Application Hosting

IT architecture is evolving rapidly away from applications installed on local PCs and connected directly to their data via the local area network, towards centrally installed applications accessed via remote desktops or as remote applications. The ultimate evolution of this brings in completely wireless devices, such as (even non Windows based) tablet devices and smart phones, always assuming these have suficient screen space to adequately display applications. These methods of access use Internet protocols, which means that the application server can be anywhere, from within the boundaries the NHS Trust, to a remote server theoretically anywhere in the world.

This return to a centralised architecture offers big benefits in performance, reliability and reduced support and maintenance.

Performance
Remote hosting via Microsoft® Terminal Services or Remote Application services removes the speed problems that can be apparent when geographically large local area networks, the norm for most NHS Trusts, are running data intensive applications directly connected to their database.

Remote Hosting enables the usage of such applications over the longer distances involved in connecting "satellite" sites which many NHS Trusts have.

Reliability 
Large local area networks are relatively dangerous places for data files. Remote hosting of applications eliminates problems that can arise when there is a network fault.
  • Even the best managed networks "lose" a PC occasionally, for reasons ranging from a transient fault, to the "human error" of powering off a PC without shutting down first. With remote hosting it doesn’t matter, none of your vital data is in transit when this happens, the  application will still be waiting for you when you reconnect.

Minimise technical Support 

  • No more Application Update Concerns
    As well as minimising routine technical application support problems, remote hosting solves the problem of updating individual PCs with revised versions of the application. With the application running at a single point, updates become a one time process, instead of needing to be done for every PC using Eclipse-fm®     
  • Reduced File Maintenance
    With file data no longer subject to network problems, routine file maintenance needs are much reduced
  • Eliminate In-House support
    You need technical expertise to be available to perform the day to day tasks of keeping what can be a heavily used application and database running well.
With Eclipse-fm® hosted at our premises, we have all the expertise and experience necessary to manage day to day maintenance, with rapid response possible to any physical problem that could arise.
 
Newer forms of operation, such as the Eclipse-fm® Web module may need skills and hardware that a Trust Facilities Department may well not have ever needed. If such skills are in short supply, remote hosting allows you to take the next step, and "outsource" everything to do with technical support.

Interested? See below for

FAQs

Installation

Cost Savings

Support the product, not the hardware
With this increase in efficiency we can deliver further benefits. Experienced support staff can interact directly with your users to help with day to day questions on running Eclipse-fm ® and getting the best out of it. Instead of needing help with technical matters related to your network, we can work with you on-line to show you how to get the best out of Eclipse-fm® - all within the single comprehensive support contract.

The Full Hosted Service
With a remotely hosted service you can just "run" Eclipse-fm®, taking all the benefits of better performance and greater reliability, and completely eliminating your need to provide any technical expertise, while saving on costs as well!

Hosting Eclipse-fm® at Asckey Data Services Ltd puts everything to do with your application in the direct care of a dedicated team of Eclipse-fm® experts.

By removing the need for experienced technicians to lose time in travelling around the country, any support that is needed can be provided far more efficiently, quickly and economically. If anything needs physically fixing, it is done at our premises, not on-site at a distant location. 

Remote Desktop illustration

Local Hosting
Microsoft® Terminal Services  can of course be used locally to provide significant benefits in performance, reliability, and reduced technical support needs. NHS Trusts are finding that implementing Eclipse-fm® on a centralised application server plus Terminal Services access from PCs provides all the benefits of improved performance and reduced maintenance mentioned above, particularly the “one time update” process rather than individual updates to multiple PCs..

Whether hosted remotely at Asckey Data Services Ltd, or local to the Trust,  Application Hosting, running a Windows® Eclipse-fm®  within a single server rather than on each individual PC can offer significant advantages in performance and running costs.   

Remote Application Hosting is the next step which we will be offering in 2010.

Subtly different from the earlier Remote Desktop delivery, Remote Applications makes a remotely hosted application indistinguishable to the end user from a local application.

Terminal services hosting has previously involved a complete new Windows Desktop link containing the Eclipse-fm® application. Remote Application Hosting only adds a new application Icon to the desktop, indistinguishable from local applications.  
 
This makes it  easier for users to understand than the complete new desktop instance that MS Terminal Services implies. It also provides technical benefits such as improved handling of local printers.

The remote application solution will become our preferred solution in 2010, but client PCs must be running at least Windows XP, as the service is implemented via Microsoft .Net available on XP and above. 

Click here for a printable (PDF) data sheet covering Eclipse-fm® as a hosted service 

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