Multi-Site Configuration

If you have geographically separated facilities to support from a single, centrally located server, Benchmate can handle it through our multi-site configuration

Summary

Benchmate CMMS can run as an Internet application through your Windows Internet Explorer® over low, voice bandwidth phone lines.  Geographically separated plants or facilities are served from a single location using Benchmate Multi-Site configuration which has the following features:

• Benchmate CMMS runs on a centrally located server that serves all sites. 
• Each site communicates with the server over a low, voice bandwidth network.  To conserve bandwidth and provide suitable response, just the screen images and keystrokes are transmitted between the server and remote sites.
• Communication between each remote PC and the Benchmate software on the server is controlled by TSAC (Terminal Services Advanced Client).  TSAC is a Windows 32®-based ActiveX® control (COM object) that runs Terminal Services sessions within Microsoft Internet Explorer.
• Each site will have its own database on the Server.
• Each user may access for one or several sites. Access to each site is controlled by passwords. (Each site maintains its own passwords and may accept users from other sites.)

Server

Benchmate® Multi-Site runs on a Microsoft Windows® 2000/3 Server with Terminal Services enabled.  This allows Benchmate execution and data storage to occur on the server with screen images transmitted over the network and displayed via terminal emulation software.  Print streams, keyboard input, and mouse clicks are also transmitted over the network between the server and the remote PC.  Each user logs on to the server and sees only the Benchmate application, which is managed transparently by the server operating system and is independent of any other client session. 

The database files for each site are located in a dedicated directory at the server (see illustration).

Workstation

Benchmate CMMS can run as a web application through your Windows Internet Explorer® over low, voice bandwidth phone lines using Terminal Services Advanced Client - a free Microsoft program.  Using TSAC, administrators can publish Benchmate CMMS via a Web page.  TSAC is free and may be downloaded from the TSAC Download page on the Microsoft web site.

TSAC is a high-encryption, RDP 5.0 client and uses RSA Security’s RC4 cipher with a key strength of 40-, 56-, or 128-bit as determined by the server it is connecting to. TSAC uses the well-known RDP TCP port (3389) to communicate to the server. Unlike some other display protocols, which send data over the network using clear text or with an easily decodable ‘scrambling’ algorithm, TSACs built-in encryption makes it safe to use over any network, including the Internet, as the protocol cannot be easily sniffed to discover passwords and other sensitive data.

Terminal Services, TSAC and Windows Operating Systems are licensed by Microsoft.