL Server for operations other than Total Office Manager Enterprise (such as custom reporting using SQL Server’s Reporting Service, custom applications, etc.) then these editions of SQL Server can provide them with more configuration, expandability, and management options.
It is recommended that a Windows Server operating system be used for the Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition server. In general, operating systems that support the current version of SQL Server will support the Total Office Manager Enterprise Edition server components.
Sample Server Configurations
The following server configurations have been provided by Aptora’s IT Manager for consideration when purchasing a new server.
Dual Core Intel® Xeon® 3040, 2MB Cache, 1.86GHz, 1066MHz FSB
2GB DDR2, 667MHz
Microsoft® Small Business Server 2008
250 GB SATA II HDD
RAID 1 Array
Operating System Partition of 25 GB
or more
Quad Core Intel® Xeon® E5335; 2X4MB Cache, 2.0GHz, 1333MHZ FSB
4GB DDR2, 800MHz
Windows Server® 2008 R2 Standard 64-bit Edition
Dual Gigabit Network Adapters
320 GB SATA II HDD
RAID 5 Array
Operating System Partition of 50 GB
or more
Intel and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
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