Help Please!! - Multiple users connecting to main DB file remotely

[JDavidson]

Hi all,

I'm working for a client of mine who's network has had to be split due to lease running out on site, basically i've been asked to come up with a solution so that all of his staff can still access ACT! from different locations.

What i've suggested to him was he rent a server (I'm in UK, but looking at US based servers as they're on 100mb conn and alot cheaper) where i create a VPN, and users can log in on that and access the shared folders, where i can plonk the DB file for them to access.

I'm not familiar with ACT! myself, so if someone can tell me if the above solution would be viable that'd be great.

Also, can anyone tell me briefly how the sync would work with this solution, and also the DB file is 23mb, would this cause problems?


Thanks in advance,


Jack

 

[JDavidson]

** Forgot to ask, would i need ACT! Running on the server? or can i just host the file on it?

 

[GLComputing]

1. What version of ACT!?
2. You need ACT! installed on the server
3. Why not look at ACT! Premium for Web and access the database with just a browser

Regards,
Mike Lazarus
ACT! Evangelist
GL Computing, Aust

http://www.GLComputing.com.au

 

[BluebirdCRM]

Hello,

I certainly wouldn't advocate remote users opening the main database across a wide area network through a VPN tunnel unless excellent bandwidth can be guaranteed (otherwise user frustration levels will soar!), but to set them up as synchronising users would be a good solution.

You could mount the ACT! database on a server anywhere. In the UK, we use 1&1 internet where we an get a 100MBit connection dedicated server (quite powerful) for £59 per month. If you can get better in the US I'd be interested to hear about it.

The synchronisation just works over IP so once it is running on the server, the remote users would just need to either establish a VPN connection to he server and sync accross the VPN, or even just use an IP address (no VPN but you'd have to leave port 65100 open on the server to accept sync connections). Its quite a straightforward setup.

With regard to app. on server - you'd have to install the application as the SQL is wrapped up with the ACT! app. Whether you need to leave it running depends on the version of ACT!

If it's basic ACT! Professional, the synchronisatio service is part of the app so you would have to leave ACT! running or the sync wont work. If it's ACT! Premium/Workgroups, you dont need o have ACT running as the sync service runs as a seperate background windows service.

Hope this helps

Will

Will Ingleby
BluebirdCRM - Sage ACT! Partner & Product Specialist
United Kingdom
web:

http://www.BluebirdSAM.com