It's a common misconception that "network" programs always have to be installed by a network administrator on a file server. While CaseFinder can certainly be installed that way, it can also be installed from a workstation, it doesn't have to be installed to a file server, and neither the installation or the updating require the skills of a network administrator. This document discusses factors to consider in deciding the type of installation to utilize.

A. Who Will Do the Updating Each Month?

In some situations, one person will install CaseFinder while someone else will do the monthly updates. It can happen that the person doing the installation has complete administrator rights on the network while the person who will be doing the updating has lesser rights. In this situation, if CaseFinder is installed at the file server, it is possible that the person doing the updates will have insufficient rights to perform them. The person doing the updates must have sufficient rights on the network to be able to read and write files to the application folder (see Basic CaseFinder Concepts.

B. Is There a Full-Time Network Administrator?

If the organization already employs a full-time network administrator, that decision would have been made for reasons that are not affected by CaseFinder. For instance, the network may be part of a larger ("wide area") network, or it may have many workstations and many users, with varying levels of access to various files and programs on the network. In this instance (and probably only in this instance) installation at the file server is appropriate.

C. Who Will Receive the Monthly Update Discs Each Month?

The person who receives the monthly update discs should recognize the importance of using them to update CaseFinder on a timely basis. Ideally, the recipient would also be the person who performs the update.

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