25.02. mSupply client / server installation part 2

Sustainable Solutions recommends using Dropbox to assist with transferring installation files to the server, and as a means of moving mSupply secondary backups off site.

• Contact Sustainable Solutions to organise a DropBox account for the server and for instructions on setting it up on the server.

If it's not already done, install the UPS hardware and software, refer to the UPS requirements here.

Anti-virus can be a hotly contended issue. This web page is pretty convincing: What’s the Best Antivirus for Windows 10? (Is Windows Defender Good Enough?)

Conclusion:

• If the OS is Win8 or later, Windows Defender is probably good enough for anti-virus, and better than much of the competition.
• Once configured, the server should not be vulnerable to exploit programs as these are usually downloaded and triggered by human activity! However, to be safe, it is recommended to install an Anti-exploit program such as Malwarebytes. The website suggests that Malwarebytes is not free, but as at the time of writing this (May 2018), Malwarebytes successfully reverts to a free version after the 14 days trial. The main 'cost' of the free version is means that it has to be manually executed rather than running automatically in the background.

Install another browser:

Good options include:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge This comes as default with Windows machines.

Pin the browser to the taskbar

mSupply can produce reports in Microsoft Excel format. Client machines will need to have software to open these reports. Occasionally there will be need to run and open these reports while logged in to the Server. If you do not have Microsoft Excel installed on the server, LibreOffice is a good alternative.

As part of troubleshooting, it is valuable to be able to analyse when the server has shut down ungracefully.

• TurnedOnTimesView is a simple tool that analyses the event log of Windows operating system, and detects the time ranges that your computer was turned on and whether the last shutdown was graceful or not.
• Installation instructions are on the TurnedOnTimesView website, but is very straightforward:
  • Download this zip file TurnedOnTimesView.zip from the mSupply website https://docs.msupply.org.nz/_media/admin:turnedontimesview.zip
  • Unzip the Zip file
  • Copy the TurnedOnTimesView.exe file to the Desktop
  • Double click to icon on the Windows desktop to open

• If you get a security warning pop-up untick “Always ask before opening this file” and click Run

• Right click on the icon on the Windows Taskbar & select to Pin to Taskbar.

It is too easy for support workers accessing the server remotely to accidentally shutdown the server. Therefore, two Windows shortcuts have been created to allow support workers to easily logoff or lock their windows session without having to go through the usual Windows procedure:

• Lock computer
• Logoff computer

Lock / Logout utilities

It's a good idea to stick this in to the following folder in Dropbox:

• Lock Logout Shortcuts

The Yellow Lock computer utility needs to be copied to the Admin desktop and then pinned to the task bar.

The Green Logoff computer utility needs to be copied to the C:\Users\Public\Desktop folder. This will place the shortcut on the desktop of each normal user. Users of each normal user account will need to pin this shortcut from the desktop to the taskbar. Don't pin it to the taskbar of the Admin user account. We try to keep the Admin account open (but locked) so as to keep Dropbox working.