Installing Sage Network Amazon AWS, Workstation Local - Sage Accountant Edition

Hey,

I am hoping you guys are able to give me some information. I have a new client that would like to use a remote server for their Sage Accounting to allow Multiple Users access to the same Sage Database at the same time. I was thinking for scalability and backup it would be a smart use case for Amazon AWS until they can purchase and host their own windows server 2012. I was thinking I would just setup a basic Amazon AWS Server with Windows Server 2012 on it and install Sage Accountant Edition using 

Custom Install -> Install Sage 50 Connection Manager Only (Server) 

Then install the Sage 50 Accountant Software on my workstations. However how would I then use the Amazon AWS Server as the network location for my workstations? I see create a new company and chose Quantum as the type, however I don't see an option for a network located database file.

Is it possible to do what I am hoping to do, or does Sage require the file to be local?

Also have people gone the windows server 2012 route without using Remote Desktop and had good success? 

  • 0
    I'm not sure anyone has tried this before and Sage would probably not support the scenario (check the EULA for exclusions). However, can you not map a drive to the AWS server? If so, then use the drive letter to access the file and see if it works. If not, you can use UNC with \\IP address\resource or \\servername\resource if it works.

    Many people have used server setups and I am sure some have been Windows 2012 Server. I am using SBS2003 and it works well for anything below 2016 using drive letter mapping.

    Be aware that a local file will be much faster than a file opened across the internet. You may not get the response time that is required for a 5-user setup but let us know what you find when you test. If it is possible, you might find it better to do a full install on the server and use Remote Desktop to access the server.

    I won't recommend using Sage Drive because you needed simultaneous access and it is not multi-user at this point.
  • 0 in reply to Richard S. Ridings
    Hey,

    Thanks for the response, yes I can map the AWS Server to a local drive. I guess that's the recommended way in this case then to operate Sage accounting over an external network.

    I read through the EULA for sage, it when you mention a lack of support you were referring specifically to the call in support not breaking the terms and conditions correct? I didn't read anything in there against an external server except maybe the third party agreement, but as I purchase the AWS it doesn't seem like it would be an issue.

    Thanks,
    Jacob
  • 0 in reply to kanazky
    Regarding the EULA, I thought there was something in there about Hosting. In the 2015 version of it, there is stuff in section 18 Monitoring/Personal Information and section 20 Miscellaneous that pertains to what you were asking regarding Sage having access to your data.

    I'd be interested to know if you see any speed problems when doing your testing of posting and reporting. You can upload the sample data from the local computer so you can do some work over the internet without creating a new file.

    I was referring to tech support if the program does not operation properly. I don't know if they classify the AWS as a regular server or not.
  • 0

    kanazky said:
    does Sage require the file to be local?

    If you have a VPN it should work, but latency may make the setup impractical.  There's a lot of data communication that happens in small chunks, so any latency has a dramatic effect on performance - even multiple switches / routers on a LAN slows things down noticeably. 

    kanazky said:
    use a remote server for their Sage Accounting to allow Multiple Users access to the same Sage Database at the same time.

    (Edited )

    The Sage Connection Manager opens up a new data port as each connection is made.  10 users = 10 additional ports.  for each company:

    Better to use RDP or something similar (where 20,000 SQL requests for one report aren't going through multiple ISP's equipment, one at a time). 

    kanazky said:
    I see create a new company and chose Quantum as the type, however I don't see an option for a network located database file.

    There isn't an option, because there is no difference whatever.  Local data is still client-server.  If the 'company file' (actually a file + the mySQL data folder) is on a local drive to the client, data requests are looped back to the local (MySQL) data server.  

    If the file is created locally it can be copied to any location that can be accessed from Windows Explorer.  (with SMB, not FTP.  

  • 0 in reply to RandyW

    RandyW said:
    The Sage Connection Manager opens up a new data port as each connection is made.  10 users = 10 additional ports.

    Randy, sorry to question this but are you referring to ports 13540, 13541 etc?  If so, a new connection/user connecting to the same open database does not open a new port, it uses the same one.  A port like 13540 is only opened for a specific company datafile.  The next file opened will typically get 13541.  This is a generality and doesn't always happen in this order but the concept is accurate.