Connection Modes

With the introduction of PhonePad 3, you can now connect to your PhonePad data in either local or remote mode. The mode you use depends on the type of network you use, your requirements and the stability of your network.

Local Mode

In local mode, the connection to the PhonePad database is single-tier in nature. Data is accessed via a local or network file system. This can be used for peer-to-peer and local area networks (LANs). If you have workstations on your network that crash on a regular basis then you may want to use remote mode instead.

Advantages:

•	Simple to set up and administer.

Disadvantages:

•	If a computer crashes or is turned off with PhonePad running data may be corrupted, requiring a repair of the database.

Remote Mode

In remote mode you connect to the PhonePad data using a two-tier system (also known as client/server). PhonePad connects to the data via a server application and TCP/IP. This can be used for peer-to-peer networks, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and the Internet.

Advantages:

•	Computer crashes will not affect data integrity (unless the server crashes).

•	Connections can be across a network and/or the Internet.

•	PhonePad can be installed at home or in remote offices and still access the PhonePad data in your office.

Disadvantages:

•	Requires a server application to be running on a computer on the network.

•	Slightly more complex to set up.