Objective
For Clients that want their entire Company on the Disconnected version Estimator, there are some additional configurations that need to be done before this can be achieved, especially older clients that are running an older version of DESTINI Estimator.
The workflow is that the Centralized Server and the local users' computer are running the same version of SQL Server, and a batch script is created to back up the Cost database to a specific location (Shared drive Location 1) and then batch script on the user's computer is set up to automatically run and grab that backup file (from Shared drive Location 1) and restored it on each users computer.
Note: As we transition to the Web, we are working to make the deployment process easier for our desktop application for our prior clients by making the installation better and more updated based on the Microsoft SQL Server minimum supported version.
The Problem
The DESTINIData (Estimates) database has the option to check out an estimate from the Centralized Server and bring that estimate locally to the user's workstation (see link for steps), however, there is not an option for the Cost database to do the same.
The main problem is around the SQL Server versions, let me explain:
Our Estimator application is packaged with SQL 2014 X86 that is installed locally on the users' workstation, most clients are running a version of SQL Standard 2016, 2017, or 2019 X64 on the Centralized Server. Ads a result, the users' computer will need to be upgraded to a similar version of SQL X64 to match the version that the Centralized server is running for the cost database to be able to be backed up and restored locally using scripts.
Sound simple right? Well, it's not because you can't cross-platform upgrade from SQL X86 to X64.
Example: My centralized server is running SQL 2016 X64, and my computer is running SQL 2014 X86 - Microsoft no longer creates an X86 version of SQL Server for 2016 + version of SQL, only X64.
The Solution
Remember, our application is packaged with SQL Express 2014\w Advance Features, so any version from 2014 - 2019\w Advance Features will work with DESTINI Estimator.
New Clients
If you are a new client - the process is simple; here are the steps for all your users to be totally Disconnected:
1. Install the version of SQL Server that your Centralized SQL Server is running - If my SQL Server is running SQL 2019 Standard then I need to install SQL 2019 on all my Users' workstations. The deployment methods and scripts to install the SQL Server can be found at this link for SQL 2016, 2017, or 2019.
2. Once the SQL is installed, then you can deploy the DESTINI Estimator application and this will essentially see that the SQL Server BECKTECHNOLOGY instance and the installer will not install the SQL 2014 X86 version.
3. As a result, both the Centralized SQL Server and the local users' computer will be on the same version which makes the ability to get a cost database locally simple by setting up the batch scripts.
Prior Clients
Unfortunately, your process is not as simple because you already have a BECKTECHNOLOGY 2014 X86 SQL Instance and you will need to get an upgrade to the SQL X64 version based on your Centralized Server.
I will explain the steps to keep this process clean and using the BECKTECHNOLOGY instance.
1. First thing we need to do is to uninstall the current version of SQL Server (2012 or 2014 X86) that you are running and also uninstall Data Manager. Why Data Manager? - This is because Data Manager is the application that is packaged with the SQL so if Data manager is not uninstalled then the installed will always bypass the installed and just install Estimator.
2. Once step one is completed for Prior Clients, then this will essentially allow for the installation using the New Clients Steps mentioned above by installing the version of SQL Server X64 that the Centralized Server is running on the local users' workstation.
3. The Next steps after that will be to set up the batch scripts to restore a copy of the Cost database from the Centralized Server (Shared drive Location 1) and the script that is on the local users' workstation will restore the database locally (Shared drive Location 1).
As you can see this is not a simple process and this will require some coordination and planning to get this accomplished for all Users in the company. As mentioned, we have plans to make this process a lot easier and simpler for our clients.
While this doesn't apply to most of our clients because they require that everyone will always be connected to the Centralized Server, we have some that will likely require this setup. Our Support Department can work will our clients to get them the best option for setting up this environment until a better solution is implemented.