Storage disk OS for data

[plasticman]

Does it matter what operating system I use to store the main data files for clinic office? I'm thinking of setting up a network with a fileserver, using an Apple MacOSX server edition, as it comes with many features that I would like to use, and I'm very comfortable using Macs. I wouldn't have thought it would matter what filing system the data files were stored on but I just need confirmation!

Also, does the server edition of clinicoffice work better for very large databases (nearly 1GB in size with many scanned documents per patient record) or is it simply better for when more than 5 users are accessing the data simultaneously? How does one upgrade from the standard edition to the server edition?

[Support]

Hi - thanks for your post.

The Startup and Professional Editions use a file-based database engine (ElevateDB) so you're correct that it shouldn't really matter what storage medium you use for the database files. Please bear in mind however that Pioneer Software can only support a WIndows environment as we're a Windows development company. Although it should work fine storing the files on a MAC, if you do end up experiencing data loss (which is incredibly rare) or performance problems then we'd be unable to help.

It's also worth remembering though that if a computer has direct access to those files (i.e. off its own hard disk) then it performs MUCH faster than running over a network. Typically most smaller clinics, with say a reception computer and a couple of computers in the clinic rooms, will put their database on the reception PC as that is the one being used the most (booking appointments, entering payments etc.) This way the reception computer doesn't have the bottle-neck of access the databse over a network and performs much faster.

The Server Edition is a different matter. It is a Client/Server database engine (PostgreSQL) which means that it's not a just a matter of passive file storage - it has to run as a program. I've just noticed that PostgreSQL is actually available for MAC OS X, however we have no experience of installing, configuring or running PostgreSQL on anything other than Windows, so once again we wouldn't be able to support a MAC OS X PostgreSQL configuration.

Hope this helps!