Topic: Enterprise POS solution

[pete]

I need to supply, as cheap as possible, the following service to a retail chain of 3 stores, expanding to 6 in the near future.

Each store will have a POS PC running quickPOS (Quickbooks products), head office will have all the accounting software or the master quickbooks installation, that can manage all the POS systems an audit all of the stores from there...

I need to connect each store securely to the head office...

Is it possible to have an SME machine at each store (additional to the win32 POS machine) to handle network connectivity, maybe via IPSEC VPN back to a single SME machine at head office?

Will this provide all the features of being on the same LAN? eg all machines on same subnet, able to use Wake on LAN tools, remote tools like Dameware, use the quickbooks master machine to control the POS at each store?

Or is there a better way? I figured the above was simply the cost of the PCs? and that if I used something like VMWare i could run just one machine with the alternate OS in a window?

Or would it be simple enough to just use the VPN tools  built in to XP to VPN back into an SME box at head office? Can i use VPN login to supply group policies to these machines? or just do this locally?

Could some one suggest the cheapest, most reliable option?

[pete]

A little more research and reading and i think i have figured out the best way.

One SME hub server at head office, 1 x XP machine running POS at each store, connect via inbuilt VPN to SME server (over ADSL network). SME hub is a gate bewteen the acocunting server on one side and the stores/xp vpn clients on the other...XP clients have NO need for netaccess an will be locked down very tight.

Additionaly i was thinking it would be possible to have the Asterisk PBX running on the SME hub server to allow for a PBX network over the same VPN, since it sitting there only being used a tiny amount each day...providing further cost savings...

Has anyone tried using SME in this config before now? I really something that is suer relaible, i have other things to do besides changing server settings each day...once set up i will want to leave it alone, aside from making small PBX changes as required...voicemail/new extensions etc, auditing etc

Can anyone point me to further info or describe your own experiences?

[jose velez]

The General Store (www.thegeneralstore.com) has a multi-Store network version.  The system calls the backoffice server to post daily sales.  It is Btrieve based very fast and stable.  It has all the modules.  The multi-store is DOS based.  It works with SME server.

[jose velez]

The General Store (www.thegeneralstore.com) has a multi-Store network version.  The system calls the backoffice server to post daily sales.  It is Btrieve based very fast and stable.  It has all the modules.  The multi-store is DOS based.  It works with SME server.

[pete]

thanks for your reply - i cant see anyything about SME support for this product?

It would be great if this installed direct to an SME machine eliminating the need for windows altogether, incorporating the VPN and PBX solutions mentioned above...

[Boris]

Having WinXP unprotected by firewall in the store is a suicide.
If you don’t use all or most of the features of SME server, you better off with dedicated (hardware) firewall/VPN. Firewall built-in to SME is ok, but its not SME’s strongest point. Its kind of included for completeness solution and for your situation is not the best.
I would install Netgear FVS318 (<$150) in each store and create IPSec VPN back to main office. Each router supports 8 VPN tunnels. If 8 is not enough, put in the Main office Netgear FVM318 (<$300) and use up to 72 tunnels. VPN is stable and transparent. Easy to setup. Supports road warriors too, so you can login to any store for troubleshooting.

[pete]

Cheers for that, i had actually thought of that but thought i could save some money, thinking if on VPN then no other can connect, but that is probably naive.

I can use that hardware, I can set it to ONLY connect to the net and then the VPN, if VPN is down then there is no network? I would prefer this, i have no need for net access other than VPN.

Does anyone use something of this nature now in production, on a daily basis providing maintenance free solid reliability?

[Boris]

I use all the HW mentioned myself (for the clients) and recommend it based on this experience. It’s very good and stable.
You may also interested to know that those routers are small business oriented and allows extensive control over the Internet access. You can limit Internet access for workstations based on their MAC address, time of the day etc… Managers in the store may need Internet access, while cash registers computers not . Static routes available too. All the traffic can be directed to the main office, where Internet access filtered by authenticated proxy or similar. Lots of options. Price is not prohibitive for a business too.

[gbentley]

VPN over ADSL in the UK doesnt seem that quick - about the same as an analogue modem (unless theres some other issue I havent covered) - how much data do you need to move and how quickly ?

Can anyone comment on the following post ?

http://www.solwiseforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5744

Thanks !

[SSBN]

I have made QuickBooks POS work over a VPN network. But it required a lot of modification and a bit of custom designed windows software. When you get you network up and running you will find that you can not run the pos retail administrator over VPN. Send me an email and I can give you a bit of incite on what problems you will run into and how to get around them. I am almost never on the SME forms and am very swamped with work so I don't have time to go over it on this form. david.drysdale@vision-networking.ca
But i will se if I can help.

[Dave]

If you are looking for an OS POS you might consider quasar (www.linuxcanada.com/quasar.html ).