I would like to change to client server - I did not start on that platform b/c of price and perceived need for intense IT support. It seems prices have dropped and Dell is marketing beginner servers to non IT people like me.
Everyone started as a non-IT person. A client/server model is no different than peer-to-peer until you get into a domain. The server OS can be a little more daunting than WIN7, but the 2008 OS look and feel much like the WIN7. You can start at the beginner server, but then you are right back to where you are now; wanting to upgrade later. I would at least move up a couple models. Also, as said over and over, if you go with Small Business Server instead of simply Windows Server 2008, you will find it much easier to set up.
The above discussion, although fascinating is potentially discouraging. I would not want to go through what Cary just described. It would drive me to entertain the SAAS EMR options. I appreciate "the voodoo that you doo so well..." but I do not have the passion for another learning curve and dedicated IT support I suspect would be expensive. Please tell me all that tech voodoo was necessary b/c you were trying to get a vintage system to perform at today's performance expectations.
I would forget the above discussion. It is an unusual case with hardware and software that really more than the system had. When you have 28 users/clients using a 32-bit OS with 1.5 GBs of RAM and SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition that can use up to 3GBs of RAM (or wants it). The biggest problem there was not having enough RAM to start with. Not saying they could see that ahead of time, but the saying “You can’t have enough RAM,” is never truer than in her situation. I suspect that AC support is trying very hard to get up to speed with dealing with SQL issues especially when the SQL server being used is not what comes with the product. While Jon can decide what market he is after, currently he has said over and over that AC is meant for the one to five physician practice. If you bought a server and ran a 64-bit OS and bought 8 to 12GBs of RAM, you would never be hurting. In fact, if you went with 32-bit and 4GB and used SQL Express, you would be fine. It all depends on whatever else you are running on the server, which everyone forgets or overlooks. This situation also looks worse because of the nature of typing posts back and forth. Remoting in or one phone call may have saved quite a bit of time.
I would like to demonstrate to my colleague that AC5 on a server is cost effective, more secure, robust and feature rich than some of the "free" SAAS based offerings. He and I are discussing Practice Fusion.
You have to decide if you wish to go with an ASP model or a program on your network. This has been discussed over and over. If you want your data in the cloud (online), then go with ASP model. If you want your data and everything on your own computers, then go with AC. It is extremely cost effective. It is practically free. If you look at the number of EMRs that are actual programs vs those that are ASP, it isn’t even close.
I hope to show that windows 7 on thin clients, a Dell T310, 410 or 610 running SBS -is a cost effective alternative. This may be difficult. BTW, broad band delivery is improving nationwide - do you think AC or some enterprising intermediary will ever provide AC as SAAS? I think in a year or two most of the limitations making broadband unattractive will be solved - different post.
What limitations are you talking about for broadband? Broadband is pretty fast right now and can handle ASP EMRs. Granted speeds that are allowed when fiberoptics rule the Internet, will make each click almost instantaneous. Jon doesn’t appear to want to sell AC, and he is not going to change it to an ASP model. I doubt anyone will provide AC as SAAS. I think if you want that model, then you should concentrate on those models. If you want a networked application, then look at those. I think it would be a big mistake to purchase AC in the hopes that someone will make it an ASP model.
Indy, I would be very interested in working with you to get volume pricing - Dell's web site seems higher than what was quoted on another post. I am thinking 3 thin clients - windows7 and the Dell T310 (410 if price right) + the other network "stuff."
Bert, he T310 has swapping HDs which is my essential requirement - it has a very nice price. Was your recommendation to Cary of T610 based on his users? - T410 comes with SQL and a hefty price hike over T310. I thought AC4 and AC5 included a working version of SQL - At peak use i would expect at most 6 people accessing AC
You have to look past the baseline price. You have to customize each one. For instance, the T310 comes with 1GB of RAM. If you want 4GB, it will run $124 more. 8GB (what I would recommend) is $341. It has onboard hard drive controller and can only take 4 hard drives. Being able to swap out is only good if you have RAID for the most part. You can get a RAID controller, but you will need at least two drives or four if you go RAID10. I would be hesitant to buy a server that is limited to four drives. It also comes with a Celeron processor. You probably don’t want a Celeron processor. So you have to pay more for a Xeon. Like $250 more. You could go with a Pentium, though. A Celeron and Pentium processor limits you to whether you use unregistered or registered RAM. The 410 comes with a Xeon processor. I just don’t feel like spending the time to compare Xeon to Xeon. The T610, I mentioned because Dell considers it the equal of the PE 2900, which has been there top selling server to SMB. As soon as you go to the T610, you allow yourself the flexibility of 8 hard drive bays. So, when you are comparing the prices, you have to compare apples to apples. Dell will give you that money back in a discount anyway. Why is swapping hard drives your essential requirement?
To be honest with six users, you don’t need much of a computer to run AC. A regular computer would suffice. I would put most of my money on RAM, RAID and backup equipment. I guess I just try to convey to people to not just look at it like it is only for AC, but for your entire office and what you can do with it.
Indy, as always, gives excellent advice. I am a Lenovo or build it myself guy. To put things in perspective to your question, the Dell Optiplex is a great computer. It is a desktop (workstation), though, not a server. It depends what you are referring to when you say Client/Server. If you are really talking about a server computer with a server OS, then you are going to want to buy a server. That isn’t to say you can’t run AC well on the Optiplex.
