ATX Speed - Network Install

[DWL SYSadmin]

Hello fellow ATX'ers,

I am looking for some help with the new 2012 Tax Application. I won't lie, I do not know much about Tax Preparation, so for that much I apologize. I am a work as System Admin for my customer who does prepare taxes, and we are having quite a bit of trouble this year with speed. I have read many of your posts, and I have seen that many folks are having the same trouble. I wanted to see if anyone out there is running the same type of architecture as we are. I don't want to get too far down into the weeds with tech talk, but here is what we have in use:

Server:

Dell PowerEdge 710, Windows Server 2008 x64

Dual Quad-Core CPU's @2.26Ghz

32GB Ram

4x1TB 7200rpm SATA Hard drives, RAID 5 Array with HS

Dual Teaming 1GB NIC's with TOE, setup in a aggregated link (2GB/s)

-Server also supports a few virtual machines; maybe use 4GB of ram

-System resources are at idle at all times, the ATX product presents no visible load when operating

-Server does not host any other services, applications, or roles.

Network:

Full 1GB Switches, Cat6 wiring

Workstations:

Dell OptiPlex Workstations, Windows 7 x64 Pro, Intel i5 CPU's, 8GB Ram, less than 1 year old

Dell Latitude Laptops, Windows 7 x64 Pro, Intel i5 CPU's, 16GB Ram

- All workstations and laptops run a managed antimalware solution (Norman AV)

- All workstations and laptops connect via a wired connection

- Simple Office applications are the only other apps used by the preparers.

-Workstations are REQUIRED to use UAC - NOTE: ATX recommends turning this off, and I am not sold on this idea. This is pretty irresponsible of an application vendor considering how big information security is now. UAC has been out for over 6 years now. Get on board, start programming with using UAC in mind. End rant

-Users are NOT local administrators of their workstations. Again, a huge security flaw. Program is started via 2 runas batch scripts with /savecred and a service account. Here are the two batch scripts:

Script called Start2012.bat, initial batch script for starting the program. Stored on the C:UsersPublicDesktop folder, users can find this on their desktop to start the program. This batch scripts calls the second script in another folder WITH ADMINISTRATOR CREDENTIALS which seems to work better.

ECHO OFF

runas /savecred /user:domainnameadministrator C:Windowssystem32TAX2102.BAT

exit

This script named TAX2012.bat maps a network drive and starts the ATX program. Stored in the C:WindowsSystem32 folder:

ECHO OFF

net use u: /delete

net use u: TaxServerNameTAX2012

u:

cd atx2012

ATX2012.EXE

exit

Complex, yes, but much more secure than making users local admins of their machines.

Performance:

-2-5 minutes to open the ATX application

-5-10 minutes for a rollover if it does not error out.

Impression: This product seems very immature and untested, and tax season is not the time for beta testing. This may not be ATX's fault per sey, considering the organized chaos that our government and current tax laws are. But, at a minimum, the product should work in a networked environment, in a more secure way, and offer much better performance than this.

My questions are as follows:

-Does anyone else have any ideas on how to push this application to run a little faster?

-Should I be recommending my customers look for another tax application?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide, have a great day!

[Jack from Ohio]

Patience is the word of the day. Problems are being dealt with.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

<rant>

I have no connection with ATX, nor do I use it. ATX saying UAC and admin access does not bother me in the least. Why? UAC and access levels are a way for MS to protect MS (reduce calls to MS). It does nothing to protect the person sitting at the keyboard from doing something stupid.

We are talking about someone with permission to handle personal information and tax returns of others. if the same person cannot be trusted to not do something stupid on the computer, there is a bigger issue than using UAC and access levels...

UAC does exactly zero to prevent stupid actions. The UAC box allows the UAC warning to be bypassed. If were real protection, it would not have just a button to bypass the warning.

Access levels, if needed, say you do not trust the person at the keyboard, so why let them at it in the first place?

<rant>

[kcjenkins]

I agree, Medlin.

[needmoreupdate]

Hello, DWL SYSADMIN

I also a Network Admin for Tax Office In Los Angeles, running

Server

core 2 duo 8400 3.0 ghz

12 GB RAM

2x1tb at RAID 1

1 Gb Intel NIC

ESxi 4

VM Core1: windows 2003 x86 4 GB RAM Windows Domain file, atx server

VM Core2 : windows 2003 x86 2 GB RAM Windows Domain print server

ATX2012 and paperless plus install on core 1.

Reasoning: . Net frame and dll hell on my. Separate containter for less error to crop up.

Network:

1Gb Switches, Cat6 wiring

Client

Intel core duo E6600 2.4 Window XP PRO sp3

2GB Ram

Map network drive

Give domain user to folder share: TaxServerNameatx2012

Give folder and share perssion are on full control under domain user .

~1 min to open under server (locally)

~2 min to open under client

How to make this program run faster?

Since atx 2012 seem not written well, we see in a update or two. I did a test using SSD. It seem speed up somewhat.

RAID SSD 0 IN server with Raid 5 as your backup?

SSD in your clients machines?

[DWL SYSadmin]

Dear Medlin Accounting and kcjenkins:

We will have to agree to disagree. Perhaps if you knew how UAC worked, and if implemented correctly it cannot be bypassed by user intervention, you would see the benefit in using it. Many modern OS's, including Mac OSX, Linux, and Windows-based operating systems limit the user environment to a lower permission level for normal tasks to protect users. It is not a matter of trust; it is a matter of protection and exercising due care. To simply not use it shows your willingness to sacrifice security for convenience, a practice that would be hard to defend in the case of a security breach....... but who in the financial services industry would be worried about that? Good luck to you both =)

[DWL SYSadmin]

Dear needmoreupdate;

I will keep this in mind, I think we will be updated workstations next year. Sure seems like a lot of iron to run a simple client/server app. Have not seen a resource hog like this since Windows Vista =)

[Jack from Ohio]

Dear needmoreupdate;

I will keep this in mind, I think we will be updated workstations next year. Sure seems like a lot of iron to run a simple client/server app. Have not seen a resource hog like this since Windows Vista =)

Have you ever run Quickbooks?

[grmy2h]

DWL,

From what I'm seeing on the "official" atx support board network users are really having a rough go of it. There are a few network admins posting over there, you might want to check it out.

[Guest Taxed]

Guys most tax preparers are not system geeks so this stuff about network scripts etc is way above their head. They just want a program that runs faster like it used to. For shops that have a systems guy or service, perhaps ATX can do a conference call with their tech geeks to figure out what is the best way to optimize speed.

I have a network in my tiny shop, BUT I run tax prep software on stand alone machines (multiple). Had a network crash on a very busy Sunday and the systems guy was not around to help!!

I do however agree with all that tax season is no time to be messing around with system setups etc. in the middle of doing taxes unless ATX has already tested it and it does not mess up. Nothing is more frustrating to be sitting in front of a client and your system locks up or shuts down completely!!

My suggestion is that even if you have a network, install on a stand alone machine as insurance policy!

[Pacun]

This is my suggestion to the original poster. Go to proseries and download their software for 2011 for free. Make a network installation and notice how fast or slow it is. By the way, was ATX 2011 fast? Is it still fast?

Many things could be at fault here. The teaming of the NICs (please monitor the traffic with a snifter).

Memory or powerwise, I don't see any problem with the server or workstations. Cat6 is perfect also. Have you installed according to the recommedations by ATX? It is my understanding that you first install on the server, then you install on the computers pointing to the first (server) installation and then you run the programs locally and access the database from the server. You seem to be running the program from the server and that could be the issue.

Another thing to check is your batch file (that's where it tells me that you are running the program from the server).

I think you want to run ATX similar to a Citrix server and that might be your issue. Have you thought about a Citrix Server solution?

Is the domain controller on site and ready to authenticate the admin account?

I would also disconnect the network from the internet and test with the AV disabled on the server and a workstation. Do you have a firewall within the network or do you have DMZ? Try checking the traffic on the firewall or router.

Please share with us your finding.

[cnccpas]

OMG another IT guy that has dissected ATX's blounders. I too tried the different credentials to run ATX, it works but has major issues when working with PDF printers since that process is ran by another process under your original system credentials.

The problem is the Raven Database and the idiot usage of UNC mappings. There is a reason microsoft has tried to kill UNC mappings for the past decade.

Not to mention, have you located you data yet? heehee it's not where you told it to be. All Usersapplication data or C:program data . nice place and cloud backup services won't touch them.