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How to choose the right deployment of Ginesys for single store Retail customers?

Owned by Arindam Banerjee (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 02, 2020
6 min read

Often a question roams around us, does a customer, who is running a single retail outlet from their office location only, really require two separate servers for Ginesys Head-Office and Ginesys POS application? Well, the answer is not an one-liner. Some judgements to make before choosing the suitable deployment considering pros and cons of all the available options. Here is a comparative analysis for available deployments on their advantage and disadvantage. The article will hopefully help choosing the right deployment strategy for single store retail outlets.

Deployments Options

  • HO and POS on same on-premise server

  • HO and POS on separate on-premise servers

  • HO on Ginesys Cloud (SaaS) and POS on on-premise server

Advantages and disadvantages

HO and POS on same on-premise server

Advantages:

  1. Investment is comparatively low. Need only one system to install both Ginesys HO and POS application. No network setup required. Only an Internet connection is sufficient.

Disadvantages:

  1. Restricted application functionality. Ginesys is developed based on the architecture comprising of separate systems for HO and POS server applications. Both Ginesys HO and POS have individual sets of Windows services. When both the applications are installed on same system the services conflict to each other. Data Exchange service is the core service for exchanging data among HO and retail stores. The service runs at both end in fixed interval. The architecture is same for a large retail chain or a single store retail operation. Running Data Exchange services of both the sides simultaneous on same system will conflict often and may lead to degraded performance in exchanging data.

  2. Performance issue. Both the applications, Ginesys HO and POS, work on two different RDBMS databases. Ginesys HO runs on Oracle database and POS on Microsoft SQL Server database. When both the databases are placed in a single system then having both the databases on . User may experience degraded performance.

  3. Least chance of data recovery. There won’t be any possibility to recover the data if in any unfortunate scenario the system storage is lost. Generally we attempts to recover data of onside with the help of other side. Since both the databases happen to reside in one system, when the hardware fails you’ll loose both. In that case, only the backups stored off the machine may work, though those are subject to validate data consistency and data exchange parity.

  4. Unsafe data. Ginesys HO database runs on the system which is in regular use of POS operation. Head-Office database is the central data repository of Ginesys ERP and running that on a system having regular access is not safe.

  5. Less flexible for scalability. Scalability of an on-premise server is always less flexible. Either you go for a huge first day investment on purchasing a high configuration server, which is not a pocket friendly choice or going with an entry level server which may reach to its performance ceiling fast. Moreover, for a single system deployment, the duration before you plan for another server upgradeas will be shorter. Both the application may eat up the resources fast.


HO and POS on separate on-premise servers

Advantages:

  1. Fault tolerant. Both the local databases are on different server. Any disaster on system of one side won’t impact operations on another part completely.

  2. Higher recovery chance. In case of complete loss of one database and if you are left with no good latest backup, the chance of recovery of the data with the help of another database and on-cloud Web database is possible.

  3. Better performance experience. Since the two RDBMS databases are placed in different systems, ideally there won’t be any fight for resources between two.

  4. Better security. The Head-Office database is main data repository of the Ginesys ERP. It demands safe-keeping with restricted direct access of limited people. When the systems for HO and POS applications are separate, the safe-keeping (isolation) becomes easier.

  5. Less technical complexity. Ginesys is developed based on the architecture comprising of separate systems for HO and POS server application. In case separate server deployment for Ginesys HO and POS, in each system the Ginesys services function without any conflict.

Disadvantages:

  1. Investment is higher. Need to arrange at least two systems, one for Ginesys HO and second for Ginesys POS. Also a setup of small Local Area Network is required.

  2. Less flexible for scalability. Being on-premise servers, the options of scaling up the servers are by nature not so flexible. So, less flexibility in terms of scalability remains a disadvantage.

HO on Ginesys Cloud (SaaS) and POS on on-premise server

Advantages:

  1. Data safety. Ginesys Head-Office application will be installed on a cloud hosting maintained by Ginesys team. The core database of Ginesys ERP will reside safely on a secured cloud environment. All possible safety and security measures are already adopted there in Ginesys Cloud Hosting environment. You can access Ginesys HO application mostly via web browser on the local POS machine. For few jobs, you need the HO server access and a Remote Desktop Connection will get that done. For more info on Ginesys Cloud Hosting, please visit https://ginesys.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUB/pages/1856045465

  2. Economic. You need not to go into a lump-sum investment for server. The major heavy component will reside on cloud and you can choose a rental (SaaS) plan for your convenience. A stable system with fare configuration will do the work for POS application and accessing remote HO application.

  3. Fault tolerant. In this deployment also, HO and POS applications are placed in different system. So, in any case the database of either side lost due to any disaster and latest backups are not available then recovery of the database is is possible with the help of another database. It is very much unlikely to loose both the database at same time. Though the loss of Ginesys HO database is very remote as it’s been safely placed in Ginesys Cloud Hosting.

  4. Hassle free. Ginesys HO will be hosted in Ginesys Cloud Hosting which offers a resilient, safe and secured environment, backed by systematic proactive performance monitoring. Just leave the infrastructure on us and you focus on the business, which matters the most for you.

Disadvantages:

  1. Internet dependency. Though in current age of Internet and online applications we all are dependent on Internet. Internet is as indispensable as electricity. So having an Internet connection is not considered as any additional expense. Still, in any condition of Internet outage, the Ginesys HO will not be accessible when it is placed on cloud.

Conclusion

Ginesys is an ERP which is effective for a retail business starting from a single store enterprise to large retail chain. In most of the cases the head-office and retail outlets are geologically separated. Hence, by nature, the ERP considers that the Head-office and POS applications reside separately on different systems. Hence installing both part in same server will create hindrance in smooth functionality of applications and the same is not safe too. But, cost is always a factor and a small enterprise having a single retail outlet obviously focuses on very stringent budgets. So choosing the right solution with optimized TCO is in demand. Indeed that is a tricky part to estimate the server configuration, decide the CapEx. Investing a good amount of money up front for purchasing hardware or setting up a network ends up with load to company’s budget.

Next is the OpEx part, when the matters of maintaining the on-premise infrastructure come in. Owning IT maintenance resource demands fixed cost and headache of proper recruitment, on the other hand, getting the IT maintenance job outsourced may have different challenges related to timely support or unaccounted expenses. In a critical situation, getting a timely support without loosing extra bucks is a matter of fortune. The most unexpected situation happens when you are stuck in an application error and not getting that sorted out. The application support team identifies the issue as system malfunction whereas your IT person is not ready to accept the same and points towards application only. At the day end enterprise loses productive hours in demystifying the root cause.

Ginesys recommends, the small enterprises should consider cloud hosting as the primary deployment destination for the Head-Office application. Ginesys Cloud Hosting could be a good option for them, as keeping entire ERP maintenance including hosting support with a single team will eliminates many distractions and help the enterprise to focus in the most important part, their business process. Under any consideration if the enterprise prefers on-premise deployment then for best performance must consider to place the Head-office and POS part separate. Separate server deployment will ensure smooth operation in the longer run.

For more details on Ginesys Cloud Hosting, please visit https://ginesys.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PUB/pages/1856045465