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PowerProject Online Collaboration

8 replies [Last post]
Mohamed Hegab
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Does the PowerProject program have online collaboration capabilities? And if so, how is it hosted?

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Rafael Davila
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David

Powerproject and Spider Project might even have more functionality than P6 without the overkill; even P3 has more functionality and is close to obsolete.

Going back to the Web application, a few years ago I had some exposure with the transition from a Metaframe installation of Primavera Expedition to the Web version of Expedition. My initial experience with Citrix Metaframe was that it was slow on the web while the true Web installation was faster. It was years ago when some remote locations had access to the web via regular phone lines and just a few remote locations trough cellular PC phone cards. But time has changed; now the technology is faster and more affordable.

For my knowledge I would like to know how these new Citrix applications perform, I like the idea because once you have a Citrix deployment you can change, upgrade or add your Scheduling applications at will, as if a pair of shoes.

My wife works for a company that uses a Citrix application and she can have access from our home to the system, it is fast as a Lamborghini, different to the Citrix deployment they had a few years ago. Not sure but believe they use SAP in combination with Citrix.

For the other side of the equation, hardware, you might even have an external company to provide you with a web server if your company is small and cannot afford an IT department for this purposes, so don’t rule it out if you need web access with a high band width (whatever it is, I believe has something to do with speed, a possible bottleneck).

Best regards,
Rafael
David Bordoli
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Rafael

Thanks for that explanation. If I interpret what you say correctly Powerproject can do what Primavera does without the overkill?

Isn’t that always the case though? Planning Planet, now supported by Oracle has morphed even further into the Primavera helpdesk with its supporters being blind to any consideration that there might be equally good, or better, tools available.

I still can’t get my head around, if it is such a fantastic piece of software, where are there so many forums discussing and asking basic ’how do I’ questions. I think the answer must be something to do with the cost of training - I have just made an enquiry about a three day P6 introduction course 950 GBP + VAT (about 1800 USD), meals and accommodation not included!

David
Rafael Davila
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Posts: 5233
David

Enterprise and Web applications are not necesarily the same.

Enterprise software, also known as enterprise application software (EAS), is software intended to solve an enterprise problem (rather than a departmental problem) and often written using an Enterprise Software Architecture. Due to the cost of building what is often proprietary software, only large enterprises attempt to build such enterprise software that models the entire business enterprise and is the core IT system of governing the enterprise and the core of communication within the enterprise.

In software engineering, a web application or webapp is an application that is accessed via web browser over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. It is also a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language (such as HTML, JavaScript, Java, etc.) and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.

For P6 you have the regular Enterprise application and the Web application, they even look different. You got to be connected on the LAN for the Enterprise application and if you want to get access from the Web you need something like Citrix. On the other hand for the web application you do not need Citrix.

If you call Asta they will help you to get access to your file using the Web. These guys are good, very good, they even gave me some support, answered my questions as a Demo user, then even e-mail back to follow up I got my answers, ... as a free Demo user!!!

Primavera P6 is an enterprise solution, overkill not suitable for 95% of the Construction Contractors even if for free and primavera Contractor is a joke and full of bugs as P6. There is a possibility Asta products with true scalability and Spider Project will take some of the market abandoned by Primavera. It will be good for all of us to know how to implement Asta Powerproject on the Web, keep us informed.

Best regards,
Rafael
David Bordoli
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There is, and has for a long time, been an enterprise version of Powerproject
Rafael Davila
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mo he

I don’t beleive Powerproject has a true web application as P6.2 Web Version. If you want to keep the job file at a central location and access the file through the web you should consider Citrix.

Metaframe was their flagship product for this purposes but I suspect they have a new product.

The good thing about this is that it will not be limited to a single application, but at the cost of some speed on the web versus a true web application, both options slower than running the applications from your PC.

Best regards,
Rafael
Mike Testro
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Hi Mo He

Yes Powerproject does have such a facility whereby you can send off all or part of the programme to other team members so they can work on it and send it back for merging.

Best regards

Mike Testro
Mohamed Hegab
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Mike,

I meant the possibility to have online access to the schedule similar to Primavera.

Regards,

Mo
Mike Testro
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Joined: 14 Dec 2005
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Hi Mo He

Asta do have an online link to their techinical support team for licence holders but I have not heard of any other informal forum.

Best regards

Mike Testro