Home Forums Discussions Problems network attached storage

My AC database resides on a HP MediaSmart Server EX470 (AMD 1.8GHz 64-bit Sempron processor) which runs Windows Home Server version 1.1. I believe this type of server is considered Network Attached Storage (or is it?). I have 5 desktop computers and a laptop running Vista. I would like to upgrade to V4 (currently running V3.7.15). Does anyone know if V4 is compatible with Windows Home Server and the HP Media Smart Server line. The AC downloader warns me that AC V4 is not compatible w Network Attached Storage.

I do not think this is an NAS. Usually this is a separate devise that is literally a hard drive and hardware/firmware that will allow it to be connected and seen on a network.

I have test run V4 on WHS. WHS is a variant of server 2003. You may need to touch bases with AC central for better info, but I THINK it should work.

As you can see, HP doesn't claim it to be an NAS where as PCMag and PCWorld rate it in their top 5 of NAS. It doesn't really fit into the NAS realm though, more like a home entertainment server. It mainly talks about file sharing and streaming and iTunes and stuff. Personally, anything with the word "home" in it, I wouldn't use at the office. I think you would be much better off with a good computer for your server or even getting an actual server and server OS.

Jon makes it very clear on his site that AC 4.0 isn't compatible with an NAS. I am not sure how many people run server applications on an NAS whether it be Buffalo or HP. But, I agree with Wendell I would check. Then, again, put a version on and run it. But, inherently, even though a lot of the lower end "NASs" have a lot of media things attached, I tend to think of NAS as being a lot of storage which has RAID and is networked so all computers can share files with it. Some, can do FTP such as Buffalo.


http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/cache/580818-0-0-225-121.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

http://www.pcworld.com/article/125072/top_10_networkattached_storage_devices.html

The machine that you are taling of is a Windows Home Server ( running windows 2003 server under the wraps). Just like SBS 2003 is running windows 2003 under the wraps.

You should be able to run AC 4 on this machine. I have not tried it, but I would bet it will work.

Let me know if you need help. The good thing about the window home server is that it can backup all client machines (vista and above) everyday night.

I agree it would work, because it seems to be a hybrid of NAS and server. But, yes, it does have an OS. But, why not make the switch to an OS that has Active Directory and Exchange and native SQL Server and Sharepoint, etc. Well, yes, the OS is costly and so is the server.

But, Srini is correct.

I still feel that active directory and exchange is a overkill for the doctors office with 4 or 5 employees. Way too much complicated and not worth it.

Ofcourse if you a geek like Bert(and me) then it is ok.

Well active directory which basically is Microsoft's domain system is overkill. And, sure you don't need Exchange, but when you have it is nice. Mainly for the fact that you can email within the office, and it doesn't go over the net, and RPC/HTTP (which I don't expect others to understand -- I CERTAINLY didn't at first) is awesome.

But, I was mainly referring to don't go looking to buy an NAS or something like it to run your AC. You may as well save up and get real server or even a souped up XP or Vista.

I have a small office (me and two employees) with 4 computer workstations. I am utilizing the Windows Home Server. It's simple and small and most importantly, backs up every computer on the network nightly. It has some irritating quirks like requiring every computer's name to be a user name.

I decided not to put AC on the Server though. I'm using my main office computer as the main computer. I had your fears of loading AC onto the Windows server and regretting it. In hindsight, it would work fine.

Granted, I'm just cranking up with AC so I'll keep you updated how it goes.

Just a caveat on AC. It's simplicity is it's greatest benefit (and price). I showed my new front office employee the main aspects of AC in about 10 minutes including importing items, scheduling, rolodex, templates, etc. She was a little anxious about learning a new piece of software and the lack of paper I desire, but after that she was actually excited. She said "cool" about 5 times while I was showing it to her.

I just tried installing AC 4.0 on Windows Home Server(I have one runnint at home) and it works wonderful.

I would recommend that if you dont want domain headaches and active dir etc, then I feel Windows Home Server(WHS) is the best option. It will give you the following benefits

1) implement RAID for you
2) act as file server
3) act as AC server
4) will backup all your vista/win 7 clients (nightly).

I am so big a fan of nightly backup that WHS does. It has saved me 2 times with almost perfect restore.

Srini, which are you using, lol.

No, it sounds like Windows Home Server is a great option. I would suggest after experience from you and JTU, you start a thread telling others about its virtues and how to set everything up. It sounds perfect.

@JTU Thanks for mentioning that you can practically "go live" in ten minutes. That is VERY helpful.

At the practice we are using Windows 2008.

But at home I have WHS and after this discussion I tried AC4 at home(I normally do it to make sure my backups are good). It works like a charm.

I am thinking my next move will be that when WHS 2 comes out(cannot say much more :)).

For a small office and "not so tech-savy" doctor, Windows Home Server has been outstanding so far and VERY easy to use. I bought the HP home server for around $600 with two 750 GB hard drives. I love that for that amount of money I have somewhere that backs up every workstation (including my office manager's quickbooks) every night and a place where I can share anything and everything simply. It's a very simple file server.

I have also set up my faxes and scans EERILY similar to Leslie's PaperPort folder set-up. I put the shared folders on the server and created folders for each office person. I taught my front office person how to unstack and save my faxes into PDF files and put them in the appropriate folders (Import, For Me to Review, etc).

Did we ever figure out how to bring the faxes directly in as PDF files with the Brother 7840? or are we stuck with the TIFF files?

I digress: Home server also made updating AmazingCharts simple as I downloaded the update file and put it in a shared folder on the server. No more dragging around USB flash drives or having to download stuff on each computer. Of course I could have just shared a folder over the network too.

Bert: My office really loves the simplicity of Amazing Charts. How many EMRs out there can your office staff just get on and schedule patients, import driver's license, import faxes, and enter all of their demographics with about 5 minutes of teaching? The answer is very few. I trialed EMRs until I was blue in the face and AC is the simplest. I have set-up my entire office's computer network and it has worked flawlessly so far (knocking on wood).

JTU, you are so right. We have hired MAs and have them fully trained on AC in one day. (Sure, they have to play with it some to get all the benefits.) But, try doing that with Logician. I don't where they got the Logic in Logician.

Travis,

I am glad the Paperport is working for you. To answer your question, I have not found a way to bring the faxes in as PDFs on the Brother.


Leslie

Leslie: Are all your office machines vista and above. I have 3 XP's , 1 vista and 1 windows 7(just installed yesterday). I would love to have the piece of mind of things being backed up regularly.

There is one thing funky about WHS, is the way it stores the files. It can be read by anothe WHS or something like that. So if you motherboard does, you will have to put those disks in another WHS machine to be able to read the files.

Leslie: I need to know you do the paperport folder stuff. I started investigating it just yesterday. Maybe you will give me a jump start with your setup.

Fax as PDF: We use a fax server called SnappyFax(not the most reliable software, but great functionality). It runs on the server and all our incoming faxes come in and get converted as PDF files.

As of today, our staff look at them and prints the right ones and discard the rest. I am trying to make them start attaching to charts, but then dont know how to organize etc.

Srini,

All of my machines are XP Pro.

I have looked several times to see if the incoming faxes can be received via the Brother MFC into Paperport as PDF's but I cannot find a way. Maybe I am just too stupid.

Here is a link (I hope) to my post on how I use Paperport. I would be glad to discuss it with you if you want to PM me.

PAPERPORT

Leslie,

If your stupid then I'm a complete moron. I can't figure out how to get the Brother to bring them in as PDFs either. It drives me crazy. What's odd is that if you scan something on the Brother, it scans into the system as a .pdf. I still think their must be a way.

Right now my MA is pretty bright, luckily, and opens the .tiff file, converts it to a paperport document and unstacks the pages. She then saves and labels the documents in .pdf format in the proper folder (i.e. import to AC or doc to review).

Bert,
There is no logic in Logician.
In residency, they had us in training for 3 DAYS to learn it.
It took 3 YEARS for me to get used to HATING IT.

Now it's called Centricity. Like the root word Centric, as in circular, the Logic used is Circular in nature. It therefore makes no sense. And Centricity or Logician or whatever you want to call it, makes no sense!

It's probably one of the stupidest EMR's ever created, most complicated, and most expensive.

Yeah, but you never have to worry about being audited as a progress note for conjunctivitis averages about four pages.

This is off the NAS topic, but in Paperport (PRO v11) choose "Desktop Delivery", Choose directory (Brother defaults to \Documents\BrFaxRx\PC-FAXRX directory), and check convert to PDF. Not sure about Paperport included with the Brother.

Hope this helps.

I have upgraded to Amazing 4.0 using a Vista PC as the main computer. Everything seems to be fine. I have 5 other computers running AC. I can't figure out how to move the database to my Windows Home Server. With version 3.7 I just copied everything to the server then pointed AC at the database (on the server). Do I do it exactly the same way?

No, you definitely cannot do it the same way. First, on Windows Home Server, install 4.0 with SQL Server Express. Then, AFTER backing up everything a couple of places on your Vista PC databases, go into AC folder and run Amazing Utilities. When it opens, choose Advanced at the top and then Detach and move databases. If you can, choose the location on Home Server and overwrite the databases there. If you don't want to do over the network, the save it to another place on Vista, then copy and paste it to the AC folder on the new Server and let it overwrite. Then reconnect using Amazing Utilities there to the SQL Server.