Switching from on Premise to Cloud Hosting

Switching from on Premise to Cloud Hosting

For many years we have provided access to have your Retailer system hosted in the cloud.  This article outlines the process and key points to look out for when switching your software from on premise to cloud.

Infrastructure 

Eftpos

When connected to Cloud Hosting some eftpos providers will not be suitable while others will need new pin pads in order to connect to the via the hosting server. 
  1. Tyro: Compatible with cloud hosting and new pin pads are NOT required. 
  2. Linkly: You need to be running at least version 3.2.4.  You also need to ensure that you have cloud specific terminals if you are using the Linkly on premise version it is likely you will need to change your pin pads.  Please contact your Bank to organise this so they have been setup prior to your cloud migration.  
  3. Smartpay: Compatible with cloud hosting and new pin pads are NOT required. 
Please see the supported EFTPOS integrations list here.

Internet

Good stable internet is required at each location and the faster the better.  Our minimum recommendation is that your connection be at least 10mbps download and at least 2mbps upload.  This would be enough for 3 users to operate effectively at your location. Most NBN connections will meet the requirements.  To test your connection please click here and run a google speed test.  

Printers & Other Hardware

  1. Printers - While most printers should work inside you hosted environment older printers and printers not on our approved list may have issues.  
  2. Scanners - All USB barcode scanners should work in the cloud environment
  3. Touch Screens - All USB Touch screen will be cloud compatible. 
  4. Scales - Not cloud compatible
  5. Fuel - Not Cloud Compatible 
  6. Customer Displays - Only second monitor style customer displays are cloud compatible.  
If any of your current infrastructure falls outside of what is listed here please contact Tower Systems immediately to discuss the issues and determine the best course of action 

Installation Process

Main Location

1.     Once you have placed your order to switch to cloud hosting.  We will begin the work provisioning your new server.  

2.     When your new cloud server is ready, we will contact you to organise a time to begin the migration. We generally perform a cloud migration over 2 days.  Our goal during this process is keep any down time to a minimum. 

DAY ONE

 

3.     We would enable Multi Store and check your terminal names.  With the switch to a cloud hosted server, your terminal names need to change from using the computer name to using a log in or usernames.  During this process there may be some downtime as the multi-store system is initialised (approximately 15 minutes).

4.     Once this is completed, we would update each of the terminals in your store to ensure that eftpos is functioning, receipts are printing and cash draws etc are opening.

5.     We would also add to your computer your new Icon to access Retailer on your cloud server. During this time the specific terminal we are working on would not be able to be used (approximately 10 minutes per terminal).   Please ensure that you have another other computers you wish to load with access available on this day.  

6.     At the end of this day’s trading (or early the next morning) we would obtain the final copy of your data so it can be migrated to your cloud server.   

 

DAY TWO

 

7.     Today you begin trading on your cloud server. 

8.     We’d be on hand to ensure things like printers, cash drawers and EFTPOS are function correctly.


Additional Locations 

After the main site in trading, either on the same day or subsequent days, your choice, we will migrate your additional stores in to the cloud hosted environment. If there is data to merge (quoted separately) this would be imported as of the migration process.  Please ensure that you have check the infrastructure section above to ensure it complies. 

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