PC-Topp runs on modern PCs connected by a network under the Windows operating system. That technology is available world-wide, and familiar to users and administrators alike. PC-Topp is supported on Windows Vista and Windows XP and requires an up-to-date version of Microsoft Internet Explorer®.
The PCs used to run PC-Topp should have NTFS formatted hard drives. All computers on the network must be time synchronized.
PC-Topp Workstations
The PC-Topp Workstations require PCs that allow Windows and other applications to run at a comfortable speed.
Printers
PC-Topp supports Hewlett Packard laser printers or models of different suppliers compatible at least to HP LaserJet 4. Printers attached to workstations are not recommended; they should be connected directly to the network.
Network technology
PC-Topp requires high performance network technology. Therefore, the use of Fast Ethernet, the most widespread high speed networking technique, or a Gigabit network, is mandatory. The use of a network switch guarantees highest throughput for each client station. Gigabit technology is recommended for even higher throughput, especially for the connections between the servers and the network.
Cabling
Care must be taken to assure that cabling meets the requirements of Fast Ethernet and Gigabit technologies. Longer distances in the plant can be bridged by fiber optic connections.
Recommended Hardware for PC-Topp
... if you're buying new hardware
Although we update our hardware recommendations with each major innovation on the hardware and software market it goes for all our guidelines that if there is more recent hardware available we recommend those newer products.
Selecting Servers for PC-Topp
Instead of suggesting specific machine types to buy we try to give you general guidelines for hardware suitable for PC-Topp because judging computer systems only on the basis of their technical data can be very misleading. Systems with comparable specifications and pricing can greatly diverge in performance.
Therefore we rather rely on measuring the performance of the systems currently used by our customers and have gained wide practical experience in evaluating speed and performance of server systems.
Before you buy new hardware for PC-Topp please contact us so we can assist you in selecting the hardware with the best cost-performance ratio for PC-Topp.
The speed of that PC has a high impact on the overall speed with which PC-Topp's Intranet pages are displayed. Therefore we recommend machines with state-of-the-art processors, i.e. a Xeon Quad Core processor or newer (2,4 GHz or higher) with at least 2 GByte of RAM (better 4 GByte) and 80 GBytes of hard disk memory. It should be equipped with two hard disks (for separate storage of system and data) with at least 40 MBytes/s of reading speed, and with a Gigabit network card.
Workstations
PC-Topp workstations should be well equipped but reasonably priced desktop PCs, optimized to run Windows and its applications smoothly. Currently, they would be equipped with Pentium Core 2 Duo processors running at a speed of 2 GHz or above, 1 GByte (or more; 2 GByte is good) of memory, and a Gigabit or 100 MBit network card.
PC-Topp is optimized for SXGA monitors (1280x1024) and can be used on XGA monitors (1024x768) with some restrictions. (Please note that 17" CRT monitors are not recommended as this equals only 15" TFT and users do not accept SXGA resolution on such a small screen.)
Machine Terminals
The PC-Topp Machine Terminal software requires a powerful machine with the same specifications as a PC-Topp workstation. To connect a counter and/or a key card reader, standard serial ports are required.
Operating System
In general, all PCs used to run PC-Topp should have NTFS formatted hard drives.
• Service PC
The PC-ToppService PC requires Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2005. Additionally, Internet Information Services, Microsoft .NETFramework 2.0 and SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2005 (Express or Standard) have to be installed on the PC-ToppService PC.
• Workstations
We recommend Windows Vista or Windows XP for the PC-Topp Workstations and the PC-Topp Machine Terminal.
Software
PC-Topp.NET is designed for Microsoft Internet Explorer®. The browser must be installed in an up-to-date version, i.e. Internet Explorer 7 or 8.
Printers
We recommend printers from Hewlett Packard or other manufacturers' compatible printers.
Printers should be connected directly to the network, we discourage the use of workstation printers.
If you intend to invest in new computers to run PC-Topp it clearly makes sense to buy well equipped, state of the art machines.
User demands and techical standards are subject to constant change and so, specific recommendations are prone to fast aging, too. We offer guidelines rather than prescriptions and we keep them as up to date as possible.
A Powerful Service PC Is All Important
Especially investing in the PC-ToppService PC pays off very well, as its speed has great influence on the performance of the application on all client PCs. We recommend that you buy a high end desktop PC for this purpose. Dedicated and expensive server hardware is not required, even though that PC runs under a server operating system.
More and more desktop PCs come equipped with a Gigabit network card; this can have a nice performance benefit if the PC is connected to an inexpensive Gigabit switch.
Compared to the Service PC, the client PCs' performance doesn't need to be at the very high end of the scale. Well equipped mainstream PCs in the upper quality range will do fine.
Buy High Performance Hardware
In general, we recommend the latest Core 2 Duo (clients and servers) or Xeon Quad Core CPUs (servers only) with hyper-threading technology.
Your new PCs should all be equipped with a Gigabit or 100 MBit network card.
Buy Fast Memory
High speed memory is of prime importance for your new PCs' performance. Don't be deceived by high Front Side Bus frequency - FSB speed is relevant only in connection with RAM speed: A fast FSB can only perform well if the memory it communicates with is adequately fast, too. So, make sure to have both high speed memory and high frequency FSB (800 MHz).
In terms of memory, we recommend DDR SDRAM which is available in a large number of different versions, ranging in speed from PC4200 memory (533 MHz) to PC2100 (266 MHz) and lower. Rambus RDRAM memory runs at 800 MHz and theoretically is the fastest version on the market, but the technology is being discontinued and thus cannot be our primary recommendation.
Obviously, it is not possible to have the latest and greatest hardware at all times. Here are some guidelines for those who are upgrading to PC-Topp.NET, or who want to install PC-Topp.NET on existing hardware.
PC-ToppService PC
As the Service PC is the core of the system and PC-Topp's performance depends largely on its being well equipped we strongly recommend using PCs that meet the criteria for newly purchased hardware.
Workstations, Machine Terminals
Whether a PC is suitable for use with PC-Topp largely depends on the program you intend to run on it (e.g. a PC-Topp Machine Terminal is more demanding than the Free Terminal).
We recommend that you only use computers for PC-Topp that aren't older than about three years and were top-of-the-line machines at the time of purchase.
PC-Topp is designed on 17" TFT monitors with SXGA resolution (1280x1024 pixels). XGA monitors (resolution 1024x768 pixels) can be used with certain limitations: The PC-Topp pages will function on them in "emergency mode".
Given the fact that a suitable PC can be bought new for less than 500 Euros and the right kind of monitor costs about 250 Euro, it is usually more efficient to buy new hardware rather than asking us to spend expensive time trying to make old hardware work with PC Topp.
Operating System
Care must be taken when using PCs that have been in use for a long time, as Windows tends to become slow and unstable with time. Windows 95,Windows ME,Windows 98 and Windows NT are not supported. In general, all PCs used to run PC-Topp should have NTFS formatted hard drives.
• Service PC
The PC-ToppService PC requires Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2005. Additionally, Internet Information Services, Microsoft .NETFramework 2.0 and SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2005 (Express or Standard) have to be installed on the PC-ToppService PC.
• Workstations
For the PC-Topp Workstations and the PC-Topp Machine Terminal, Windows Vista or Windows XP is required.
Software
PC-Topp.NET is designed for Microsoft Internet Explorer®. The browser must be installed in an up-to-date version, i.e. Internet Explorer 7 or 8.
Printers
All printers need to be Hewlett-Packard or models of other suppliers that are at least compatible with HP LaserJet 4.
PC-Topp can use any type of network environment supported by Windows but requires a Windows Domain or Active Directory.
Network Clients
We recommend Windows Vista or Windows XP for the PC-Topp Workstations and the PC-Topp Machine Terminal.
Network Hardware
Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet should be used wherever possible, as PC-Topp uses the network quite intensively. For all new installations, both the network adapters and the cabling should be ready for Gigabit Ethernet or at least for 100 MBit/s Fast Ethernet.
The longer distances on the shop floor are easier to master with Fiber Optic links. The most cost-effective solution is to put a separate 100 MBit/s switch in a central position in the plant, and to link it to the switch in the office.
Printers
We recommend printers from Hewlett Packard which offers a wide range of models for high and lower volume printing; other manufacturers' printers may also be compatible.
Printers attached to workstations are not recommended; they should be connected directly to the network.
PC-Topp runs very reliably; systems have been running for years without intervention from outside. But in case of necessity - which means preventive action as well as debugging - it is important to have an efficient means of direct intervention.
Remote maintenance offers a convenient, safe and cost-effective way of dealing with problems occuring with your PC-Topp installation.
To enable remote maintenance, the PC-Topp support staff need access to your Service PC. There are several options of establishing the necessary connection.
Possibilities of Connection
Via Public Internet
The Internet connection to a customer's Service PC can be made in the following ways:
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VPN
If the customer is equipped with a VPN server and VPN access is provided for us we can connect to the Service PC by dialing into the customer's local network.
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Router
The connection can also be made by means of a router which provides the necessary Internet connection and is configured to relay the requests of the remote control software to the Service PC.
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Public IP Address
Another way of making the Service PC accessible is to directly connect it to the Internet so that it has a public IP address. The Service PC makes a modem connection to the Internet via an internet service provider who issues an IP address for the PC. The customer's IT staff then communicates this IP address to us whereupon we can access the PC with the help of this information.
Via Modem
One last possibility is a modem to modem connection from the customer's Service PC to one of our computers. The customer's IT staff connects by dialing our modem via telephone line.
Remote Control Software
There has to be a remote control software installed on the Service PC no matter what kind of connection you choose. We recommend the following products:
Even though the connection methods discussed above each have their virtues and faults there are some whose advantages clearly make them more attractive than others. Generally, connecting via Internet is cheaper than a modem to modem connection because of the telephone fees incurred when using the latter (which can amount to considerable sums in case of international long-distance calls).
In the following section, you will find an evaluation of the individual methods listed by degree of efficiency:
1. VPN
A VPN connection is very safe due to its being encrypted and tunneled. It offers a high degree of speed and convenience as it affords access to the customer's Service PC whenenver the need arises, independant of the presence and cooperation of any of the customer's IT staff on site.
2. Router
This method shares the VPN advantages but is subject to some restrictions as far as safety and accessibility are concerned: During the connection, the session's safety is ensured by the remote maintenance software, but even so, one of the PC's ports remains open to attacks from outside. Besides, the Services PC is only accessible to our team without assistance on the part of the customer if the remote control software is running there.
3. Public IP Address
This connection type is slower but safer than connecting by router because the connection is not open permanently. It can be considered to be as safe as browsing the Internet. Its disadvantage lies in the fact that maintenance on our part depends on the customer's cooperation.
4. Via Modem
Although a modem to modem connection is 100% safe it is a rather expensive and cumbersome way of enabling remote maintenance. Our staff cannot take action independently and they have to work under pressure because of the accumulating telephone costs. Progress may sometimes be very slow due to low quality connections which again heightens the fees. All in all we advise against it if there are other options of access.
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