Vs. 16.1 is supported for year end 2017.  The system requirements for 16.1 are like 15.1 and you could probably upgrade to 16.1 without replacing computers and this would give you more time.  From what I understand the requirements for 17.1 shown assume you'll be using the SQL Replicator and Mobile features.  There are more details on this at http://ftp.sagesoftwareuniversity.com/lms/cre/webdocs/System%20Recommendations%2017-1.pdf   Maybe this information will help. 

Thanks, this is probably what we will do for now.

Hi, Amanda.  We feel your pain.  Our company is currently running Version 16.1 Rev 8, has been a client of (Timberline Office) Sage 300 CRE for more than 18 years and spent tens of thousands of dollars just to remain as a Sage Business Care Gold member. In addition, we have spent several thousands of dollars because we had to replace our server and several workstations (many times) in order to handle the "FORCED" upgrades and keep from having a "RETIRED" version of software with Sage.  We, too are interested to find out if Sage will offer any alternative for those clients who do not wish to upgrade with the features of what is included in the 17.1 version or any future versions that do not meet our needs.  We opted out of the 17.1 version, but we are good with 16.1 version an will be able to complete our 2017 year end.  However, if Sage stays on track with past version retirements, we will be without year end software next year and unable to print our government forms. Last year, we began searching for an alternative software and are 99% sure we will be RETIRING from Sage ourselves. I just wanted you to know you are not alone. Best wishes. 

Thanks, we are in the same boat having been on this system for 13 years and only downgraded from Gold last year.  Most of our users are only looking at the data as there are only 5 of us who actually enter any data.  We avoided 16 because of the desktop and how slow it is but may have to upgrade soon.

Hi Mz.  Did you look at the link I gave to Amanda?  It sounds like you only have to have those higher system requirements if you will be using the SQL Replicator and the Mobile features.  If you're not going to use these 2 features, you don't necessarily have to buy new computers.  At least that's my understanding.  Hopefully someone from Sage can chime in here and let us know if I understand this correctly. 

Hi, Rhonda. Thank you for the link.  I finally got a chance to review the information.  The reason we elected not to upgrade to 17.1 is because we do not wish to use the SQL Replicator or Mobile Products on the Server or the workstation.  I am interested to know if there is a way to upgrade to 17.1 WITHOUT the SQL Replicator or Mobile Products software on both the server and workstations. Hopefully, there will be an answer to Amanda's question by Sage. Thanks again!

Hi Amanda. It sounds like your users are currently connecting to the data on your server via a CRE300 client on the user desktop. My understanding is that this connection involves joining the user desktop to the domain on the server. With this network configuration, your desktop computer hardware/software is vulnerable to upgrade pressure whenever Sage decides that "old" desktop technology should no longer support new CRE300 client software (usually when Microsoft decides to discontinue support for old desktop operating systems). One method of escaping this financially burdensome loop is to have your desktops connect to the server via RDP. Under this method, the CRE300 client is not run on your user desktops. Therefore, the only compatibility that is required is between the server operating system and the RDP client (both of which are maintained by Microsoft). With the RDP scenario, you would need to purchase RDP licenses to run on your server, and I believe that you would need to have windows professional running on your desktops. You might also have to bump up the memory on your server to allow for extra processing requirements. Having said that, I do not know whether the CRE300 "desktop" screen will run well within an RDP connection. Prior to version 17.1 the TS.exe file could be run in RDP without starting this desktop screen. However, in 17.1, Sage has determined that the desktop screen must be used in order to access any modules. Hope this helps.    

Thanks skmark for the information.  Do you know if we have to install the SQL Replicator?  We do not use any mobile applications and don't want to have to upgrade computers or buy licenses.  We are just users. 

Rhonda V: I do not know if an upgrade to 17.1 automatically includes installation of the SQL replicator or if the replicator install is optional as part of that upgrade.

Even of this is included in the install I do not expect it will be hogging resources unless you configure the replication

Thank you for all the information.  I will have to look more closely into what we can do to avoid upgrading so many computers.

Hi Amanda (and everyone else),

I wanted to clarify that the Sage SQL Replicator is an optional installation. The main benefits of Replicator are the ability to use the current (and upcoming) mobile applications for Sage 300 CRE, as well as the drastically improves performance of Crystal Reports in the software.

As the document noted above states, if you are on version 15.1 or 16.1 and are happy with the system performance, you can keep your existing hardware and upgrade to 17.1.

Thanks!

Jesse,  Can you provide instructions (or knowledgebase article for instructions) on how to upgrade to 17.1 WITHOUT installing the Sage SQL Replicator?  The document in this thread does not include instructions.  Thank you.

If you go to Help - Documents - Vs 17.1 there is lots of information.  It sounds like you upgrade to Vs 17.1 and then you don't create an administrator for SQL Replicator or install the Replicator tool. 

Hi Jesse,

I have another question now that we are ready to upgrade.  Our server is a domain controller and the documentation says that for 16.1 and above domain controllers are not supported.  Is there a way to get around this?  We do not want to have to purchase another new server.  

Thanks,

Amanda