Setting up an LDMS Client-Server Environment

LDMS can be set up so that multiple computers running LDMS utilize the same LDMS database. LDMS is installed on one computer and acts as the server; LDMS is then installed on other computers (the clients) connected to the same local network, and access the LDMS database on the LDMS server. Doing this allows you to have multiple computers with LDMS installed that can access the same data. The LDMS server does not need to be a dedicated server either—you can use the server like any other computer with LDMS to add specimens, read assay results, etc.

Important:

The LDMS server and all clients must be running the same version of LDMS. Upgrades must be performed on all machines at once, with the server machine upgraded first.

Installing LDMS for client-sever setups

  1. Install LDMS on the computer to act as the LDMS server and perform any needed updates.

  2. Locate the LDMS reports directory on the server machine. This location will need to be accessible to LDMS clients, such as a shared network location. A typical location may be \\[machine name]\[drive letter]\fstrf\reports.

    Important:

    This directory must be a shared directory and clients must have full control permissions for it. To make this directory more secure, you can obtain a list of Windows login usernames for the people that will be using LDMS and modify permissions on the reports directory so that only those users will have permissions to access it.

  3. Install LDMS on each client computer that will be connecting to the LDMS server.

  4. On the client machine(s), open C:\fstrf\assay\bin\lldms.ini in a text editor such as Notepad. Update the following settings (replace ### with your 3-digit LDMS laboratory ID number):

    OracleDatabaseServerName=servername:1521/xe
OracleDatabaseSchemaName=LAB###
DBPATH=\\servername\fstrf\reports
REPPATH=\\servername\fstrf\reports
ExportDir=\\servername\drive\fstrf\reports\Export

  5. Start each LDMS client and ensure that all of them open without error.

You must set up a printer for each LDMS client individually (as well as the server, if you will be using it for normal work). Setting a printer in LDMS is required for labels and reports to be generated correctly.