Versions
Three versions are available with Benchum Decision: single-user, network, and web host version. Their main difference is how software and data are accessed and updated.
Single-user version
The single-user version is a fully functional version of Benchum Decision. It can only be used by one user at one computer and runs in isolation from other computers. It is delivered as a CD-Rom, which contains the application and database running under Windows and is installed onto a PC's local hard drive.
For updating database and application, you can connect to our FTP host www.benchum.com using an internal interface and download recent changes and additions. Furthermore you can optionally upload incremental changes of your user database to our FTP host in order to use it within our online application Benchum myData.
The single-user version is part of our professional package.
Network version
The network version is installed onto a network server and allows for unlimited users on a single server. Any PC workstation in the network may use Benchum Decision software and data. Each must be connected via a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN) to the network server running Novell NetWare (all versions) or Microsoft Windows (Windows 98 or newer). While the network version functions very well in a LAN, using it on a WAN is not very convenient because of response delays.
Benchum Decision is partitioned in two components: the program application and the database. This allows for three distributed computing scenarios, which also can be mixed within a single installation:
• Scenario 1: program and database are resident on the network server. Thin client computers run both software and database off the server.
• Scenario 2: the program is installed on PC clients that connect online to the database set up on the network server.
• Scenario 3: the program and a copy of the database are loaded on PC clients. Changes made offline by the clients can be synchronized with the database installed on the network server.
For updating database and program code, your network server can periodically connect to our FTP host www.benchum.com and download recent changes and additions. Alternatively, if clients have program and database set up on their PC’s hard disk (scenario 3 described above), they can directly connect to our FTP host for updating both.
The network version is part of our professional group package.
Web host version for intranets
The web host version offers valuable benefits, such as global connectivity and ubiquitous access via browser for your enterprise. It includes all features of the network version: you can load the software on a network server and each computer workstation that is connected to the network can run the software and/or database off the server (see above). An important enhancement is the optional installation of Benchum Decision on your intranet web server, making access via browser possible from nearly any computer in your enterprise. The provided web site is identical to that of our online application Benchum myData. You can customize the web page template and style sheet to fit your corporate design (or we might do this at a fixed charge); the basic site and menu structure, however, can not be changed.
You need to have administrative privileges on your web host server in order to install Benchum Decision. The web server operating system can be Unix, Windows NT/2000, or Linux (on request). Depending on the operating system selected, JSP, ASP, or PERL script modules are required, as our application is started and called by scripts. If you also configure an FTP site, your PC clients can synchronize their local copies of Benchum Decision with that on your web host. Please note that you are not authorized to install the web host version on an Internet server accessible to “the whole world”, but only on an intranet server accessible within your enterprise.
The web host version is part of our enterprise package.
Frequently asked questions on the different versions