Support FAQ

1. How do I transfer files to my Applianz System?
2. How does printing work?
3. How do I allow remote access?
4. Why aren’t the changes I made to the Template session available to all users?
5. Does my Applianz System need to have a static IP address?
6. What is the purpose for each session type?
7. What are the bandwidth requirements of the Applianz System?
8. Is the connection between the server and the Applianz Client encrypted?
9. Does the Applianz System have virus protection?
10. Do I need a VPN for remote access with the Applianz Client?
11. What happens if our internet connection goes down? Will our users be able to work?
12. Can I install other programs on the Applianz System such as Microsoft Office?
13. How can I backup my data on the Applianz?
14. We recently had an employee leave our company. How can I be sure they cannot access our Applianz System?

1. How do I transfer files to my Applianz System?

   There are three ways to transfer files to your Applianz System.

   1. If you are on the same network (at the same location) as the Applianz System, the preferred method is to transfer your files by mapping a network drive to the UNC path of the Applianz System using SMB. Please consult section 2 of the Applianz System Manual for more information.

   2. If you are at a remote location and the file you need to transfer is small (less than 10 Megabytes) you can enable drive sharing in the Applianz Client to map your local drives to the Applianz Session. This can be enabled by opening Start -> Programs -> Applianz -> Advanced Configuration and clicking on “Connect drives”. Please consult section 4.1 of the Applianz System Manual for more information and detailed instructions. You will need to re-connect to your session after enabling this feature.

   3. If you are at a remote location and need to transfer a large amount of data, then Secure FTP is the best method to transfer the file(s). You will need the SFTP username and password that was included on the System Information sheet that came with your Applianz System. To transfer the files we recommend using WinSCP, which is available for download on the Tools page. Please consult section 4.2 of the Applianz System Manual for detailed instructions on connecting with WinSCP.

2. How does printing work?

   There are two different printers to choose from when you print in your application, the “Choose Printer” and “Default Printer”. Selecting “Default Printer” will send the print job to your local machine's default printer. Selecting “Choose Printer” will send the print job to your local machine, but allow you to print to any installed printer.

   
   

   If you are having issues with printing to a USB/Parallel/Serial label/thermal printer, it may be because some label and thermal printers require a special set of instructions to communicate properly with the software you are using. In this scenario the default Applianz Printing Engine will not work. USB/Parallel/Seria label/thermal printers should be added by sharing with the Applianz Client the serial ports or printers of your machine. To do so open Start -> Programs -> Applianz -> Advanced Configuration and selecting “Connect ports”. You will also need to install the respective printer drivers in the Server Session or in the Template Session.

3. How do I allow remote access?

   In order for users outside your network to be able to access the Applianz System, you will need to forward TCP ports 30000-30060 to the Applianz System in your firewall or router. While this is not a requirement if you don’t have remote users, Applianz technical support may be limited in their ability to troubleshoot issues requiring access to the system.

4. Why aren’t the changes I made to the Template session available to all users?

   When you install programs or make configuration changes to the Template session, they are not available to the user Application sessions until you apply the changes through the Web Admin site, or the Applianz System goes through it's nightly maintenance cycle. To apply the changes to your template session, log into the Web Admin for your Applianz System and go to the Status page. Locate the entry for the Applianz Admin session, and click the Apply button. Please be aware that applying changes will disconnect only users connected to the system. Please consult section 8.2 of the System Manual for more information.

5. Does my Applianz System need to have a static IP address?

   It is recommended that your Applianz System have a static internal IP Address for your local network, because if your DHCP server ever assigns a different IP Address to the Applianz System it can affect remote access. It is important that the static IP address you use is outside of the DHCP range that your router assigns, and the static IP Address that you choose is not currently in use. For example, if your router assigns DHCP addresses starting at 192.168.1.100, then you will want to choose and IP address below 192.168.1.100. Then, you can open Command Prompt (Start->Run->cmd) on your computer and use ping to determine if an IP Address is already in use. For example, to determine if 192.168.1.10 is already in use by another computer type "ping 192.168.1.10" at the command prompt. If the address is in use then ping will return the time it took for the system to respond, otherwise the ping will time out.

   It is not necessary for you to have a static external IP address, the IP address assigned by your ISP is sufficient.

   To change the IP address of your Applianz System please see section 8.3 of the Applianz System Manual.

6. What is the purpose for each session type?

   Server Session

   The Server Session should be used for storing application data that is needed by client workstations. If your application has server specific software, it should also be installed in this session. Application data and server software should be put in the D:\AppData directory unless otherwise directed. Files placed in this directory will be accessible to the Template and application sessions.

   Template Session

   Application software should be installed on this session. Any changes made to this session will be seen by all users of the application session. Changes made to this session will not take effect in the application sessions until they are applied using the Web Admin site, or by rebooting the system. If changes are made to this session that you do not wish to save, you can discard the changes using the Web Admin site. Changes made to the admin session will also be applied during the nightly maintenance of the system.

   Application Session

   The Application Session is the session that the end-user will connect to. There is no need to install any software in this session, as it is a clone of the Template session. When the user logs out of this session, it is discarded, and another clone is made to take it's place.

7. What are the bandwidth requirements of the Applianz System?

   A typical Application Session uploads 30-40 kbits/second per user from the location of the Applianz System. Graphic intense applications may have higher requirements. Users of the Applianz Client that are at the same location as the Applianz System do not need to be counted when figuring bandwidth requirements. At the remote client location, a standard DSL/Cable connection will be sufficient for a large number of concurrent users. It is possible to use the Applianz Client over a 56k dial-up connection or satellite connection, however users may experience some latency.

   

   Concurrent remote users		Recommended internet package
   5-15		DSL/Cable Standard Package
   15-30		DSL/Cable Premium/Business Package
   30-40		T1 or better

8. Is the connection between the server and the Applianz Client encrypted?

   All communication between the Applianz Client and the Applianz System is encrypted using a 128-bit, bi-directional RC4 encryption method.

9. Does the Applianz System have virus protection?

   None of the sessions on the Applianz System comes with Anti-virus software, but you can install it on the server.

10. Do I need a VPN for remote access with the Applianz Client?

    The Applianz Client does not need a VPN for remote access. The client will work through a VPN, but it is not recommended since this might cause poor client performance.

11. What happens if our internet connection goes down? Will our users be able to work?

    Local users who work from the same location the Applianz System will not be affected. Remote users, will not be able to connect until internet service is restored. Applianz suggests setting up a secondary dial-up connection if internet service disruption is a common problem for your business.

12. Can I install other programs on the Applianz System such as Microsoft Office?

    Yes. Microsoft Office can be installed on the Applianz System (customer responsible for licensing) along with additional 3rd party applications which integrate with your software. If you are unsure if your software will work, we highly recommend you contact an Applianz Support professional before installation.

13. How can I backup my data on the Applianz?

    Applianz offers an automated off-site data backup service (CompleteAssurance) which captures changes in your data daily and saves it to one of our secure data centers. This not only saves the data, but the state of the system and users at the time the problem occurred. Other third-party backup programs are detailed in the Applianz System Manual.

14. We recently had an employee leave our company. How can I be sure they cannot access our Applianz System?

    Simply removing their login credentials from the users section on the Applianz Web Administration site will ensure they cannot access your Applianz System.