Chronicle Checklist for Physical Servers

Chronicle Server Requirements/Settings

Selecting a Server

There are several factors that influence the specifications of a server to run Chronicle:

• How many people will use Chronicle simultaneously? In thinking about number of users, consider plans for growth. If you buy a server suited to 5 users, and in 2 years you have 10 users, performance will drop and you’ll probably be less satisfied. If you plan to grow, buy a server that allows for that. Expect the server’s life to be 2–3 years, possibly up to 5 years.
• How much down time can you afford if a hard drive or other hardware fails? As with anything we buy, computer drives fail over time. We require backups as protection, but can you afford to lose changes since the last backup? What about the time to get things up again? How much risk you can handle affects your decision; some hard drive configuration, like RAID arrays or solid state drives, make data loss less likely, but they’re also more expensive.
• What can you afford? Cost is always a factor (we’ve outlined the most inexpensive reliable configurations below), but the server is not the place to scrimp: its speed affects everyone using Chronicle. Because data is constantly being read from and written to the server’s hard drives, hard drive speed is the most important consideration. The more users you have, the faster your drives need to be. Multiply many thousands of data requests per day (reviewing a single job file involves dozens of behind-the-scenes data requests) by the number of people using Chronicle; a response that’s a fraction of a second faster could, over the course of the year, save hundreds of hours. Saving a few hundred dollars on the server at the cost of thousands of dollars worth of time doesn’t pay off. If in doubt, spend a bit `more on the server and less somewhere else.

Hardware Guidelines

Here's an example of a recommended Chronicle Server Configuration.

These aren't the only solutions; comparable options that meet these requirements could also work: 

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
• Intel processors only
• 4+ GB RAM
• Hardware RAID (no software RAID)
• Second physical hard disk for the internal Chronicle backup

Server Settings 

This information should be reviewed by the network technician who has configured the Chronicle server and who is certifying that it meets all requirements. We reserve the right to not install Chronicle on a server that does not meet these requirements.

Key Understandings of the Chronicle Environment

• Never install unauthorized programs or data on the Chronicle server. QuickBooks data, backups, and any other non-Chronicle data should never be on the Chronicle server or its connected drives.
• If you install any unapproved software or modify the Chronicle server’s settings after we install Chronicle’s server components, even if things work correctly for a time, you will have to remove all unauthorized software and return the computer back to its original condition before we will troubleshoot any Chronicle issues.  In some cases, you could even have to reinstall the operating system.
• At least once a month, take any Windows Updates and restart the Chronicle server. Windows updates protect your system and fix OS bugs. Periodically restarting the server keeps it running more efficiently. The Chronicle server should NOT be set automatically install Windows updates. This could force it to restart at an inappropriate time or leave it not logged in (which will keep people from getting into Chronicle). Instead, manually take all Windows updates on the Chronicle server. Before you restart, make sure everyone is out of Chronicle, and make sure you log the server back in so the Chronicle applications can restart.
• Absolutely no remote access software other than LogMeIn (LMI) may access the Chronicle server. ALL remote access to this server must be through LMI. LMI provides a single, monitored, remote entry point and allows us access to the server to provide you with proactive support. Any other remote access software (i.e., terminal services, VNC, RDP, etc) can corrupt Chronicle's database and are not supported. We will supply a link for you to install LMI on the server. 
• A monitor, keyboard, and mouse should be connected to the Chronicle server in case someone needs to restart it, check its status, log it back in, or make other changes. (If these didn’t come with your server, you must get them.) However, apart from performing the maintenance discussed here, no one should directly use the Chronicle server.
• An uninterruptable power supply is required for the Chronicle server and all drives connected to it. Software to shut the server down gracefully if there’s a power failure must also be installed.
• Do not install Google Desktop or Microsoft Search on the Chronicle server; these cause errors.
• Never use the Chronicle server as a work station; this can cause serious degradation in performance.
• Keep Microsoft Security Essentials updated. This is the only antivirus software we support on the server.
• Windows Firewall must be on; no other software firewall should be used.
• It’s your responsibility to correct any system level errors (bad blocks, network issues, failing OS updates) on your server. Periodically review the Windows Event Viewer and address any issues it is reporting.
• Off-site backups are strongly recommended and your responsibility. Each night Chronicle stores a backup in the network folder that you specified. It’s your job to make sure the data in that folder gets regularly backed up to some off-site location. (Never try to directly back up the Chronicle server; this creates serious errors. Just back up the data that Chronicle puts in the backup folder on your network.)
• Do not copy, ghost, or image the Chronicle environment in order to move it to another location. If you need to move Chronicle to another server, please contact us so we can take make that transition happen. Hardware replacements (server, replacing failed hard drives, etc.) are your responsibility. If a server fails, we’ll do our best to get the server software re-installed as quickly as we can after you get the hardware fixed. If you have a hardware failure, please let us know immediately so we can send you a Re-installation Checklist and schedule a technician to re-install the server software; if you tell us at the last minute, no one may be available. Reinstallations happen during normal business hours.
• Do not defragment the Chronicle server hard drives. This can cause serious errors if done at the wrong time.
• Do not compress the files on the Chronicle server: Compressing the files causes a huge drop in performance.
• Digital photos imported into Chronicle should usually be under 300KB. Regularly storing images that are considerably larger will fill your hard drive quickly. Occasionally having larger images is fine. The same applies to Word/Excel files; files with a lot of embedded large graphics will eat up a lot of hard drive space (and likely be too large to email as well).
• The Chronicle Server must access the internet through a firewall/router: No direct IP access is allowed.
• Check with us BEFORE you make significant changes to your network so we can avoid problems with your Chronicle environment. We’d rather have a discussion and plan beforehand than help you fix something after it's broken.
• Faxing in Chronicle only works once you have set up email in Chronicle and once you have also set up a Faxage account. You are responsible for the costs associated with this account (usually $8/month). (A button on the Fax Settings tab in the Email & Fax portion of Chronicle’s Main System Setup lets you create the Faxage account.)

Certification:

The server we are using for Chronicle meets or exceeds these specifications. Server settings match what is outlined above, and we are fully compliant with what is outlined in this document.