Download AMS360 v6 Configuration Guide

AMS360 v6 Configuration Guide
AMS360 is a Microsoft .Net application, written from the ground up for insurance
professionals. While utilizing much of the database schema used within previous
AfW versions, the entire user interface and business rules logic have been
rewritten to take advantage of web based technologies such as the .Net
framework, the Internet and current operating systems from Microsoft.
With AMS360 Online, the database is stored in the Vertafore Data Center. To
access AMS360 Online your computer or local area network must be connected
to the Internet. When you log into AMS360 at the Vertafore Data Center, your
session is encrypted and secured with 128 Bit DES (SSL) encryption. Tasks such as
backing up or updates are handled by Vertafore.
MORE INFORMATION
 AMS360 Backup and Admin
 AMS360 v6 Online Requirements
 AMS360 v6 In House
Requirements
 Bandwidth/Latency
 Document Management
With AMS360 InHouse the database is installed on a minimum of two servers in
your office. You have control and responsibility for installing and configuring your
servers. Maintenance, such as backups and updates are handled by your agency.
In both cases the client software is run from your local desktop. Much of AMS360
runs within your Internet browser while other parts are downloaded as needed.
This “smart client” architecture provides a robust and rich user interface and only
loads the parts of the application you use and need.
© 2009 Vertafore, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks contained herein are owned by Vertafore, Inc. The names of actual companies and products
mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Workstation
Online and In House
Because the user interface runs entirely on local workstations, each workstation has to be fully capable of running this rich
client application. AMS360 automatically downloads the components (programs) to your workstation as they are needed.
Some initial configuration and setup is required, for details review the AMS360 Workstation Setup guide.
If you are purchasing a new computer to run AMS360, purchase from the recommended category or higher to avoid buying a
computer that may not end up meeting your needs. If you are evaluating existing computers, those which meet the
minimum requirements may meet your needs, depending on your use of AMS360 and other products on that PC.
Processor/CPU Speed
Processors designed for home or student use, including Intel Celeron, AMD Sempron or other reduced feature
CPUs do not perform well with AMS360 and are not supported. The Minimum CPU listed here may not
provide adequate performance for everyone. Increase the CPU to something in the recommended category if
the workstation is used to process forms, render reports, or used for commercial lines.
Recommended
Multi-core: 2.4 Ghz or above
Minimum
Core 2 Duo: 1.6 Ghz +
Single Core: 2.8 Ghz +
Not Supported
Reduced feature CPUs such as Celeron or AMD Sempron.
Memory
The memory requirements listed here attempt to anticipate your use of AMS360 as well as other programs on
your PC. One way to check and see if your installed memory will be adequate for AMS360 is to start the other
programs (office, outlook, integration software, etc.) you will be using, and then make sure you still have 512
to 1gb of physical memory available for AMS360 to operate.
Recommended
3GB
Minimum
2GB
Hard drive space
While the space required for AMS360 is not high, plan for enough disk space to hold other applications such
as Microsoft Office, as well as for temporary files, files caching, etc. If multiple Windows Users log in to a
workstation to use AMS360, the space listed will be required for each user as the AMS360 client application
files are copied to the user’s profile folders.
Minimum
150 Mb of local disk space per user
Video
While AMS360 will run at lower resolutions not all menu items will display and some screens may require
scrolling in order to view the entire page.
Minimum
Resolution 1024x768 with 16 bit high color or better
Recommended
Resolution 1280x1024
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Operating System
Any operating system editions or versions not specifically listed are not supported with AMS360.
Minimum
Vista Business edition Sp2 (32 or 64 bit)
Windows 7 Professional or Enterprise (32 or 64 bit)
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel or Outlook)
Microsoft Office is not required for AMS360; however some integration features require office components:
Microsoft Word is used for document processing, such as form letters or schedules of insurance. The version
of Word that is included with Microsoft Works is not supported. Microsoft Excel can be used to augment
Financial reports. AMS360 can export reports in CSV and Excel format. The Microsoft Outlook email/calendar client is fully integrated with AMS360. Vertafore tests the standard and professional editions of
these Office components.
Warning: Microsoft Office Click-to-Run may not integrate with AMS360.
Recommended
Office 2010 (32 bit only)
Office 2007
MAPI compliant e-mail Integration
AMS360 integrates with MAPI compliant e-mail products. Simple MAPI compliant e-mail packages provide
some (inbox only) integration. Since web-based e-mail systems (Yahoo or Hotmail for example) are not MAPI
compliant, AMS360 will not integrate with them.
.NET Framework
.Net framework is downloaded as part of your AMS360 setup.
Supported
.NET Framework 3.5 sp1
Internet Explorer
While other browsers may be able to view web pages in AMS360, they are not fully functional in all areas of
the client and are not supported.
Minimum
Internet Explorer v8 (limited testing)
Recommended
Internet Explorer v9
Mobile 360
AMS360 includes Mobile 360, which runs on devices that use Microsoft PocketPC 2002 or newer. Mobile 360
runs as an internet application using Internet Explorer on the device. Sometimes newer devices are not
recognized as mobile devices and AMS360 could attempt to run as a full application instead of Mobile 360. It
is best to test out AMS360 on a device before purchasing it for the purpose of using Mobile 360 on it.
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Network - Internet
Online
Your internet configuration needs will depend on system usage and local ISP. You may need to work with a local
provider or consultant of Internet connectivity services to see what is available in your area and for help with
internet security. Though it may not be necessary or available in your area, using a Tier 1 provider can provide
the needed service level for businesses. The Vertafore Data Center uses Verizon (UUNET) as one of our Tier 1
providers. View the MyVertafore document on bandwidth and latency for more information.
Internet Connection
Recommended
Minimum
Business class DSL, Broadband cable, or fractional T1
Constant (no dial-up, no satellite)
Bandwidth
Adequate bandwidth is critical for performance with AMS360. Bandwidth
requirements vary depending on how AMS360 is used. You will need to adjust your
bandwidth depending on your usage of the internet within and outside of AMS360.
Recommended
More bandwidth as needed to meet agency needs
Minimum (5 users)
1.54 Mbps down & 768 Kbps up
Not recommended
Dial-up (56kbps) may be used for occasional lookup
Latency
Latency, which measures how much delay is present on your internet connection, is
equally important as bandwidth. Latency measures the delay in moving data across
your network or internet connection. High latency means that no matter how much
bandwidth you have, the actual experience will be slow as the data takes longer to
move across the wire.
Recommended
50 ms latency or lower
Maximum Delay
BANDWIDTH AND LATENCY
Both bandwidth and latency
can vary over time, sometimes
quite a bit, depending on the
type of service you get. It is
best to measure these things
over time to establish a
Quality of Service for your
internet connection. To test
your connection to the AMS
datacenter ahead of time use
the address gw1.ams360.com
to run your ICMP tests (such as
tracert).
200 ms latency
Router/Firewall
The processing capability of your router and firewall impact how AMS360 performs for you. Process
capability is based on the number of users each device is designed to support.
Recommended
SMB or business-class appliances. No SOHO equipment.
Minimum (<10 users)
SOHO gateway or better
Minimum (>10 users)
Router, firewall, & switch
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Network – Local/WAN
Online and In House
Your network infrastructure will have a large impact on how AMS360 performs. Work with your network
consultant to implement a network solution that includes business class device(s) that will raise reliability and
availability to the optimum level.
Network Configuration
AMS360 does not require a domain structure (active directory or other), but can run in such a network.
Local area networks should be based on 100 BaseT technology with Cat5 or better class wiring. If Gigabit
networking is to be used, be sure that the network cable infrastructure is adequate.
Required
TCP/IP
Recommended
DHCP
Not Supported
Use of AMS360 servers as domain controller
Network duplex setting
Recommended
Auto-Detect/Auto Negotiate on all devices
Network infrastructure
A switch optimizes the use of bandwidth within the LAN based on usage. A hub equally allocates bandwidth
to devices, resulting in wasted bandwidth. Hubs cause performance problems in a congested network. If you
are using an entry level or "home networking" based router or firewall, you should consider an upgrade.
These entry level devices have very low processing ability and can create a bottleneck on your network. This is
particularly true when processing network address translation (NAT).
Recommended
Enterprise/business class switches
Minimum
Switches (no hubs or switch-hubs)
Network – Local/WAN
In House
There are some settings specific to AMS360 InHouse. Add the information in this section to the information in
the Network – Local/WAN section above if you are installing AMS360 into an In House environment.
IP Addressing
The IIS Server, and often the database server should have a static IP address (unless DHCP reservations are
used), but the rest of the network can be DHCP based.
Domain Controller
AMS360 Servers cannot be used as a domain controller.
Firewall
AMS360 requires port 80 (HTTP) and port 443 be open for outbound traffic on any firewall connected to the IIS
Server. A constant Internet connection is required to get software updates and other information. The IIS
Server controls this activity.
Security
When SSL is to be used in your network, the appropriate ports must be opened. This would be the method used
for remote or branch offices. Only the IIS Server should be exposed to the Internet. When your IIS server is
connected to the Internet, you must have at least one IP address provided for you by your ISP. This address
must be associated with an appropriate DNS entry by your ISP. Please consult with a knowledgeable computer
technician or consultant to help design your network security model.
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Printing and Faxing
Online and In House
AMS360 requires a Windows-based printer to print reports and other output. No specific brands are required, but
Vertafore has very good experience with HP LaserJet printers.
Some of the reports within AMS360, particularly some of the accounting reports, include color output making a
color printer a good option.
Fax software may be used in the place of a printer (assuming it emulates a Windows printer) to facilitate faxing
any AMS360 output. AMS360 can also provide PDF (Acrobat) formatted output for attaching to e-mail or other
purposes.
Scanning , Imaging, Attachments
Online and In House
AMS360 includes Document360 which allows you to attach word processing, images, or other documents to
activity entries. Document360 allows for multiple storage and indexing options. View Document Management
and AMS360 for more information.
With AMS360 Online, attachments are copied to the database in the AMS360 datacenter. Attaching large files
(such as high resolution images) can have a negative impact on performance. There is a 100 Mb limit on the size
of individual attachments.
AMS360 does not include scanner hardware drivers or scanning software. If you are scanning documents use the
scanner or other software to create the files which can then be attached via Document360.
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AMS360 In House
In House
While most agencies choose to use the Internet-based version of AMS360, which houses their data in the secure
Vertafore Data Center, it is also offered for installation in your office. If you decide to run AMS360 In House, your
server configuration will play a big part in satisfaction with the AMS360 product performance and reliability. The
information below will guide you in making decisions about how to configure your AMS360 Servers, however
each agency is different and you may need to adjust your configuration based on usage. AMS360 In House
requires at least two servers dedicated to AMS360.
The AMS360 Database (SQL) Server houses your data and is a critical component for performance and reliability.
The AMS360 IIS/Web server runs Microsoft IIS Server. This server runs the web-based portions of AMS360 and
must be separate from the database server. Both servers will be used exclusively by AMS360 and cannot house
other software.
Database (SQL) Server
In House
Hardware requirements fluctuate depending on number of user databases, and product usage. Guidelines given
here are an estimate based on average usage with one database. Small Business Server (any version) is not
supported. Using this server as a domain controller or to provide other service based applications aside from
AMS360 is not supported and may cause other issues.
Processor/CPU Speed
Recommended
Minimum
Operating System
Supported versions
Supported editions
.NET Framework
Required
Multi-core or Xeon class processor
3 Ghz single core processor
Windows Server 2003 sp2
Windows Server 2008 sp2
Windows Server 2008 R2
32 or 64 bit
Standard or Enterprise
.NET Framework 3.5.1
.NET Framework 4.0
Memory
To take full advantage of server memory above 4GB we recommend Windows Server 64bit and SQL Server
64bit. Using AWE with 32bit Enterprise allows for mapping of memory beyond 4GB, however, SQL does not
fully utilize that memory, so AWE is not a recommended configuration. The recommended memory at the
database server has increased.
Recommended 20-50+users 8 GB+ (use 64 bit)
Recommended <20 users
4 GB+
Minimum
2 GB+
Hard drive system - SATA disk drives and drive arrays are not recommended for database class servers, SCSI is
preferred. Hardware RAID is recommended for use with SQL, Software RAID is not recommended.
Recommended
Raid 0 + 1
Minimum
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Free Disk Space
Free disk space is needed to store your programs and databases. The amount of free space needed is a
multiple of the base size of your current database (from AfW, or other system you are converting from).

If you are not converting data from AfW or another system, your free space requirements are greatly
reduced and space will be used up as you enter data into AMS360.

If you are converting from either AfW or a prior version of AMS360, you will need extra space to
process the conversion on your server (as described below). The most common cause for failure of
updates and conversions is lack of disk space, so paying attention to your space available will help
avoid down time.

Agencies receiving a conversion from Vertafore require the space needed for the programs, the
database size, and working/future needs. If Vertafore processes the conversion for you and then
delivers it to you, you do not need to have space for processing the conversion on your database
server.

Agencies migrating from AfW need free space equal to 3 times the base size of the AfW database.
When determining the base size of your AfW database include any image files or mergers that will be
added to and increase the size of your database prior to migrating. See the section on AfW to AMS360
Migration Considerations for more information.
If your backup plan includes dumping a copy of your database to your hard drive before copying it to
removable media –include in your planning the space needed to keep copy(ies) of the database on your hard
drive.
New (conversion)
Database size
+ 10% working space
+ room for growth
AMS360 upgrade
Database size X2
+ 10% working space
+ room for growth
AfW Migration to AMS360
Database size X3
+ 10% working space
+ room for growth
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Optical Drive
Used for loading software. If you purchase SQL 2008 from Vertafore, it will be distributed to you via DVD.
Other updates may be distributed via ISO files, CDs or DVDs.
Supported
DVD Drive or access to a shared DVD drive
Backup and Maintenance
A backup solution using removable or near-line media Is suggested. Backups should Include database
consistency checks, re-indexing, and update statistics. Remember to manage the size of your log files (if they
are not truncated via your database backup process). These processes are required to protect your data and
maintain AMS360 performance.
Backup Exec is not required for use with AMS360. However if you do use Backup Exec, verify that your version
is compatible with the configuration of your backup/server.
See the AMS360 Backup and Admin guide for additional details on these and other topics.
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server standard edition is typically Included in your initial purchase of AMS360 (standard
edition, run-time licensing). The CALs sold should equal the number of AMS360 users. However, if you use
AMS360 from more workstations that you own licenses for you may need to purchase additional SQL CALS to
stay in compliance with Microsoft’s licensing.
Vertafore does not resell the Enterprise version of Microsoft SQL Server; however there may be features that
your agency would find useful, especially for larger agencies. If you prefer an alternate licensing method or
wish to install the Enterprise edition of SQL – you may purchase your own copy. Review Microsoft’s web site
for more information on the differences between SQL Standard and SQL Enterprise editions to determine which
SQL Server edition is right for your agency.
AMS360 is not supported on the R2 revision of SQL 2008 at this time. Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 will be tested on
a future version of AMS360.
Supported
Microsoft SQL 2008, SP2
Standard or Enterprise
32bit or 64bit
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Application Server(s)
In House
Hardware requirements fluctuate depending on number of user databases, and product usage. Guidelines given
here are an estimate based on average usage with one database. Small Business Server (any version) is not
supported. Using this server as a domain controller or to provide other service based applications aside from
AMS360 is not supported and may cause other issues.
In some cases the AMS 360 application server components are split up among several different servers. If you
put the processing server component on it’s own server, that server may be a windows 2003 server. Otherwise,
all application servers must meet the requirements below.
Processor/CPU Speed
Minimum
1.8 Ghz single core processor, or better
Operating System
Supported Versions
Supported Editions
.NET Framework
Required
Memory
Recommended 20-50+users
Minimum
Windows 2008 sp2
Windows 2008 R2
32 or 64 bit
Standard or Enterprise
.NET Framework 3.5.1
.NET Framework 4.0
4 GB+
2 GB+
Optical Drive
Used for loading software and updates. Media may be distributed via ISO files, CDs or DVDs.
Recommended
DVD Drive - RW
Minimum
CD Drive or ability to access an ISO image
Terminal Server / Citrix
Online and In House
Vertafore successfully validated AMS360 in the “Citrix Ready” program. This limited validation was done using
XenApp 4.5 (32 and 64 bit) and AMS360 v4.
We support the AMS360 product and can provide some guidance on our experience with Citrix and our products
but are not capable of providing assistance regarding the configuration of the Citrix product. If you implement
Citrix as a solution you will be responsible for configuring it and may be required to troubleshoot AMS360 outside
of the Citrix environment to rule out configuration issues.
Virtualization
InHouse
Vertafore does not recommend, support, or test running AMS360 in a virtual environment on any servers or
workstations. Additionally, there are known problems if the database server is virtualized due to I/O
requirements which do not translate well to a database environment.
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AfW to AMS360 Migration Considerations
Online and In House
If you are running AfW v5.x (In House), your current database server might meet the hardware and operating
system requirements for AMS360 (see details above in the Database Server section).
If you are using AfW with Citrix/Terminal Server, you should be aware that Vertafore does not routinely test or
support use of our product in the Citrix/Terminal Server environment. However, from customer experience we
are aware that the number of AMS360 workstations that can run on a terminal server is much fewer than the
number of AfW workstations that can run on the same server.
Migrating from AfW to AMS360 require three times the size of the final AfW database in free space to process
the migration. Failure to meet the space requirements will cause the upgrade to fail. Final database size includes
any additional data you will add before migrating, such as importing images or attachments, mergers, and normal
growth. This requirement takes into account copying the AfW database into SQL 2008, creating the new AMS360
database, and log file growth during the process. After migration completes, the SQL 2008 copy of AfW can be
removed and the log file truncates back to normal size.
If you are planning to upgrade your workstation or office versions prior to migrating to AMS360 review the AfW
Configuration guide appropriate to your version for important information on using AfW with Vista and Office
2007.
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