SQL Hardware Requirements
Trade Only VENTURE Hardware Requirements
Last Revision Date: February 2011
Trade Only VENTURE can be configured to operate in one of two different architectures – Fat/Thick Client or Thin Client. The table below highlights the key differences between these two architectures to help you choose which option may be best for you.
If you have any specific queries regarding any of the information below, please contact your implementation consultant or alternatively, you can email support@tradeonly.com with any hardware/software compatibility queries.
| Fat/Thick Client Architecture |
Thin Client Architecture |
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The Trade Only VENTURE application programs are installed onto each client machine. When a user logs into Trade Only VENTURE, the application programs are run from the user’s machine and access database files centrally stored on the Trade Only VENTURE server machine. |
The user connects directly to the Trade Only VENTURE server machine using an internet based application such as Microsoft’s Terminal Services application or the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient application. The application programs and database files are accessed directly from the Trade Only VENTURE server machine. |
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The application workload is split across several different machines meaning slightly less RAM is required on the Trade Only VENTURE server machine (see requirements tables below) |
The application workload is concentrated on the Trade Only VENTURE server machine. This results in a need for additional RAM to be installed on the server machine (see requirements tables below) but also means that the specification of the client machines can be significantly lower, the key requirement being a high specification server and a stable internet connection if accessing remotely. |
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No additional software is required other than the Trade Only VENTURE Client & Trade Only VENTURE Server applications. |
If the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient will be used, licenses will need to be purchased on a per user basis. If Microsoft Terminal Services is used, additional licenses may need to be purchased from Microsoft. |
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If the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient will be used for remote access, a 32bit operating system will be required on your Trade Only VENTURE server. 64bit operating systems are currently NOT supported by the WebClient software so please consider this when choosing your Server's operating system. |
Thick Client Architecture
Server Machine Requirements for Thick Client Architecture
(Recommended for up to 20 user systems)
| System Component | Requirements |
| Operating System |
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (R1, R2, Standard or Enterprise, 32 or 64 bit) Please note that Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) is NOT supported (see FAQ at end of document for details) NOTE: The Trade Only VENTURE WebClient software is not yet compatible with 64 bit operating systems so please consider this when choosing your Server OS version. |
| CPU | 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (minimum) |
| RAM |
4GB for 32 bit operating systems (minimum) |
| Network Interface Card (NIC) | Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) |
Client Machine Requirements for Thick Client Architecture
(Recommended for up to 20 user systems)
| System Component | Requirements |
| Operating System |
Windows XP Professional Edition |
| CPU |
2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (minimum) |
| RAM |
2GB for 32 bit systems (minimum) |
| Network Interface Card (NIC) | Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) |
Thin Client Architecture
Server Machine Requirements for Thin Client Architecture
(Recommended for over 20 user systems)
| System Component | Requirements |
| Operating System |
Windows Server 2003 (Standard or Enterprise, 32 or 64 bit) |
| CPU | 2.5 GHz Intel core 2 duo / AMD equivalent |
| RAM |
4GB minimum for 32 bit systems |
| NIC | Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) |
Client Machine Requirements for Thin Client Architecture
(Recommended for over 20 user systems)
| System Component | Requirements |
| Operating System |
Windows XP Professional Edition |
| CPU | No minimum requirement |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Internet Connection |
A stable internet connection is essential for the WebClient software to operate correctly. We strongly recommend against using a wireless connection due to the decreased connection reliability. |
Hardware / Configuration Requirements for the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient
The Trade Only VENTURE WebClient is a server-based, thin client application that enables you to access Trade Only VENTURE via an internet connection & it can be used by both Apple Mac & Windows based client machines. The software consists of two components, the 'Cluster Manager' application which is installed on your Trade Only VENTURE server and the 'Client' application which is installed on the machine you wish to connect from.
Please ensure that you take into account the following configuration requirements for the WebClient software before purchasing to avoid any problems when installing and/or operating the software.
- TCP Port 491 must be open & accessible for both inbound & outbound traffic on your Trade Only VENTURE server machine & the client machines you are connecting from. Due to the many different IT infrastructures & security applications/policies that companies can use, we are unable to advise you on how to configure this. Please contact your IT support company if you are unsure.
You may find the following website useful when testing your open ports :- www.seemyport.com
- The client component of the WebClient software can be installed on both 32 and 64 bit operating systems. However, the server component of the WebClient software currently only supports 32 bit Operating Systems, 64 bit Operating Systems are NOT supported so please ensure your Server meets the requirements for a thin client architecture detailed above.
- All WebClient users will need to be added as users on your Trade Only VENTURE server to allow the user to authenticate with your server. Please ensure that these user accounts have been created on your server before contacting us, this will avoid any delays in getting the WebClient connections operational for your users. Again, due to the many different IT infrastructures that companies can use, we are unable to advise you on how you should configure this. Please contact your IT support company if you are unsure.
- The users who will be accessing your Trade Only VENTURE system using WebClient may need to setup a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to your Trade Only VENTURE server in order to connect to it, depending on your server configuration. Please check with your IT support company on how your remote users will need to connect to your server and whether a VPN will be required or not as Trade Only VENTURE will require this information in order to setup the WebClient software. If a VPN is not required, please ensure you know the external IP address that your remote users should connect to in order to access your Trade Only VENTURE server.
Once the above configuration requirements have been addressed, your system should be setup correctly to use the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient software. Below is a summary of the information Trade Only VENTURE will require in order to set your remote users up:-
i) Confirmation that TCP Port 491 has been configured correctly and is accessible on both your server and relevant client machines.
ii) External IP Address / VPN connection details that remote users will use to connect to your Trade Only VENTURE Server.
iii) The usernames and passwords of the user accounts that you have setup on your Trade Only VENTURE Server (NOTE: These will be the windows usernames and passwords, not Trade Only VENTURE usernames and passwords)
General System Requirements & Notes
Switch / Router / Hub Requirements
The Trade Only VENTURE software can only run as fast as the slowest component on your network. Because of this, please ensure that all switches/routers/hubs etc. that are in operation on your network are of Gigabit speed (1000 Mbps).
Network Connections to Trade Only VENTURE
We strongly recommend that Trade Only VENTURE is NOT accessed using a wireless connection. This is due to the possibility of network connection drops causing licenses to ‘hang’ when users disconnect, which can ultimately lead to data corruption.
Accessing Trade Only VENTURE from a Mac
The Trade Only VENTURE server application (which stores all your Trade Only VENTURE data and critical files) needs to be installed on a Microsoft Windows based operating system, but you can access Trade Only VENTURE from an Apple Mac client machine using the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient software. For more information on the Trade Only VENTURE WebClient and specific system requirements, please refer to pages 6 & 7.
Windows Updates
To ensure the most reliable performance with the Trade Only VENTURE software, please make sure that all available operating system updates have been applied to your system. For more information on what updates are available, please contact your Operating System developer.
System Requirements FAQ
Why is an SBS operating system not supported?
SBS systems are not supported because of the large resource requirements which SBS sets aside for the applications & services which SBS installs by default, and the way in which these resources are allocated. Even if the applications & services themselves are removed or disabled, this will not make a difference to available resources because the resource allocations are hard-coded within windows & cannot be changed once SBS has been installed as the operating system.
Why do the client machines need a ‘Professional’ edition O.S, rather than ‘home’ edition?
This is because only the professional editions fully support domains. Authentication /permission problems can arise with ‘home’ versions as they are not designed to be used in a network environment, only in a peer-to-peer scenario.
Why do we recommend that Trade Only VENTURE is the only database operating on your Trade Only VENTURE server?
The primary reason for this is that other types of databases, for example Sage, require opportunistic locking to be enabled, whereas Trade Only VENTURE requires this setting to be disabled.
Why do we recommend that any Trade Only VENTURE data folder is excluded from anti-virus scans?
This is because when anti-virus software scans the Trade Only VENTURE database files, the anti-virus software can hold these files open whilst they are being scanned, which can prevent the system or other users accessing Trade Only VENTURE from closing the files in a timely manner. This conflict can lead to data corruption.
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