Aloha Terminal being transfered from one Restaurant to another

[Steakhouse]

Hi, I'm a restaurant manager and I will be getting another aloha terminal from another restaurant of the same chain.

However, in other for me to physically bring in the new terminal I was told that I need to transfer "Key" before I can proceed or else Ahola will not boot up.

I was told the key can be physically removed behind the printer (epson TM-T88IV Model M129H) and there would be some screws connect to it.

The issue i'm having is that I cannot find this so called "Key".

Can anyone guide me?

 

[mixerjv]

The key is in the Back of House (BOH) computer (usually in a mangagers office). If you are only transferring a terminal, the key stays. (EXCEPTION: if you're running an older version where one terminal doubles as the BOH, then DONT move that particular terminal)

Depending on what OS you're running (Win 9x, 2K, or XP) on the Term will dictate how you need to provision it for the new store.

 

[Steakhouse]

@mixerjv, thank you so much for such a speedy reply.

OK, so there is such a key.

Correct me if i'm wrong. You said if I am only transferring one Aloha Terminal and printer from one restaurant to another the Key stays. I understand that.

What I don't understand is why my Restaurant's IT department is telling me that 1st I must remove the "key" located behind the printer of of my terminal (thus deeming it unusable till I bring key back) then I would take that key from my restaurant's terminal and bring Key to other restaurant location and insert Key there. Then he would so some remote configurations. Then, and only then could I bring back that terminal to my store.

I am beginning to think he is incorrect. For he has told me that this has never been done before and he is not 100% certain in the correct protocol of transferring one in use terminal from one location to another.

Again, i'm extremely grateful for your reply as I will be doing this 1st thing on Monday.

 

[Steakhouse]

Hi, I just google some more and it brought me right back to this forum.

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1473630&page=8

In May of 2008 you replied to someone looking for the key:

"It looks like a DB25 extension, about 1 inch long that would plug into a parallel port, then a parallel printer could plug into it."

Also, MitchellW0214 said:

"The security key is plugged into the parallel port on the server."

That would mean that I was told incorrect that the key would be found in the back of any printer of any existing terminal.

Though I do see that each printer connected to all monitors have a DB25 cable but I don't see any added extensions to it.

Does anyone have a screenshot of what i'm looking for?

Also, this may all be a moot point if I don't need to touch the key in the 1st place because all i'm doing is transferring one working terminal from one location to another.

Also, not that it matters but all the systems are running on XP, then Aloha is executed after initial XP boot up.

 

[Steakhouse]

OK, I think I found what the HASP Key looks like.

http://i51.tinypic.com/s66uk9.jpg

 

[mixerjv]

Yes that pic is it.

Is the terminal your moving to the other store in addition to other terminals there? If so, one key may be licensed for more terminals than the other and that's why they want you to swap keys.

 

[Steakhouse]

Good point, mixerjv.

That is exactly what will happened. On store only had a license for a certain amount and now we are adding another.

So he is correct, I do need the Key then. Correct?

 

[coorsman]

Lets say - StoreA has four terminals. StoreB has 3 terminals. You want to move a terminal from StoreA to StoreB permently. Several factors are at hand.

1. Are both stores on the same Aloha version
2. Were they both installed by the same dealer and do you have the passwords for the aloha login on the server and terminals for both sites.
3. Are any of the sites using RAL (Radiant Auto Loader) on the terminal and server.
4. If you swap the Hasp key dose both computers have a parallel port to attach the hasp key to.

Other than the passwords to log into windows, the swap should be easy to do.



Cheers,
Coorsman

 

[Steakhouse]

@coorsman, thank you for your reply:

1. Yes both stores are on the same Aloha version.
2. Not sure if they were installed by the same dealer (I will verify on Monday, if not does it make a difference?) Yes, I can get aloha passwords and terminals for both sites.
3. Not sure if any of the sites are using RAL on terminal and Server (I can verify this on Monday as well.)

4.Well, I found the Hasp Key in my store (we only have one KEY and several terminals). I have not been to the other store yet, but I will assume it's on the main Aloha server as well.

My confusion, is what exactly is being done here?
I must remove the only HASP key from my store's server, correct?
Then, bring that KEY to the store that I will take their terminal from, correct? Then, I remove their KEY and insert mine, correct?

Then what? I was told I would be bring back their KEY, but that would not make sense because they need their KEY for their other terminals to operate.

For, at 1st I thought each terminal/printer had a KEY. But after checking all my terminals I realize I only have one KEY. Thus I will assume the other store only has one KEY and I could not take theirs.

My apologies for not understanding this as clearly as it may appear to you guys.

But, I cannot afford an error or I will lose out on getting the new terminal.

 

[coorsman]

Each gasp key is assigned a license number. It is stored in aloha manager maintenance -store settings- aloha license. These numbers must follow your key. They also are tied to radiant systems if you have any other radiant software that communicates with radiant ie Ecards or others your information will not process correctly. That said, just transferring the gasp key and sec numbers are Straigh forward. The reason I asked about the dealers they usually use the same password for windows log on.

There are several things you will need to get it online. More on that later

Cheers,
Coorsman

 

[Steakhouse]

@coorsman, so in reality what I'm trying to accomplish is something basic and I should have no problems? Or is there something I should be careful about that could go wrong?

Say my store has 4 terminals. That means that my only HASP Key has 4 license numbers, correct?

Thus, I do need to take my current Key to other store and insert Key and add their terminal license to my Key and then put back their Key and now bring their terminal and printer and my Key back to my store, correct?

Also, each store should have 1 HASP Key regardless of amount of terminals, correct?

Or, does each terminal have their own hasp key?

Thanks again.

 

[coorsman]

Each server has a hasp key, each key is assigned a sec code located in the software - aloa manager. The sec numbers assigned to the hasp key are what determin what software, EDC, schedule, quick service, and number of terminals. If the software (version) and selected software is the same then,

Every terminal's ibercfg.bat at each site must be changed to reflect the new number of terminals. The aloha software must be re-programmed reflecting the new terminal and any printers atached to them.
The key numbers must be switched at each site and the hasp key swapped.

About an hrs work online.

Networking and re-installing the software on the new terminal and you should be good to go.


Any reason you wouldn't want your dealer to do this?

Cheers,
Coorsman

 

[Steakhouse]

Any reason you wouldn't want your dealer to do this?

Well, my store has an IT dept that is walking me through this. I did not know that the dealer could help us. I will inquire about it.

Any chance anyone could post the main # for the dealer? Or their general tech support line?

 

[mixerjv]

Coorsman is referring to the dealer/reseller who originally sold your chain/store the package. Radiant (Aloha) has tech support only for dealers/resellers (with some large chain exceptions).

The only problem I see with swapping the keys with dealer support is that they might not be allowed to support such a move. The license is by site and non-transferrable (last I knew), therefore, the right thing to do would leave the HASP keys in place and buy another terminal license for the site you are moving the terminal to.

Your IT department should be the ones worring about it anyway. Essentially your unhooking one terminal from site A, moving it to site B, swapping the parallel port HASP key in the process. After the terminals are hooked up, there will need to be some tweaks in all terminals and both BOH computers in both locations, presumably that's what your IT department would do remotely. By the way, do this with booth stores closed for the day or plenty of time before you open for the day.

 

[Steakhouse]

Everything, turned out just fine. Thank you for all the replies.

Mods, feel free to lock thread.