[sims] SIMS MAT access

[NickDay85]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking for some advice regarding SIMS access across our newly formed MAT.

 

We have had SIMS installed at the second school which works as expected. The 'lead' school also has SIMS installed. What I've been asked to do is make both versions of SIMS available at either site, so that centrally employed staff can access SIMS wherever they happen to be based at the time.

 

The lead school has Citrix and accesses SIMS via that, so when the staff member is at the second site, they can work at both. Unfortunately, there is no way to access the second site's SIMS from the lead school, and this is causing problems. I know I could have TeamViewer or something similar installed at the second site, but I'm not happy with that solution. Is there a good way to do this? The second site won't be having Citrix, like the first site.

 

Any help would be gratefully received.

 

Many thanks

Nick

[FN-GM]

We have modified the connect.ini file so it includes a dropdown box. This is so the user can select what schools SIMS they access. No need for remote access etc.

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/175371-mat-sims.html#post1502601

[djm968]

RDS might be an option.

[NickDay85]

We have modified the connect.ini file so it includes a dropdown box. This is so the user can select what schools SIMS they access. No need for remote access etc.

 

Both of the SIMS installations are local. We don't have any hosted solutions, so I assume this setup won't work for us.

Edited September 22, 2017 by NickDay85

[Steve21]

RemoteApps or Straight RDS if you wanted (If you have a remote server) as you can lock it down to the public IPs of the schools anyway.

 

Or a VPN connection between both depending on firewalls etc?

 

But ignoring the SIMs aspect how are the users going to logon to the different networks to access it? Or do they have accounts at both?

 

Steve

[NickDay85]

That's the only way I can see this working. Unfortunately, there are no servers to install it on. Has anyone had experience of using the SIMS SQL server for this purpose? It's the only server that could handle it, and is only a year old so is a pretty good spec. Has anyone had experience of this setup?

[NickDay85]

They have accounts at both schools.

[Steve21]

And roughly how many people need access to both SIMS at both sides? If it's only a few (e.g. main finance etc) it might be easier to just setup RDS on a pc level.

 

Set the firewall to allow RDS by each schools IP, and then they RDS into their own machine rather than a server. No software etc would be needed then other than standard windows machines, and they'd have access to all their normal software/stuff that's on their normal machines.

 

Not exactly "slick" but cheap and wouldn't need additional hardware etc

 

Steve

[djm968]

If you only have a few remote users, configuring RDS on the SIMS SQL Server although not ideal, would probably be ok.

[Steve21]

If you only have a few remote users, configuring RDS on the SIMS SQL Server although not ideal, would probably be ok.

 

You wouldn't/shouldn't/couldn't install it on there if you're talking a proper RDS server. Remember standard RDS (not using RDS server/licenses) is only for 2 admin slots.

 

Steve

[djm968]

As I said.... "Not Ideal" but they probably don't have dedicated machines at the other site to remote onto. For a few users, RDS on the SQL server is probably the most cost effective solution.

[FN-GM]

Both of the SIMS installations are local. We don't have any hosted solutions, so I assume this setup won't work for us.

 

Ours are local as well. It will work.

 

Honestly no need for RDS with my solution.

[djm968]

I think the OP is suggesting that SIMS is local to both sites and the sites are not linked.

[FN-GM]

I think the OP is suggesting that SIMS is local to both sites and the sites are not linked.

 

If that is true it won't work. But the OP doesn't say this.

[NickDay85]

If that is true it won't work. But the OP doesn't say this.

 

Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear. We have two separate installs on two separate sites.

 

As for RDS access to the desktops, that isn't possible as the staff who are needing to work at both sites don't have access to a desktop over at the second site.

 

I will look into RemoteApps/RDS I think.

 

I will do some small scale tests using the SQL server for this as at the moment, only one person will need to do this and at most I can't see it being more than three in total. Hopefully if others need it later on, we'll be able to purchase a dedicated server for it.

 

Thanks guys

[Steve21]

If they don't have access to a desktop at the second site how are they going to login to access SIMs? You said they'd have logins at both sites previously so bit confused as to what you're actually giving them now>

 

Steve

[NickDay85]

If they don't have access to a desktop at the second site how are they going to login to access SIMs? You said they'd have logins at both sites previously so bit confused as to what you're actually giving them now>

 

Steve

 

They don't have permanent access to a machine at the second site. When they work over there they use any one that is available, and have logins for the network and for SIMS. I was hoping that they could remotely access SIMS from a server over at the second site when they're at the first site. So then they have the option of seeing both SIMS from whichever site they happen to be working from on that day.

 

At the moment, they can only do that one way, which is fine when they're working at the second site. But when they are at the first site and still have to use both SIMS then they are unable to do their job currently without driving over to the second site to access SIMS.

[djm968]

A dedicated server would definitely be the best way forward, I used to run SIMS on a Windows 2003 Terminal Server for Staff remote access many years ago. Another option would be to look into SIMS hosting for both sites.

[NickDay85]

A dedicated server would definitely be the best way forward, I used to run SIMS on a Windows 2003 Terminal Server for Staff remote access many years ago. Another option would be to look into SIMS hosting for both sites.

 

Hosting is an option that has been mooted, I'm just trying to find a solution for the short term at the minute.

 

This has all been a massive help, so thanks to all!

[mavhc]

What's the point of being a MAT if you can't set up vpn connections between the sites? Surely the point is economies of scale

[NickDay85]

What's the point of being a MAT if you can't set up vpn connections between the sites? Surely the point is economies of scale

 

Yes, this is the longer term plan. We’ve been a MAT for 20 days, and are just looking into shorter term fixes for the pressing issues.

[mavhc]

Find a decent desktop computer with 1GB ram per user who wants to connect, put a ssd in, install Windows Server, set up terminal services, create a AD group for people allowed to connect, configure that in remote connection security, install SIMS, put RDP links on people's desktops.

[FN-GM]

Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear. We have two separate installs on two separate sites.

 

Is there a data link between the sites? Could you setup a VPN?