[SIMS] Self hosting SLG

[Ecclesbury]

Thanks Zag, that's really helpful.

While I agree with your sentiment (although I'm keeping my cards close to my chest at this stage!) it's worth pointing out that the functionality that we need from SLG is not covered by Insight on it's own. However, the combination of Insight and PARS (with the online capability) does give this functionality. This brings the costing more in line with SLG, but I think still marginally cheaper and with a whole host of extra functionality.

Does anyone know how the hosting of PARS/Insight works? Would there be any server spec upgrades to consider in the costing of this? Or is it just a second database that sits on the SIMS database, like Discover?

[zag]

Capita seem to have no real plan for SLG. It's not a good parent gateway or a replacement for Sims on the desktop. Its rubbish at taking registers and integrating with AD.

It kind just sits in the middle not doing anything very well.

I'm not sure about PARS but Insight on a server took 10mins to setup and only requires IIS. It uses very minimal resources.

[Steven_Cleaver]

Thanks Zag, that's really helpful.

While I agree with your sentiment (although I'm keeping my cards close to my chest at this stage!) it's worth pointing out that the functionality that we need from SLG is not covered by Insight on it's own. However, the combination of Insight and PARS (with the online capability) does give this functionality. This brings the costing more in line with SLG, but I think still marginally cheaper and with a whole host of extra functionality.

Does anyone know how the hosting of PARS/Insight works? Would there be any server spec upgrades to consider in the costing of this? Or is it just a second database that sits on the SIMS database, like Discover?

As you have guessed PAR's sits on the same same Server as SIM's and these seem to run fine togther, I have Insight on a seperate Virtual Server but this is just how I set it up and any web facing Servers have to be Https council requirement if using as web facing Servers but makes sense and I am not sure I would want my SIM's Server directly accessible over the internet as I think our LEA would have concerns about that.

If you are looking at registers online so staff access these online as it were I think you would need Pars Connect as well or used to but not 100% sure this is still the case. We tried Pars Connect as a demo and seemed to work fine but we use our own Gateway for access to anything internally and use an Encrypted App for access to anything MIS so Dual factor encrypted Authentication to MIS systems.

[PhilNeal]

Capita seem to have no real plan for SLG. It's not a good parent gateway or a replacement for Sims on the desktop. Its rubbish at taking registers and integrating with AD.

Please see Stuart's blog on this site!

[Steven_Cleaver]

Please see Stuart's blog on this site!

Cheers Phil very interesting will deffinately keep an eye on this as I did look at the SLG along with other systems before we settled for Insight, but completely agree with this statement below off the blog.

"One of the biggest drawbacks of SLG has always been the very data driven view it offers. Now, in most systems, this would be great - but in this case, remember the target audience. Sadly, the viewpoint has been from most "users" that it is unfriendly and not very pretty or inspiring."

This is one of the main reasons I went with Insight as felt the interface was very user unfriendly and sorry to pick out just one point as their is some very good positive points raised in the blog, but would just need to see the end result.

Obviously if this were to change I would deffinately be interested in looking again at SLG as I am looking at Lesson Monitor although we use PAR's and if things change or systems develop you need to revisit these.