We recommend a dedicated file server. That is, a file server on which only the server software is run. There is extra cost involved in having a dedicated server but, if you are able to afford one, it is the best way to go.
For a dedicated file server we recommend a Windows Server.
Note: QuickFill contains its own database management and does not require a database server such as Oracle or SQL Server. Read-only access to the database is available through a supplied ODBC driver.
If you are not able to afford a dedicated file server, then you will need to use a peer-to-peer network. The built-in networking software contained in Windows will work fine.
With a peer-to-peer network you need to be careful. If the computer on which the database resides crashes, you risk getting a corrupted database. Therefore, we recommend trying to minimize the amount of daily work (by other programs) that is done on the computer that holds the QuickFill database while QuickFill is being run.
For workstations, if you are buying new ones you will probably end up with Windows Vista or Windows 7. Any of the various editions (Home, Business, Professional, etc.) are okay. If you use a Windows Server you should probably get the Business edition of Windows Vista or the Professional edition of Windows XP or Windows 7 since the Home editions cannot join a domain (although they can still access all of the files on the server).
Note: supported versions of the Windows operating system
Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 are supported. Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT and Windows 2000 are not supported. Our Windows 2000 support ended in June 2011 (Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 2000 in July 2010.)
If you are buying a new server buy as much memory as you can and the biggest, fastest hard disk(s) for the server that you can afford. When used in a server environment, SCSI disks are faster than IDE disks.
Note: Initially, your QuickFill database will need approximately 3.0 megabytes per 1,000 subscribers. Your needs will grow over time, depending on how much of the historical data you choose to purge.
If you are buying new workstations, you should have a minimum of 256 megabytes of memory to run Windows XP, 1 gigabyte for Windows Vista or Windows 7. Any new computer in current production will have more than adequate speed, although you might want to get one "souped up" workstation for the purpose of running the reports and updates.
QuickFill has been designed with a minimum screen resolution of 1024x768. Your monitor must be capable of at least this resolution.
For backup hardware, we like USB flash drives. CD and DVD recorders are also good, but QuickFill does not have the ability to write directly to a CD-R drive. QuickFill does contain a built-in database backup feature that works with removable random-access media, such as USB flash drives. The backup files that QuickFill creates are standard PKZip files.
A backup system that runs automatically every night and backs up the entire server is all well and good, but you should also be able to backup just the QuickFill database during the day, on demand.