27-Jul-2017 - Infrastructure readiness for Semi Online GINESYS Operations
Dear Customers,
We hope you have read our mailer dated 7th July, 2017. If you have missed the mailer, please see the mailer uploaded here. If you haven’t taken the necessary steps as specified in the above mail, we request you to execute them immediately. Please note that Ginesys versions beyond August 15, 2017 will cease to run unless you have upgraded the software mentioned.
Ginesys is taking significant efforts in migrating its entire software to the Web. As part of that initiative, eventually all software operations will move to a centralized Web-based Head-Office infrastructure, bringing the stores and HO closer to each other for near real time operations and better manageability.
This email informs you about the technology changes in the near future, in the above direction, so that you may upgrade your infrastructure, software and systems in due time and prevent business disruptions.
Please note that you can get the download links for .Net Framework 4.6.2, Crystal Reports 13.0.20 and Managed ODAC 12.1.0.2.4 from Common Downloads here. You can ask your store managers to keep the .Net Framework and Crystal Report Runtime files downloaded and ready for installation according to your convenience.
System Software Requirement for August 2017 Release (14th August)
1. .NET Framework 4.6.2 for all HO and POS systems (servers and terminals both)
2. Crystal Reports 13.0.20 in HO Server (not in terminals) and all POS systems (server and terminals)
System Software Requirement for August 2017 Release (14th August) HO Server only
1. Managed ODAC 12.1.0.2.4
Infrastructure Requirement for September 2017 Release (4th September)
1. Item Services (Item download, Online stock check) is being moved to Ginesys core APIs. There will be no need to configure item services separately from the main application server.
2. Centralized Credit Note, centralized GV redemption, Ginesys Loyalty point redemption are being moved to Ginesys core APIs. These operations will not happen from Web Database anymore. If your business is dependent on any of the above services, then you should take immediate actions to implement the below mentioned points.
Scenario 1: I have a VPN and ALL stores are connected to my VPN
No infrastructure upgrade needed. When the version is released, just configure the settings to have the Ginesys core APIs being called from stores. In this case, local IP will be used to access the HO Server instead of public IP.
Scenario 2: I don’t have a static IP (public IP)
In case you do not have a VPN, a static IP is the starting point to communicate with your HO Server from the outside world including Ginesys POS. Get in touch with your service provider to get a static IP immediately.
Scenario 3: I have a static IP and it is terminated in GINESYS Server itself
Not a very secure infrastructure and we recommend that you move your application server behind a firewall residing on a different machine. However, if that is not feasible, we would recommend to use good quality software based firewall in the application server as well as a properly configured anti-virus to handle malicious attacks.
Scenario 4: I have a static IP and it is terminated in a hardware (box) based firewall
You will need to configure port forwarding from your hardware firewall to Ginesys Server.
Scenario 5: HO GINESYS Server shuts down every day before POS stores are shut down
In this case the above mentioned POS operations will not be possible during the time HO Server is unavailable. You will need to make arrangements to make the HO Server available during the POS operational hours.
Recommended Upgrades
1. Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition 2016 SP1 or higher version in POS application server.
* This is applicable for customers running SQL Server Express Edition only. If you have already purchased SQL Server Standard Edition License, please ignore this step and follow Microsoft SQL Server Release Services notification to stay current.
* Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 mainstream support has ended in 2014 as per this notification. To stay current and get new features and performance improvements of SQL Server, you should consider upgrading to this version. This upgrade is optional till now and Ginesys will continue to support SQL Server 2008 R2 until further
notification.
* Download Microsoft SQL Server 2016 SP1 Express Edition from here.