Clients & Profits X | Winter 2006

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TECH TALK

THE ROAD AHEAD

Only Clients & Profits has an upgrade path that allows a small boutique shop to grow into a large multi-office agency and not switch accounting systems. SQL makes it possible for C&P to manage agencies with hundreds of staff members and thousands of jobs. But the move to SQL isn’t trivial. If you’re considering moving up to SQL, keep this in mind:

Do you need SQL? Yes, if you have (1) a multi-segment database, (2) offices in different locations, or (3) want to link custom web applications into your C&P database.

MySQL or SQL Server? MySQL and SQL Server 2005 Express are arch rivals and are battling for market share. That’s why they’re essentially free. Unlike SQL Server, MySQL runs on an Xserve — a real plus for all-Mac shops. Its admin tools are weak (especially for Mac OS X) but there’s a large, enthusiastic user community that offsets MySQL’s spotty support. SQL Server’s performance and admin tools are better, but it requires a Windows server. The downside for Mac users: A $30 ODBC driver is needed for each workstation (www.actualtechnologies.com). Our benchmark tests show that SQL Server 2005 Express on Windows is the fastest configuration for running Clients & Profits —it’s almost twice as fast as MySQL.

You’ll need experience Everything about SQL (installation, backup/restore, performance tuning) is not easy for novices. Rather than having someone on staff figure out SQL, find a good database consultant (i.e., DBA).

Wait until C&P X 10.1 — and try the demo The late summer upgrade will have certified drivers for the free “community” version of MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express. A free trial demo will be available at www.cnp-x.com which is highly recommended. It’s the only way to prove that SQL is right for you.

By Chris Lawrence

Everybody loves an efficient workplace, right? Maybe not, but everybody expects the computers they use to work every time. Keeping your IT infrastructure “always-on” takes some effort, and spring’s a terrific time to do a tune-up.

• Prune your file servers There’s a maxim that you use everything up to its limit. That’s certainly true with servers. Hard drives that seemed unimaginably huge last year suddenly and mysteriously fill up this year.

This just happened to me.

Last week I pruned the dense undergrowth on our file servers, which is something I do twice a year. This time I reclaimed over 21 Gbs of wasted space: outdated documents, old test databases, lots of copies of the same applications, and more.

My trick is to move all of the suspect files into a secret folder I create just for spring cleaning. I send a mass-email to the staff announcing the cleaning the day before, then wait for calls. If anyone needs a file I pruned, I can retrieve it in a second. But after a couple of weeks in this limbo, I trash the secret folder.

• Got bandwidth? Like file servers, a big thick T-1 line just doesn’t handle the traffic like it used to. The explosion of web-based

services (e.g., iTunes, web radio, games, chat, VoIP) suck bandwidth like never before. Take some time to monitor your network’s bandwidth, then plan any improvements during summer when the traffic is usually slower. Then you’ll be ready for the fall’s new business.

• Does your backup system work? Consider yourself lucky if you’ve never had to restore a backup for real. That’s not the time to discover your nightly backups weren’t working. Take the time to dry-run a restoration to ensure your mission-critical files can be recovered in an emergency.

• Remove outdated machines You can’t invest in new technology without the space for it. And if your shop is bursting with half-dead PCs, monitors, drives and other debris it’s time to purge.

• Get up-to-date Volunteer someone to be the anti-virus czar, then make that person check every machine for up-to-date security software. Also, make sure all of your Macs and PCs have up-to-date system software.

Chris Lawrence is Clients & Profits' CIO.