DQB: Coordinating the Desktop and the Cloud
Some of the many benefits touted for this approach are
these:
·
If using a company that specializes in providing
web-hosting, you are sharing their resources with many others and therefore
paying less in the near term than investing in your own servers and security
systems.
·
Updates to your software can be provided
automatically by the developers or publishers, rather than you having to be
concerned with this task.
·
Backups of your data can be automatically
performed on schedule.
·
With authorization, users can access information
wherever internet services are available.
·
If you choose to have your own servers provide
web-hosting, you are essentially creating a private cloud in which you retain
control but still receive all the other benefits of this approach.
There are many organizations, however, that feel that
security and privacy of information are still major concerns that need to be
rectified before they will move wholeheartedly into the cloud. Indeed, if you tune in to the press in
computer-related journals, the majority of topics are concerned with
security. Major companies with
tremendous resources such as Sony have had their cloud-based offerings hacked.
One of the major providers of internet-based data backup has been found to be
selling information on their customers.
Sometimes internet-based operations are out of service for days on
end.
A lot of the cloud services are applications that are not
mission critical — if one piece goes down, it's not going to cause massive damage
to your business. The truly mission
critical applications that are the core of your business need to be as secure
and controlled as possible.
Nearly a quarter of businesses said they do not trust any of
their data to the cloud, or an outsourced data center, and manage their own
computing equipment, whether the center is within their own building or at a
co-location center.
A greater percentage of businesses are maintaining their own
control of their core business applications and information, but judiciously
providing internet access where there will be benefit to their services. Some examples are allowing customers to enter
an order, then to track its fulfillment and shipping progress, providing
schedules and rates for viewing and selection, links to partner programs,
opportunity to give comments and feedback
Worthwhile Ways to Use the Internet
·
QuickBooks invoices,
statements and reports can be emailed to customers.
·
Credit/debit card
and other payment solutions can post directly into your QuickBooks customer
accounts.
·
DQB email
notifications provide reports to the dental offices on cases received and
shipped.
·
Through the DentalRx
supplement, online prescriptions, preferences, pickup requests and other memos
from the dental office communicate directly with your DQB database. This can be linked directly from your
website.
·
Graphics sent
electronically by dental offices, scanned images or any other file such as
digital impressions can become part of each
case’s record for quick lookups, communications in DQB.
·
Remote access from
an authorized computer can use your lab system for entry, viewing, analysis,
and support of both QuickBooks and DQB.
·
Tablet apps for
mobile devices such as Apple’s IPad, Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows
8 to track case assignments and
progress, timings, workloads and schedules.
·
With QuickBooks Pro
Plus, you can use a mobile device to view/update customer information,
create/view/email invoices, estimates and sales receipts.
To those labs needing remote access on a regular basis, we highly
recommend Remote Desktop Services (RDS), which is a technology offered by Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 R2 and above. Some
of the benefits of RDS are:
1.
Multiple users can access applications,
databases and virtual desktops tied to a central server. The users can be local or at a remote
location.
2.
Administration and security measures are
simplified because software needs to be installed only on the server rather
than on each client station.
3.
Application programs can be accessed remotely
via a web page, an icon or an access point in the Start Menu of the remote
station.
4.
This technology can provide significant
long-range savings in time and money that easily recoup the licensing and
installation cost.
The Continuing Role of the Desktop
Although there has been much focus on the increasing use of mobile
devices such as the tablets and smartphones, the desktop computers continue to
play a central role in maintaining the information base. These continue to offer many advantages:
·
They are more secure.
·
They last a longer time.
·
You do not need to be concerned with battery
life,
·
They are cheaper and more powerful.
·
You can plug-in a variety of peripherals.
·
They provide larger screens.
·
You can have multiple monitors to multi-task.
·
Fixing is easy, replacement parts are readily
available and easily installed.
If you have further questions…
You can contact the support team at Mainstreet Systems at:
Voice : 215-256-4535
Fax: 215-256-1594
Email: support@mainstreet-systems.com
Skype:
mainstreet-systems
Web: http://www.mainstreet-systems.com or www.mainstreetsystems.net
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