Following on from my last post on questions to ask your dairy cattle software vendor, I thought I’d explain in a bit more detail about the main options for cattle data synchronisation between a cattle management program and a modern mobile device (Android or iPhone). As you will see, the set up and maintenance of a “local” (all data on-farm) solution could be quite challenging and time-consuming for non-IT people.
Vendor Cloud: a solution for cattle data stored locally
The software vendor provides their own cloud storage service as a sort of mailbox or staging post that allows a sub-set of the data to be synchronised with wireless mobile devices. Note, the data held on the vendor servers is only a sub-set of the herd database – in other words, the essential data needed for working on the mobile device
How it works:
- Master database is stored locally on the farm PC
- A sub-set of the farm data is uploaded to the software vendor’s cloud servers
- Mobile users synchronise with the farm data in the vendor’s cloud
- Changes need to be synchronised back to the farm PC
Requirements/Limitations:
- The farm PC must be left running and connected to broadband Internet for data to synchronise to mobile device users and then import their updates back to the main farm database on the farm PC
- Master database needs to be regularly backed up
On-farm Server: a second solution for cattle data stored locally
This is probably the most complex solution because the farm PC needs to be always available (online) and “listening out” for synchronisation requests from one or more mobile device users.
How it works:
- Data is stored locally on the farm PC
- The farm computer communicates directly with the mobile devices via the Internet
- Changes on the mobile device are synchronised back directly to the farm PC
Requirements/Limitations:
- Farm needs to purchase and configure a “Static IP address” (a unique identifier on the Internet)
- Farm computer needs further configuring in order to synchronise locally via farm’s WiFi
- Farm computer needs to be left running and connected to the Internet for data to synchronise “along the line” to mobile device users
- Master database needs to be backed up
- Some solutions may require mobile devices to be have a permanent Internet connection
- The farm computer must be a PC running the latest version of Microsoft Windows (for maximum security against outside hacking)
- Greater likelihood of technical support issues
Pure Cloud: a herd software solution for “access anywhere”
How it works:
- Master farm database is stored on Cloud Servers
- No data back up required
- No local software to install, configure or maintain
- No office network required
- Less tech support time and less computer “know-how”
- Will work with any type of hardware – PC, Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android Phones and Tablets
- Mobile device users can work in “offline” mode
Bottom line: “it just works”. As a hassle-free and robust solution, a pure cloud-based dairy herd management software package has to be a serious contender.
