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VetlinkPRO is now available as a cloud service. In this scenario we deliver VetlinkPRO software on fully managed AWS (Amazon Web Services) Windows cloud servers through Microsoft Remote Desktop Services infrastructure built by VetlinkPRO directly to your clinic. What this means is that we provide you with a cloud server configured specifically to your requirements and is dedicated for your clinic at a set monthly fee with VetlinkPRO and you will not need to have a physical server at the clinic. This will reduce cost, downtime, data corruptions due to faulty hardware etc.

The cloud server can be just for VetlinkPRO  or you can choose to run other applications such as Microsoft Office 365 or Open Office, X-ray software, accounting software, payroll software, email etc. Please discuss your requirements with us before you go ahead. Connection to the cloud server from the clinic requires PC, Apple Mac computers or newer thin clients for secure connection. You will also be able to connect to your cloud server from any mobile device (Android or iOS) such as tablets or phones from within the clinic or anywhere else as long as you have data connection or Wi-Fi access to the Internet. Client requirements and printing requirements will be discussed in more details below. As part of this package we look after the following for you:

    
• Server security (Firewalling from the server to your clinic)

    
• Windows updates

    
• Virus protection

    
• Backups (7 days full server snapshot backup and 7 days of VetlinkPRO data backup)

What is AWS?

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a collection of remote computing services, also called web services, that make up a cloud computing platform by Amazon.com. The most well-known of these services are Amazon EC2 (Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud) and Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service). VetlinkPRO has built a fully secure and redundant Microsoft Remote Desktop infrastructure based on Windows Server 2012 R2 technology on EC2 and uses S3 storage for all backups. VetlinkPRO infrastructure includes Active Directory replication, load balancing between Remote Desktop Gateways, Connection broker, dedicated server for each client (no load sharing) daily snapshot backups of all servers, virus protection etc.

Client Requirements

The following can be used to connect to your cloud server

    
• PCs (Windows 7/8/8.1/10) running Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol 7.1 or later)

    
• Apple Mac computers running Microsoft Remote Desktop App 8.0 or later

    
• Thin Clients (Linux or Windows based) running Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol 7.1 or later)

    
• Mobile devices (Apple iOS or Android) running Microsoft Remote Desktop App 8.0 or later

Printing Requirements

Printing from cloud server can be configured in two ways depending on your requirements, compatibility and choice. Requirements, pros and cons of both will be discussed below but we are happy to discuss this with you and help you make the best choice for your environment.

    
1. Printer redirection through RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)

       

   Requirements:

       

   
           
   • Any type of printer (USB, Parallel, Network)
   
           
   • Windows 7/8/8.1/10 workstation required
   
           
   • Driver installed by the client on the workstation
   
       

       

   Pro:

       

   
           
   • In case of printer failure, new printer can be installed by the client and no modifications on the server are required
   
       

       

   Cons:

       

   
           
   • Can be little bit slow in some cases depending on your Internet connection (we can test this before you go ahead)
   
           
   • Printer selection has to be made every time you print from VetlinkPRO 
   
           
   • Thin clients cannot be used
   
       
   
       

    
2. IP Printing over the Internet
       

   Requirements:

       

   
           
   • All printers must be IP network printers
   
           
   • Unique static IP address and unique printer port number must be configured on each printer
   
           
   • Static IP address at the clinic from ISP
   
           
   • Modem/router/firewall at the clinic with port forwarding capability
   
           
   • Printer drivers must be compatible with Windows 2012 R2 Server and must be installed on the server by VetlinkPRO engineer
   
       

       

   Pro:

       

   
           
   • Faster printing
   
           
   • VetlinkPRO can be configured with specific printer for specific job so no printer selection needs to be made after each print
   
       

       

   Cons:

       

   
           
   • In case of printer failure, new printer has to be configured correctly locally and then new driver needs to be installed and configured by VetlinkPRO engineer on the cloud server