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(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

P3e on remote sites

17 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2007-01-10 01:22
Brennan Westworth
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I am starting to consider enterprise planning software for my company.

The only problem I have is that our sites can be in very remote locations throughout Australia sometimes without a connection to our intranet for several weeks (or months) during startup and then very slow line speed and frequent connection problems which would make even remote desktop unsuitable.

Does anyone know a solution to this?

Brennan
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Replies

Wed, 2007-02-07 06:12
#1
Malcolm Graham
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Yes PCS are trained in our product and are and established reseller, please contact Alan Griffiths, if you are in WA.
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Wed, 2007-02-07 04:34
#2
Brennan Westworth
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Yes I am going to talk to PCS once I get my head around P3e/c again.
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Wed, 2007-02-07 03:46
#3
Michael Hunter
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Brennan

I see you are in WA. Your local rep for all things Primavera (and more...) is PCS based in South Perth. They can help you out with a load of tech support questions and can demo cool stuff like SensoryNet’s product (with Malcolm’s blessing).

Cheers
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Mon, 2007-01-22 22:05
#4
Brennan Westworth
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Malcom,

Most of our remote projects have a full time planner on-site not just for updates but for ongoing schedule development.

Your PDA product looks good, I have been looking for a similar tool for some time now. I can see it would be a good tool for field personnel.

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Mon, 2007-01-22 06:22
#5
Malcolm Graham
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Hi Brennan

Our solution allows you to update Primavera from remote sites using only a data enabled cell phone connection. I hope this helps.

Best regards

Malcolm Graham
CEO SensoryNet Ltd.
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Sun, 2007-01-21 06:19
#6
Brennan Westworth
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np Arthur,

I recently installed P5 to play around with it and see if it will suit our needs... the check in/out feature looks like it will be ideal but i will need to test it further.

Thanks for the tip
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Mon, 2007-01-15 04:23
#7
Arthur Godbeer
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And oh, apologies for my levity in that earlier post Brennan. Although I did add a smiley, I thought at the time that you were already using the relevant Primavera program. I should have realised, it now seems obvious that you aren’t.
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Mon, 2007-01-15 04:21
#8
Arthur Godbeer
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Brennan, I’m neither a planner nor a direct user. But check in/out is a pretty standard feature.

When you first posted, I assumed that you were already a Primavera user, because this is a Primavera-specific thread. That’s why I suggested you speak to Primavera Australia. And although I never said so, I was surprised that you might not already have done so. But while I now realise that you’re not (a Primavera user) that’s still my advice. Yes, one of their roles is to sell Primavera software. But they’ve also got a pretty substantial operation and this kind of question will not be unusual. And while this forum has some very experienced posters, it’s part of Primavera Australia’s job to know all of the options and how they might be put together.
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Sun, 2007-01-14 19:56
#9
Brennan Westworth
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Thanks Arthur, have you used the check in/out feature? I would be interested to hear from planners that have.

Malcom, Our remote sites connect to the internet via satellite and VPN to our corporate intranet. some of our sites can be hundereds of kilometers from a major city... I dont think 802.11G would cut it somehow.

Some interesting products on your website anyway, I was looking at them last week on the primavera australia website.
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Sun, 2007-01-14 19:52
#10
Alex Wong
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Brannan

Your best cost effective option is check-in and check-out the project.

And with today’s technology, as long as your mobile phone is working you can update your schedule though the mobile phone data network.

Cheers

BTW where are you working these date, sound like you got quit a bit of operation going on.

Speak to you soon

Alex
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Fri, 2007-01-12 08:36
#11
Malcolm Graham
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Dear Brennan

I suggest that you look at wireless technologies to solve your problem. My company has a product which can enable access to Primavera over a wireless network:

http://www.sensorynet.co.uk/products.jsp

A good contact at Primavera Australia for this would be Wayne Wilson.

I hope this helps.

Best regards

Malcolm Graham
CEO SensoryNet Ltd.
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Fri, 2007-01-12 02:51
#12
Arthur Godbeer
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Project Management’s menu. Top left of your screen. Underneath the Primavera logo and to the left of Edit. :-)
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Thu, 2007-01-11 19:53
#13
Brennan Westworth
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you lost me there...

what is FILE?
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Wed, 2007-01-10 20:37
#14
Brennan Westworth
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check in / out is a feature in P3e?
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Wed, 2007-01-10 10:37
#15
David Forrest
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Depends on the frequency of updates. My solution would be to check out schedules from the main database and , after update on site, check back in using removable media (memory stick, CD etc) via post.
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Thu, 2007-01-11 09:45
#16
David Forrest
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Go to FILE, 12th line

Regards
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Wed, 2007-01-10 03:59
#17
Arthur Godbeer
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Speak to Primavera Australia. The first thing they will probably ask is "where does the data needs to reside?". Assuming that more than one such remote site needs to connect SIMULTANEOULY to the same database (otherwise there is no problem, you could move data around when possible to get summary info), Windows-based access would seem to be not viable.

There are options to try and effectively turn a WAN into a LAN, such as Citrix (very expensive) or Primavera’s own Compression Server (free). But usually these kinds of options take for granted that T1/1.5meg lines are the minimum. Because that’s the norm in places like the U.S. (Welcome to the "real World" such as some places in Australia and also here in South Africa!)

So although you would need to have at least one licence of Planner/Scheduler (which includes the main Windows-based program), your day-to-day multi-site use would be browser-based. And although still without all the options available in the Windows client program (mostly when it comes to the more complex graphics), the browser-based myPrimavera nevertheless provides a full project management solution. And is getting more an more capability with every new version.

But of course when you don’t even have Internet access, and the data is sitting elsewhere, then there is no magic wand. Unless you work from a local database at those times. It then becomes a data management issue as to who "owns" the data (or portion of the data). And when it is updated/refreshed.
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