Eclipse-fm® as a hosted application - FAQs

What happens if I adopt the Hosted approach?
Instead of each user PC running Eclipse-fm®, a dedicated server is set up that will both run the application and hold the data files. This server will need to be powerful enough to run as many copies of Eclipse-fm® as you have users of the system. With today’s hardware, this is not an expensive proposition.

What about the user PCs?
You will be able to continue accessing Eclipse-fm® from the same PCs as before. In fact, you will be able to access Eclipse-fm® from any PC in the Trust without needing to worry if it has Eclipse-fm® installed on it! Or, indeed, from anywhere you wish to extend the ability to connect to Eclipse-fm® regardless of distance. What’s more, for the purposes of running Eclipse-fm®  via Microsoft® Terminal Services the PCs do not need to be of a high specification, as they need neither lots of memory nor fast processor or disk speeds.

What do the user PCs need to run? 
In theory, any current Windows version. However, we will not support Windows 98, as there are known problems with supporting printing in relation to this Windows version under Microsoft® Terminal Services (MSTS). For Windows® 2000 a download of the Remote  Desktop Client (RDC) will be needed (it is built into Windows® XP and above).

 Alternatively, you can connect via a Web browser, provided that you allow an automatically down loaded ActiveX control to be installed. The Web browser method is actually simpler to set up for printer handling.

What about Printing? 
You should see no differences. Once the system is set up, Eclipse-fm® printing will be exactly the same. The provisos are
  • That the Windows® Operating System on the Server hosting Microsoft® Terminal Services and the  Eclipse-fm® application has the printers you are using in its database, or
  • There is a properly digitally signed printer driver available from the manufacturer.
 Can I set up Eclipse-fm® as a hosted application ?

Yes.Running Eclipse-fm® as a hosted service even within your Trust intranet is has a number of benefits (speed, network load) over traditional direct file access. You will need a good server, some expertise to get it running, and a good technician to keep an eye on it thereafter. 

What does this cost?
RDC is free. The web page access method is also free. Client Access Licences do have an associated cost of around £100, but are available on demand to English NHS Trusts via the arrangement Microsoft set up with the Department of Health. What you will spend on server hardware and setting up will be up to you, but we will provide (paid for!) services to help with all this.

And the Hosted Service?
This is what you need to completely eliminate your technical support responsibilities. We will
  • Determine your needs for users
  • Determine your needs for printers
  • Create a hosted access on a dedicated server here at Asckey Data Services Ltd
  • Set up, test and optimise your Eclipse-fm® data files.

This will need an initial combination of work at your Trust, as well as on our servers, but  is all part of the contract cost.

What about security?
This is extremely important to you and us! You will be connecting via our approved and secure NHS Net (N3) connection (see "About NHS Net")  , and your data will be held behind our NHS approved and registered security firewall. Only your users will have access to your data, though you will probably wish to allow our technical staff access as and when we are helping with getting the best use out of the system.

In fact, just as now, only those of your staff you give access to via the Eclipse-fm® security system will be able to access the system.

What about access via Microsoft® Terminal Services itself?
This is very easy.The user needs to run the remote connection client, or the Web page URL, and log in to the Microsoft® Terminal Services server (another security layer in fact). Once done, Eclipse-fm® looks just the same, but will probably run quicker! The big difference will be that you will have unshackled your staff from running on a particular PC!

What about the Eclipse-fm® Web Module?
If you are, or intend to use this, it can be installed on the same server. Large Trusts with an extensive user base may need to consider a dedicated server.

What is the difference between Remote Desktop and Remote Application?
Up to Windows 2008 Server, access to remote applications was via the creation of a remote desktop on the local PC. The Desktop is where all your shortcut Icons for accessing programs reside reside, and defines the environment in which all the facilities behind the "Start" button operate.

So a Remote Desktop expands into another Desktop, complete with its shortcut Icons, Start button, etc For Eclipse-fm® this desktop would only contain a couple of new shortcut Icons, just for Eclipse-fm® .

A remote Application appears on your desktop as just another application. At a casual glance, it will  be indistinguishable from a local application, which is much more intuitive. A technical benefit is that handling local printers is very much improved as compared with the Remote Desktop mechanism.

In order to benefit from Remote Applications, client PCs must be running Windows XP or above. (This is because Microsoft .Net facilities are required, as available in Win XP and above)  

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