System Requirements

System Requirements

The Datacon Dental System runs on a Mac server or workstation and is designed to allow access by Windows based PCs, Apple Mac workstations or a mix of the two. Workstations are connected to the server using standard networking which can be configured by any qualified IT technician.

Server

Datacon's database software runs in a virtualized environment created by a program running on the server system. Connections to Datacon databases are made thru this virtual environment which for security purposes does not allow any direct access to the host machine or it's file systems. In addition to networked workstation connections, the virtual environment also includes a secure web server which allows our database software to provide password protected secure access by mobile devices or workstations running modern web browsers. The server system must be an Intel based Apple Macintosh computer running OS-X version 10.9 (Mavericks) or later. While any hardware capable of running these operating system versions can function as a server, when choosing a server type and configuration some consideration must be given to the number of connected workstations and the volume of information expected to be stored. Datacon's virtualized environment takes full advantage of multiple CPU cores when serving multiple workstations or web based requests. This means the performance of a system with many workstations will benefit from the use of a server with multiple CPU cores such as the Mac mini 4-core or 6-core systems.

Workstations

Workstations access the Datacon software using a program called pcLink. pcLink is a thin client that provides display and user interface functions to the software that resides on the server. The server handles all database searches and business logic leaving very little to be handled at the workstation. Because the heavy lifting is done at the server, pcLink puts little in the way of demands on the workstation. pcLink is available for both Macs and PCs and the server can simultaneously handle connections from any mix of the two.

  • pcLink for Mac will run on any Mac workstation capable of running OS-X version 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or later.
  • pcLink for Windows will run on any hardware capable of running Windows 7 or later. If your Windows workstation has sufficient resources to run clinical imaging software, if will probably suffice for pcLink.

We recommend a screen resolution of greater than 1024x768. The software displays well on screens with 1280x1024 pixels and scales up to take advantage of larger screens. Consider larger screens if you would like to see the entire schedule for a day with 6 or more columns showing. When purchasing workstations, be sure to take into consideration the needs of any clinical imaging software you might use. We would encourage you to seek the advice of your other software vendors or an IT firm that specializes in dental installations.

Who installs this system?

Any qualified IT technician can install your system and configure your network. We will access your system remotely to install the software and configure your database. We recommend your IT company be familiar with ditigal imaging systems.