A2C - How are you installing yours

[Stuart_C]

I've just been looking at the A2C software now we've been authorised to use it and I'm wondering how everyone else is setting it up.

 

Overall I like the idea that I can roll it onto the network so that multiple people can run the software (i.e. so that you don't have to get the super secret keys to the exam officers office on exam download day because she is off sick and the old EDI software only works on 1 machine for 1 user! )

 

However the software seems to imply that you set it up and leave it running, so are people going for server installs of the software? Or are they setting you setting it up on the users PC and they just run it when they need to transfer files. Even though I would stage all the inbox/outbox directories on a server the second option seems the most sensible.

[matt40k]

The in\out directories are normally in s:\sims\exams\ then inbox \ outbox \ whatever the other one is.

 

Makes sense, you can log the ntfs permissions down then to a group if you really want.

[Sivadam]

We installed on just one workstation.

We have separate InBoxes and Outboxes on the workstation. We then manually copy Files from there to and from the SIMS Server Boxes.

This allows us to keep a copy of all files - just in case we need to edit them.

We often have to do this due to problems caused by the Exam Boards issuing some files in the wrong version. It also makes it easier if we have to split a large Result File in two. We can work with the copies and still have the original if we mess things up (a big 'If' )

Edited March 13, 2012 by Sivadam

[plexer]

Always used network located data folders for exam centre and I see no issues having that on multiple machines.

 

The A2C software needs keys for each exam board installing when you use it so doesn't look like it can be automatically rolled out anyway.

 

Ben

[sonofsanta]

I just installed it manually on the one station for the exams officer and pointed it at the folders on the Serco server. It's all been pretty straightforward actually.

 

Just remember to actually create a shortcut somewhere where said exams bod can actually get to... I fergot -_-

[chazzy2501]

I'm looking at installing onto a second workstation but first I need to move the A2C appdata folder of the local user to a network share. Plus I need to download the software again. I hope I don't need to do the codes again.

[Stuart_C]

Cool. Thanks for the responses.

Kind of what I thought. I'll go for the software on the exams officer's PC and the files saved on the network (as they currently are) Once I've got it all running I'll stick it on another as an emergency fall back.

[Sylv3r]

I originally installed it on our our SIMS server as I thought I had read somewhere that you could schedule it to perform a send / receive every 'x' minutes although this didn't seem to work for us, so I have since installed it on two additional workstations. Our Exams Officer and Assistant Head i/c of Exams so they can manually run it if needs be to check / send any files. All use the examsin / examsout folder on a mapped drive.

[User3204]

I installed it onto the Main Exams Co-ordinators PC, and then had to explain that we didn't need to install it onto any other machines, as it worked automatically.

 

It's only temporary anyway, if you contact them, thy're expecting the SIMS .net and equivalent softwares to be doing the sync in the next few years anyway.

[Birchy]

We are having a problem with AQA on our install. It says it is ready on the summary screen but as soon as we do send receive it comes up with exception occurred. Has anyone come across this and know how to deal with it?

[plexer]

We are having a problem with AQA on our install. It says it is ready on the summary screen but as soon as we do send receive it comes up with exception occurred. Has anyone come across this and know how to deal with it?

 

Kills itself on our exams managers pc as well.

 

dunno why atm.

 

Ben

[matt40k]

I would contact AVCO, you'll get a faster and better response then my "check your permissions" response.

[Birchy]

I would contact AVCO, you'll get a faster and better response then my "check your permissions" response.

 

I contacted AVCO and the problem is now resolved. Apparently it was due to a software bug that occurs if you point the archive folder to your ExamHold folder in settings. Pointing this at a new folder instead rectifies the problem.

 

Andy

[Edu-IT]

What version of AVCO is needed to run on Windows 7?

[enjay]

I've put ours on the network, but only the exams officer has the keys configured. Is there some way of copying those settings to the network so everyone gets them, or would each user need to set it up in turn?

[bossman]

I have set it up on 1 workstation with the keys stored on the Sims server and the usual Examin/out folders mapped through the A2C software.

 

As has been mentioned I also have the program shortcut delivered to a group through program set so if the Exams officer is off sick then another member of staff can run the program.

 

I cannot see a reason for having it installed on more than one workstation as I feel that is the way it has been designed to run for security reasons but that is just my interpretation of software and it's instructions.