[WEB4LIB] Re: CD/DVD Server Purchase

[Dennis Brantley]

Mike Novak wrote:
> 
> > Our library has tested both the Axis StorPoint and Microtest DiscZerver
> > models. Both did a pretty good job, but we weren't able to make the
> > DiscZerver sufficiently secure for copyright purposes (I believe it was
> > missing a password protection option) -- I would note however that the
> 
> Our DiscZerver included Microtest's "LaunchPro" software, which as the
> manual states:
> "LaunchPro uses a central database of information about users, workstations,
> and applications to present custom LaunchPro application menus to each
> client. An administrator uses the LaunchPro management tools to control the
> menus and the scripts they contain, to ensure license compliance, and to
> analyze usage information. LaunchPro is a perfect companion application for
> Microtest DiscPort Executive enterprise CD-ROM software and servers, and for
> the DiscZerver Technology family of thin CD servers. However, it can also be
> used to control virtually any networked application as well.  LaunchPro can
> be used from clients as a standalone application, or it can be integrated
> into a Web browser interface."
> 
> I haven't implemented this software yet, but it does at least proport to
> ensure license compliance.  I haven't tested the Axis products, but it
> sounds as if the products are pretty similar.
> 

I took a look at LaunchPro some time back.  I found it to be lacking in
its ability to deliver CD apps through the web.  It's been a while, but
I recall a long conversation with Microtest that included one of their
engineers.  The bottom line - there was no way to launch an individual
application from a custom web page.  You must open the LaunchPro web
page and launch the application from there.  This means that if you have
one link to lead to an engineering database, and another link to lead to
a medical database, both links must eventually lead to the same
LaunchPro page, leaving the user to find the appropriate link on their
own.  Boo, hiss.

This was several months ago.  Things change.  And it seemed to work fine
if you just wanted a general purpose application launcher.

--
Dennis Brantley  mailto:dennis at dati.com
Data Access Technologies, Inc.
Internet/Remote Access - Thin Client Computing - Network Storage
Citrix Solutions Partner/Citrix Education Solutions Provider