One computer or many
NalamDesk runs in one of two ways. Pick the one that fits the clinic.
| Single computer | NalamDesk Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | A clinic that works on one computer | A clinic, hospital or group of branches with several computers |
| Where records live | Encrypted on that computer | Encrypted on a server the clinic controls |
| What staff use | The NalamDesk app | The NalamDesk app or a web browser, on any joined computer |
| Without internet | Everything keeps working | Keeps working as long as computers can reach the server |
| Backups | Daily, on that computer | Daily, on the server, with optional off-site copies |
Both use the same screens, roles and records. A clinic can start on one computer and move onto a server later without losing anything.
How NalamDesk Server works
NalamDesk Server is a program with no screen of its own. It holds the clinic's encrypted database and serves the same NalamDesk screens to the clinic's computers:
- The NalamDesk app on Windows or Linux. On first run, choose Connect this computer to it instead of setting up a new clinic. The computer keeps no patient records; it only remembers the server's address and its own sign-in credential. See Connect computers.
- A web browser pointed at the server's address. The browser is asked for a join code the first time.
Each computer joins once with a one-time join code from an admin. Staff then sign in with their own accounts. Changes made on one computer, such as a patient joining the queue, show on the others within a second or two.
Patient records stay on your server. They are never sent to NalamDesk Cloud.
Where to put the server
Clinic computers stop working when they cannot reach the server, so choose its place with care:
- Where the internet is unreliable, put the server on the clinic network: a small always-on PC or mini server, wired to the router. Computers then keep working through an internet outage.
- A server in a data centre or the cloud suits a group of branches with reliable internet. An outage at one branch stops that branch.
- A clinic with one computer does not need a server. The app keeps its own database.
2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk are enough for a clinic. Use an SSD, a UPS, and full-disk encryption (LUKS on Linux, BitLocker on Windows).
Next steps
- Install NalamDesk Server with Docker, a Debian or Ubuntu package, or as a Windows service.
- Choose how the vault unlocks and store the recovery code offline.
- Connect the clinic's computers.
- Set up backups, including an off-site copy.
- If the clinic has branches or departments, set up facilities.