Features and Benefits

Feature Details

Technical Specifications

With regard to hardware specifications MealService is a relatively undemanding program. Note that it requires the Windows operating system (it does not run on Apple's OS X). MealService is not cloud-based. It is installed on your local network, and the data resides entirely on your premises under your control.

Networks

MealService is easily networked, and does not require a multi-user license. It is also very easy to migrate from a single-user installation to a multi-user installation.

Client Workstations

MealService requires a Microsoft Windows computer. MealService can be installed on a computer running any version of Windows, from Windows 95 through to Windows 10.

Shared File Mode or Client/Server

MealService can be run in one of two modes.

• Shared File

  In this configuration, all that is required is a simple file server, not a database server. For two or three users, a personal workstation configured for file-sharing could even be used as the data repository. The advantage to the file server mode is that a relatively low-powered network file server is all that is required. This configuration is best for organizations with fewer than five or six simultaneous, intensive users.

• Client/Server

  A client/server engine is available as an option. In this mode, processing speed is dramatically enhanced. It is suggested that organizations delivering to over 500 clients each day, or with greater than five simultaneous, intensive users, consider this option. Presently, the client/server engine runs only on Microsoft® Windows™ (A server-version of Windows is not required, the engine can run on a workstation. It is suggested, however, that the server be running Windows 2000 or later). A Linux-based engine may become a future option. The absolute minimum recommended hardware configuration is a 256 MHz processor and 256 megabytes of RAM. Additional RAM is strongly suggested, as it will greatly improve performance.

Where required, the modes can be mixed. That is, some users can access the data through the shared file mode, and some can access it through a client/server engine.