Thank you for your interest in the Multi-Location module for your Kennel Connection software. In this article, you will find a description of the Multi-Location module and the best practices for setup and deployment.

Please note that while the Multi-Location module is purchased from us, the purchase, setup and deployment of the connection protocol to and from each location to the main location will be the responsibility of either yourself or your technicians.

What is the Multi-Location module?

The Multiple Locations module for Kennel Connection allows data sharing across all your locations. It allows all your locations to use the same database hosted at the main location but keep the information separate inside KC. It allows for special location permissions to be assigned on a per user basis which can allow or disallow users to see and access certain locations data. The Multi-Location module offers the ability to pull reports for each individual location, view other locations schedules, clients/pets and much more. This is not a web-based application. It is your current version of Kennel Connection, utilizing your existing high-speed Internet connection for data sharing between locations.

• Each location that will be added to the multiple location’s setup must have a site license and the Multi-location module must be purchased from Software Connection LLC.
  
   
• Each location will have its own unique authorization code, generated when purchasing a site license. (This code will be provided by Software Connection LLC. for each location purchased.)
  
   
• Each location must already be running on Kennel Connection version 7.0.
  
   
• Once enabled, drop-downs will appear on the Client Explorer, client card, and employee card to allow assigning clients and employees to your various locations. The appointment screens will also display the dropdowns, allowing the user the opportunity to display the schedules for the various locations. The booking screens themselves will display the location of the booking but will not allow the booking to be moved to other locations.

Features of our Multiple Locations Module

• Data sharing across all locations.
• Secure, encrypted data transfers for unlimited locations worldwide.
• Each location can have specially designated employees, clients, guests, appointments, inventory control, report generation and setup options under one collective database.
• Special permissions allow database access to employees at a specific location or all locations.
• Credit Card Processing, QuickBooks Direct Link and Online Reservations can be configured to be used at each location.
• One install of Kennel Connection on one machine at only one location (Terminal/Remote Desktop Services setup only).

Software Requirements

• Kennel Connection 7.0 with latest update.
• SQL 2014 Express or newer at main location only.
• Multiple-Locations Module enabled at each location.
• Kennel Connection Site License for each location.
• Microsoft Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services (RDS) setup on a Windows server at one main location (Terminal/Remote Desktop Services setup only).
• Supported operating system:
  1. Windows Server 2012 or newer for host/server.
  2. Windows 10 for workstations.

 Hardware Requirements

• Full time, high-speed Internet Connection.
• Intel i3 or equivalent/better. (Newer i7’s or better for best performance and server will need the best out of all machines.)
• 4GB RAM. (The more you have; the better and faster programs will run as Windows itself can use 2GB or more itself sometimes. Servers will need more RAM based on many factors including how many RDS connections will be running. Please ask your IT technician to advise)
• 10GB free of hard drive space.

***Please note that the requirements listed above are MINIMUM. If you already have or purchase a machine with only these minimum requirements or less, your performance and speed may be severely reduced. Technology changes every day and computers need to be upgraded from time to time and unfortunately more often than not. Purchasing a computer to run your business software should take into consideration not only the Kennel Connection software but anything else you plan to run on this computer. If you ever have any questions regarding the purchasing of a new computer, please reach out to our Technical Support department and they will be more than happy to provide you recommendations. If you want to find out if your current computer is capable of running Kennel Connection, please click HERE to download the KC Hardware Analyzer. Run it and send us the results. We will respond back to you and let you know. For multi-location server setups, you’ll need your own IT technician and may be advised to consult with him or her for server recommendations. 

 Connecting Site Locations

While this module gives you the Multi-Location options and allows for the storage and separation of the data, you still need to link each location together. We recommend choosing one of the two methods shown below. Again, each of these methods will need to be purchased, setup, deployed and supported by either yourself or your IT technician and is not part of the Kennel Connection software or support.

• Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services (RDS). Using this method, it allows you to have one main server at the main location running Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services, SQL server Express and the Kennel Connection software. All other machines can either be regular computers or thin clients. All they need is a remote desktop connection VIA the Internet to the main computer at your main location. On the server machine VIA Terminal Services/Remote Desktop Services setup, you’ll create “Remote Users” and assign them to the Kennel Connection application. When a remote user logs in, it will connect to the server and open the Kennel Connection application for them to use. You can have as many users as you would like depending on the number of licenses purchased. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-client-access-license

IMPORTANT: Along with the rest of the environment setup, remote hardware setup, printing setup and troubleshooting are done by your own IT technician and is not handled by Kennel Connection. In some instances, it takes the purchase of third-party remote printing software or USB Redirection software in order to get printing and hardware functioning.

In short, these are the steps that need to be completed to move to the Multi-Location module:

1. Review the YouTube Video to make sure you understand what Multi-Location does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTUQS2NHh5Y&t=4s (Note that even though video shows KC6, the same applies for current versions.)
   
   
2. Find/hire a capable IT Technician familiar with all of the above to setup and deploy your new environment.
   
    
3. Purchase of the Multi-Location module from Software Connection LLC.
   
    
4. Purchase of Site Licenses and KC7 upgrades (if some locations are still on older versions) from Software Connection LLC.
   
    
5. Upgrade all older versions of KC to KC7 so each location is using the KC7 version.
   
    
6. Purchase software and/or licenses for Terminal Service/Remote Desktop.
   
    
7. Setup and deployment of Terminal Service/RDS to be completed by you or your technician.
   
   
8. Adding the Multi-Location module to your KC. (This can be done before or after the above steps are completed. If it’s done prior, you’ll have all the Multi-Location options but just at the one location. As you connect your other locations, each location will also have the Multi-Location options as well).

Important Note: With the purchase of the Multi-Location module, we will merge up to TWO locations databases together. If you have more than two locations that all need to be merged, there will be additional charges per location for development/merge time. All merges be it two databases or 5+ will require a test merge first. This needs to be scheduled with us ahead of time and the test merge allows us to calculate how long the merge will take so you know how long you’ll be without your Kennel Connection software and also allows us to make sure the merge goes smoothly so when we schedule your final merge, there are no unforeseen issues. Upon the completion of the test merge, you will be required to restore the test multi-location database and approve of the data. Once approved, we can schedule a date to begin the live merge. 

If you have any technical questions regarding this process or this document, please email Support@KennelConnection.net