Stupid question on {cloud} netwoking.

[ZooCity]

I've been sticking with a lot of cloud based programs due to our use of two separate locations and this had been very convenient.  Trouble is, a lot of the shop management software that I'd like to use is not cloud based.  There's one that looks alright but I'm not clear on backing up the file, etc. and need to get some answers on that.  In the meantime, I know there are applications out there that allow you to access and sync files across the internet from multiple computers or phone devices, etc..  This is affordable and perfect for accessing art files from two workstation computers in separate locations and then opening with CS apps for example, no long upload/downloads of these larger files to the cloud, just access and transport.  I'm certainly going to setup a network like this.

But, my question is, if I installed shop management software on two computers- one in our printshop the other at the retail space -can we simply set our cloud network helper to sync the management program's file between say, three different computers at a certain interval and achieve something similar to a cloud-based program or is this way too complicated and I should make do with what we have until a feature-rich shop management program is released that is web-based?

Our current system works but isn't ideal of course.  We're tracking orders via 'activities' that get assigned to the invoice within the accounting program we use.  It eliminates a lot of the easy reports you can run with printshop management software which is a downer but it does keep us all connected from anywhere which is clutch right now.   Thoughts from anyone dealing with a similar setup?

[screenxpress]

Why not just use Remote Desktop and remote into the machine that has the stuff installed you want to use.

I used that for about 2 years when I was traveling (work related) and always connected to my home machine from hotels to do everything, emails, seps, etc. that I wanted to do.

[ZooCity]

Why not just use Remote Desktop and remote into the machine that has the stuff installed you want to use.

I used that for about 2 years when I was traveling (work related) and always connected to my home machine from hotels to do everything, emails, seps, etc. that I wanted to do.

If I remote access one computer from my location does that mess with the ability of whoever is there to use it?  Also, we have a front-end computer at the retail shop and a workstation in the back and are sometimes working on both while a third workstation at the printshop is also working on client jobs.  That sounds a little messy with all of us on there at once.

[screenxpress]

Yes, that would be a problem.  You would be fighting each other for control.

[squeegee]

Just a couple thoughts, and this is based on Windows FYI.

You could get another machine for your remote location, think of it like a terminal, doesn't have to be a high dollar computer, just a used but decent PC, would depend on your needs.

Put your host machine in your office, and assuming you have a LAN, that machine would be the host to the terminal at the remote location.  All syncing speed issues of Shop Management software would be taken out of the picture because the host is on the LAN.  Host machine would be dedicated to the remote terminal.

I've done this so employees can telecomute when necessary, even had a full timer for 2 years that worked like this.  The only tricky part comes in if you're using a router at the main location for the LAN, which involves port forwarding at the router. In Windows a firewall exception and changing the port number for Remote desktop (in the registry) to a unique port number for each machine.  You'd need to configure your LAN on internal static IP addresses (most routers allow for this).

I could send you instructions on how to do this, but it would be for XP/Win 7 only.

[Gilligan]

There are ways around the "shared" session.

Virtualization, Terminal Services.  that sort of thing.

Teamviewer is a good solution to firewall issues... though figuring out how to set up your router really is a trivial matter.

[ZooCity]

Ok, I basically understand what a lan is. We have wireless routers at both locations, I can setup with those right? The rest is gliding right over my head.  We have two mac workstations and a pc for the pos out front.  The pc may be getting replaced by a third mac. I would need to make a software choice there ands I would choose mac.  Macs kinda auto network and it sounds like you all are pc guys but could I simply make one mac the host?

[squeegee]

This would be a good place to start.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apple-remote-desktop/id409907375?mt=12

The only hitch to my idea is you'd need an extra machine (used MAC?), one more than you have already (so you have one dedicated to the remote user in the retail shop most of the time).  The idea behind this is to allow all of the shop management software transactions to occur on the store's lan instead of over the internet.  The router issue I mentioned may not be an issue for MAC, even if it is, it is not hard to figure out.

To manage art files you could use ftp; save work to ftp at retail shop, download at shop to print/edit whatever at the shop.  My cheapo Dlink NAS (network attached storage device) has integrated ftp.  The NAS is like a computer (but no user interface) on the LAN to centrally distribute/store files, but can function as an ftp at the same time if you get one so equipped.  We used to transfer files this way to allow remote users to download, edit and upload when finished back to the shop.
Who know's, maybe apple's RD will allow you to copy and paste files from host machine to remote machine, then you wouldn't need an ftp.  In Windows you can do this but it only works effectively on very small files.

Basically what I'm saying is a work around to having a full scale server set up or a VPN.

[Gilligan]

Yeah, ideally it sounds like you want a VPN.  This would allow you to "virtually" be on the same LAN.  The two routers would have an encrypted tunnel between them that all "local" traffic would traverse.  You could then print, browse shared folders everything like you were in the same office.

But I'm not sure that solves your software issue unless they have networking capabilities already.

[ZooCity]

I have a set of 3 cloud based apps I've found for screen printing shop mgmt.  Web-based seems like the easiest solution overall.  I'll try and post a decent review of the three here. 

[squeegee]

3 apps and all internet interface?  Wow, I look foward to hearing about them Zoo, definately interests me.

[ZooCity]

3 apps and all internet interface?  Wow, I look foward to hearing about them Zoo, definately interests me.

Yes indeed:  T-Boss Web, Run My Shop and High Noon (High Noon may or may not be ready to go yet, hard to tell)

This took a mildly epic amount of google searching to discover. 

Check 'em out and chime in, whomever does so first so just start a fresh thread on it. 

[Gilligan]

A guy on TSF has been talking about releasing something web based.

He sent out an email the other day saying that it should be done soon.