MDsuite System Requirements

Disclaimer

DSI does not support or guarantee compatibility with third-party software or hardware, even if DSI has recommended such products.

The information contained in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, and is subject to change without prior notice. Data Strategies, Inc. disclaims all warranties, either expressed or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Data Strategies, Inc. or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even if Data Strategies, Inc. or its suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential damages, so the foregoing limitation may not apply.

Terminology

"Concurrent Users"
Frequently throughout this document, you will see requirements that depend upon the number of concurrent users who access MDsuite. Concurrent users are people who log into MDsuite at the same time. More concurrent users mean greater strain on the system, and that means that you'll need more powerful hardware.

Before you continue, figure out how many people will be logging into MDsuite at a peak moment from any location, at any workstation, in any database. You might want to also consider the hardware in your office now - you may have some of the pieces in place already.

“Hosted vs. Licensed”
If MDsuite is being hosted by Data Strategies or another company, then the discussion below regarding servers does not apply to you.  Hosting means that the servers are provided elsewhere. You need only meet the System Requirements for Workstations.

"Dedicated"
This document will refer to "Dedicated" servers. Dedicated means that the machine is used for one purpose only. A "Dedicated" Application Server is only an Application Server. That means that it cannot also be a workstation, or an Exchange Server, or a Domain Controller, or anything else.
 
“Client-Server”
MDsuite is a client-server application.  This means that the program is split into three portions:

• Client:  The client portion of MDsuite runs on a workstation. 
• Application:  The application portion runs on a computer called an “Application Server”.  There can be one or more Application Servers.
• Database:  The database portion runs on a computer called a “Data Server”.  The Data Server uses a version of Microsoft SQL Server.

Servers are what “power” MDsuite and are key in providing optimum performance.  The Data Server should be the most powerful machine followed by the Application Server(s) and the Workstations.

There are many possible configurations - ways that servers and workstations can be combined in order to provide good performance.   The configuration that is best for you depends on the number of concurrent users.

Versions of Windows and SQL Server
There are many different variations of Microsoft Windows and SQL Server.  Versions of operating systems and SQL Server mentioned below have been tested and approved by Data Strategies.  Other versions may currently be in the approval process.  Check with DSI for the most current status of any version not mentioned below.

Service Packs

Microsoft periodically corrects issues with its products, e.g. Windows and SQL Server,  by releasing Service Packs.  Upon initial installation of these products it is recommended that you update to the latest service pack and periodically update as new Service Packs become available.

Questions ???
With so many different versions of software and hardware to choose from, choosing what works and what is optimum for your office and budget can be confusing.  Choosing the wrong software and or hardware can be costly.  If you have any questions, please contact Data Strategies or your MDsuite Sales Representative prior to purchasing.

Recommended Configurations

Note:  An additional Application Server should be added for every 25 Users.

Data Server

MDsuite data is stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database.

Microsoft SQL Server Licensing
It is important to determine whether you will be using per-client licensing (Client Access Licensing – “CALs”) for SQL Server or socket licensing in terms of cost effectiveness.  CALs are more cost effective and the most commonly implemented form of licensing. However in environments where there are many users, such as an office with 100 operators, socket licensing might be more cost effective. Client Access Licensing requirements indicate that each person accessing a service, such as an SQL database, whether directly (Management Studio, etc.) or with an application (MDsuite) must have one Client Access License per user.

Recommended Operating System

• If your Data Server is separate from your Application Server:  64 bit edition of Windows Server 2003
• If your Data Server and Application Server are on the same machine, use the recommendations, below, for Application Servers.

Processors

Memory
All servers should come at minimum with at least 4GB of RAM, including workstations doubling as servers.  If you have a large number of operators and have a dedicated data server , you should have a minimum of 8GB of RAM for the database server, if not more.
 
Hard Drive Space
Storage requirements vary greatly depending on your usage of document management, card scanning, EMR – all of which require large amounts of storage.  Since hard drives are also inexpensive, the recommendations below lean toward providing more storage now, so that there is room to grow in the future.

Application Server(s)

Operating Systems: 

Windows 2008 (32 or 64 bit versions); Windows 2003 Server / IIS 6.0 or 7.0

Windows XP Pro / IIS 5.0  Important: This configuration is NOT supported when running MDsuite.EMR

Modem:   56 Kbps and dedicated analog telephone line for EDI Transmissions requiring modems - see Transmission Server, below.

Network Protocols: File and Printer Sharing/Client for Microsoft Networks

Additional Software:

• Remote Administration software such as Windows terminal services (RDP), PCAnywhere,  LogMeIn, or GoToMyPC
• MDsuite utilizes .Net Framework 2.0

Transmission Server

A Transmission Server is simply a computer onto which the MDsuite application has been installed and into which operators who perform EDI transmissions log into.  A separate Transmission Server may be needed if you will be performing modem transmissions. 

Note: Modem transmissions are needed for direct billing to most government payers.

Since Application Servers will typically use the most recent operating systems and hardware, e.g., dual / quad core processors,  and modems are considered an "older" technology, it may be difficult to find a modem and a driver that works with your Application Server's Operating System.

If that is the case, then a Transmission Server can be configured as follows:

• Operating System:  Windows XP Professional, Window 7 or Vista.
• RAM, Processor, Hard Drive: Since this is an Application Server more than one user can be logged into it. 
  • If only one user will be logging into this computer use the requirements for an MDsuite Workstation
  • If mutiple users will be logged into it, use the requirements, other than the Operating System, for an MDsuite Application Server.
• Modem: A 56 Kbps modem for which the manufacturer provides a driver specifically for the operating system installed on the computer.
• Telephone Line: A dedicated analog telephone line.

See also:  MDsuite Deployment Scenarios

Workstations

These requirements are different if you will be hosting the MDsuite Workstation on a Citrix or Terminal Services server - see Running MDsuite Safely Over the Internet for more information.

For 1-3 users, the workstation might also act as the server - In that case, the server must also meet the requirements above.

Additional Software 

• Internet Explorer 8.0 or later
• Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel 2000 or higher for each workstation that will be used for (1) "mail merging" letters, labels, postcards, etc. via Microsoft Word; (2) importing and exporting fee schedules via Microsoft Excel; and/or (3) exporting reports to Excel.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 or later
• Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or later (EMR- Clinical Graphs)
• Windows Terminal Server (Administration Mode) for remote Technical Support

Bandwidth

Workstations that connect via the Internet to a "Hosted" server, whether it be DSI's Servers or your own should have the following bandwidth: 

• Required Upload Speed: 384 Kbps
• Recommended Upload Speed: 512 Kbps or higher

Satellite connections of any kind are NOT recommended.  Although a satellite internet connection might have the speeds listed above, the unavoidable high latency of satellite connections will impair performance and provide erratic results.

See Running MDsuite Safely Over the Internet for additional requirements in multi-location scenarios.