Groupcall Emerge (with SIMS) - serious issues

[lbaker]

Is anyone having any success using Emerge this year? We are having massive problems with very slow uploading of registers, behaviour and achievement, random app crashes, missing save buttons etc. etc.

If anyone is managing to use Emerge with SIMS and not suffering these issues I'd be very interested to hear about your setup and experience.

[Jasbo]

For us it's just plain slow, before end of holidays we migrated it from our sims server to a standalone vm we could bump the resources on and allow access to emerge from home to it.

 

Some staff- the techie ones mainly - won't use it as complain it's slow, I agree with them, but it was not me that chose it and I'm hoping it will go this year.

 

Doesn't matter if it's on site over LAN or coming on on Internet they are both as slow as each other.

 

The server is speced for this, we have no issues with other web/self hosted performance but the long winded syncing kills usability.

 

Other than that it stays up, don't get lots of crashing or anything, I just don't think it's very good for more than a handful of staff who will bear the wait for the flexibility to check sims from the sports field.

[lbaker]

Thanks for your experience of it.

 

We've been testing it last term and were happy with it until we came back last week and it seems to have fallen apart.

 

Groupcall have said (eventually) there is a known issue, they believe with the summer SIMS update (and/or a subsequent patch). So it's interesting that you thought it slow before now. Hopefully you don't start to see the added instability we're getting now.

 

I'm hoping I might get to speak to them again tomorrow so I'll post any updates I get.

[maniac]

We have had issues with error messages when retrieving data and problems with groups being displayed incorrectly, students appearing multiple times in registers and a couple of other issues. Groupcall did a database reset on the E-merge server and that seems to have cured most of the problems, however I did have a member of staff report another issue at the end of today so be interested to see if that's an actual problem or something else.

 

I do find the syncing of the app to be slow however and always have. Why it can't read the data live from the server is beyond me?

[Jasbo]

Did they mention a particular patch that they suspect?

[GREED]

Why it can't read the data live from the server is beyond me?

 

Because that is not how Emerge works. Emerge takes the database snapshot for mobile devices where you may move in or out of connection and then syncs data back again. That is what it was designed for. Imagine the bandwidth for a busy MIS for Emerge if data is constantly being altered, coupled with the fact that you can move in and out of signal so trying to keep a changing database in line with a changing snapshot of the database... and how many snapshots there could be across the school across devices. Again, was not designed that way.

 

Writing back, if you are in signal, does it live there and then in real time.

Edited September 10, 2014 by GREED

[GREED]

Groupcall have said (eventually) there is a known issue, they believe with the summer SIMS update (and/or a subsequent patch). So it's interesting that you thought it slow before now. Hopefully you don't start to see the added instability we're getting now.

 

I'm hoping I might get to speak to them again tomorrow so I'll post any updates I get.

 

Can you PM me your school and contact details etc and I'll see what I can find out (I work for Groupcall FYI!)

[vikpaw]

Not using Emerge this year yet.

Messenger has been a bit buggy. Since summer, firstly it wouldn't sync through new Smoothwall, then suddenly started working, and now has new students but not their linked parents / emails.

I know it's not Emerge, but it's related via the Xporter they use.

Had a call open since Monday morning and no response yet, even after i chased them yesterday afternoon. @GREED - #GC-041131

[maniac]

Because that is not how Emerge works. Emerge takes the database snapshot for mobile devices where you may move in or out of connection and then syncs data back again. That is what it was designed for. Imagine the bandwidth for a busy MIS for Emerge if data is constantly being altered, coupled with the fact that you can move in and out of signal so trying to keep a changing database in line with a changing snapshot of the database... and how many snapshots there could be across the school across devices. Again, was not designed that way.

 

Writing back, if you are in signal, does it live there and then in real time.

I understand why they say they've written it that way, but me personally I think there should be an option in the program/app to work with the data 'live' from the server and not do all this caching business which is what really annoys staff here. it's only pulling and pushing data from an SQL database, SIMS seems to manage with no issue even over wireless and the Bromcom teachers webfolder product we had prior to adopting E-Merge queried the live database. The only reason we adopted Emerge was because it's easier for the teachers to use, but I find its handling of data extremely "clunky" just my opinion.

 

Mike.

[Seb1780]

FWIW we use Emerge and have not had any reported problems. SIMS, on the other hand, appears to have slowed to a crawl!

[TheScarfedOne]

I do remember seeing a few cases last year where exporter was getting in a proper tangle. Is anything else also using your exporter instance...eg MLS, GCSEPod etc

[GroupcallSupport]

Hi All,

 

If you are finding Emerge / Xporter is not syncing data or has other problems, please kindly log a support call with us. As im sure you can all appreciate Xporter / Emerge is a complex solution relying on line of sight to the MIS, connectivity to the internet / wifi, and that data quality within the MIS is good. Any and all of these links can suffer from issues, especially after a Summer where any of these components may have been upgraded / replaced and/or moved to diiferent hardware. In most cases a call to support will allow us to help cure the issue. Equally if we do find an issue that is unique or is not easily categorised, we will spend as long as is necessary assisting investigate and resolve to the customers satisfaction.

@lbaker we have been given your systems manager details and are attempting to contact and assist, but currently not having much luck.

[vikpaw]

@GroupcallSupport - could you please look into #GC-041131 ? I've called for an update the last two days and can't get through to anyone.

Ta

[GREED]

@vikpaw I'll forward this on (my colleague doesn't always check EG), however it is a timely reminder that this is not a support channel for our products (particularly as Groupcall are not a sponsor of the forum!).

 

It is also worth noting that this is full week 1 of the term so, like just about every education IT supplier this is a busy week!

 

PS you have called the new support number, yes?

Edited September 11, 2014 by GREED

[vikpaw]

Thanks @GREED , they finally called today. I guess everyone else's calls were also "urgent, can't contact parents".

 

I called the number on the website and pressed the number for messenger support... Is that right?

 

So coming back to topic - how crazy busy is it?

 

Are emerge / xporter having difficulties?

[GREED]

Nothing huge as far as I am aware. There have been a number of upgrades and many new installations of products over the summer, that is the usual September traffic I refer to including some exclusivity across Scotland.

 

You know what September is like buddy. New staff new schools new uses.

[zag]

We've had issues with crashing and SQL errors when saving registers recently.

 

Also had a birthday show up on the home screen for a 27 year old student!!

 

No idea what's going on but it does not give us confidence...

[zag]

The worst thing is, a lot of the SQL errors we see are to do with behaviour fields and whatnot.

 

We don't even use that feature yet!

[GREED]

Thanks for all the feedback I will be sure that the teams get all of this.

[vikpaw]

@GREED - please can you bump my request internally for the issue where messenger doesn't show the correct time since last sync?potential security situation here and it would feel much nicer to know it was updated 5 mins ago rather than 46 days ago!

[GREED]

I will do what I can

[GREED]

@vikpaw The support desk have had a look and will be in contact with you to resolve.