Every so often it is advisable to update all remote sites from the master machine, you may be adding a new site or one of the remote machines may have had a failure. With the amount of data involved doing this via the modem may be un-economical - you should use tapes.

Note: Because there will be times you need to transfer files back and forward between machines you MUST ensure that you have compatible tape drives or some other form of compatible media e.g. Jaz/Zip drives.

This procedure is best run at night or over a weekend to avoid disrupting the practice schedule.

To allow the system to update themselves with historic work. You can switch on the Auto-Fix option in the Parameters menu. This sends a small number of records every time work is integrated.

Preparation

• Stop using the main machine.

• On the master machine kill all queued work for the remote machines, use xmenu option a, option i. This will ensure that there is no duplication from 'work in transit'.

• Log into the existing branch machine(s) and run

  x_send followed by x_check
  Log in and integrate any work
  Stop using this machine till the files have been transferred.

  This makes sure any unsent work is queued for the master machine and there are no log files around that may get integrated at a later date causing duplication.

  
  

From the Master machine:

• Force a connection to all remotes (xmenu option 4)

  This will ensure that there is no work remaining on the remote machines that will get missed.

• Switch off modem

  We don't want any work to arrive while the backup/transfer is taking place.

• Run x_check

  This will ensure that the remote work is in a location the vet system can find.

• If you have more than one remote site re-run Preparation point 2 above.

  As the master machine can forward work this ensures any work generate via the above x_check will be removed.

• Login and integrate

  Gets the master database up-to-date.

• Update

  Make any changes etc. to the master file, remove duplications, run bad debt programs, validations etc. Anything that will affect the client files that does not get cross updated. It is also a good idea to add a dummy note to the play card, this will allow you to the check that every thing worked ok later on.

• Transfer files

  Pick xmenu option 5 then option 3 to prepare a transfer file. Unless you have very little data you will be advised to pick the transfer to tape option as modem transfer may take a while.

• Users can start adding work to the master machine again.

  
  

Take tape to each remote site in turn and:

• Load xmenu

  Select option 5 then option R to extract the work from the tape.
  Run x_check to move the work into the correct place
  Login and check the data is valid, check the dummy note you added to the play card.
  If all appears OK then users can start using the machine again.

• If any errors occurred the procedure will have to be repeated from the start.

• Switch on the modem at the main machine.