Cunninghams Cashless Server move

[timbo343]

This holiday im looking at moving SIMS to a new VM (at the moment its on a physical 2008r1 server) but our cunninghams cashless install is installed on this machine too.

 

I was wondering what other schools have done with either a cunninghams install or a-nother cashless install. Have you put the cashless install on the same server as SIMS (or school management system) or have you given it its own machine? I think im looking to put it on its own machine this time but wondering how hard and what I need to do to move it over.

 

Im waiting for cunninghams to get back to me so I thought I'd put it on here to see what others say. I don't want to end up moving SIMS which will the have an affect on our cashless system.

[Sibrows]

I've got a separate VM running all of the Cunninghams cashless catering inc Impact and Bio Store.

[andydis]

I've got a separate VM running all of the Cunninghams cashless catering inc Impact and Bio Store.

 

Same here, if i put every piece of software that bolts into sims on the sims server I think it would go fizz bang lol

[Sibrows]

My motivation was to avoid the engineers getting access to bits they didn't necessarily need

[eddyc]

Yeah same here, we have SIMS on one VM and the cashless system on a separate VM. Means the engineers can have a remote session and be left to do what they like with their own VM. :-)

[timbo343]

Does anyone know what i need to change and move for the cunninghams system to continue to work?

[Sibrows]

When we did it I provided a VM running SIMS and passed control to their support staff who insist on running everything as a local account on the machine but that could be worse.

 

Then I would recommend you get them to remove any previous hardware from your support contract as I discovered (after the fact) that we were due a refund as the kit that they had decommissioned hadn't been removed from the contract.

[john]

We had Cashless on its own separate VM, as others have said keeps the cashless company away from things they don't need and ensures they can only disrupt one product if it needs a restart etc.

[Sylv3r]

We've also got our CRB cashless catering stuff all on one VM. The SIMS client is installed on this box and the relevant details entered so it can generate reports etc and update the school roll, FSM's etc as part of a scheduled task.

[howartp]

Ditto, CRB all on its own server - currently 2003 so I'll be building a new one after my holiday.

 

Tim, all comms to the server are done by IP address (or server name?) in $impactfolder/data/impact.ini lines 1-5.

 

If you're moving SIMS anyway, just demote this server to be Cashless only?

[timbo343]

New VM for Cunninghams software it is then. Its currently sat on a physical server but wanting to move it over to a VM and want to get rid of Server2008r1.

 

I guess its easy just to move the files over and change the first few lines of impact.ini on the tills and the reval but i havent got a clue about the parent pay stuff, possibly just leave it to them.

[howartp]

You use Bio? That's the hardest part I'm anticipating.

[howartp]

I'm considering an in-place upgrade of 2003-2008 to save myself hassle.

[timbo343]

Yeah we use bio store.

Lol, if they contact me next week and see what they do ill let you knoe.

[nelliott]

ive got my cashless system running off a virtual 2012 r2 server.

[timbo343]

So, on friday i find out, whilst Cunninghams were doing the end of year 2014 - 2015, to move the database and associated files it will cost in the region of £800 and they would need to come out to configure it all as it could be a full day job. I could do the endpoints such as the tills and reval unit and the migration on the server is surely install GroupCall along with the Parent pay bits, copy the relevant files and make sure things point to the correct areas. At the end of the day, it looks like Impact is just a series of text files.

 

When we initially signed up, we were told that if we ever wanted to move the database incase of server failure, server move, upgrades, etc then it was a case of moving the files and pointing the devices to this location - i have also learnt that the rep who told me this has now left and all they wanted was the sale. Something tells me that we have been led up the garden path.

 

After having a talk with the bursar, cunninghams also want to increase our maintenance costs to £2600 per year, nearly a £1000 increase!

[jslate1980]

My last school used impact/Biostore but it was provided by a company called CRB Solutions.

[timbo343]

Thats the same company.

[jslate1980]

Yep just read that on their website. I really should do more research before writing stuff on here.

[timbo343]

Lol, no worries we all fall victim to that

[howartp]

So, on friday i find out, whilst Cunninghams were doing the end of year 2014 - 2015, to move the database and associated files it will cost in the region of £800 and they would need to come out to configure it all as it could be a full day job.

Just do most of it yourself then ring for support to finish off the bits that don't work. That's what I did last time.

 

All the installers should be in C:\Cashless Installers or thereabouts.

 

Use Add/Remove Programs to see what versions should be installed (there's often multiple versions of installer) and just replicate on new server. Copy whole of c:\Impact and c:\Biostore Database and you can't be too far wrong.

 

Peter