Selecting between a Physical or Virtual Server
When setting up your clinic's infrastructure, you have the option of using either a physical server provided by us or supplying your own virtual server. Below is a breakdown of both approaches to help you decide what works best for your environment and preferences.
A Typical Deployment:
Our standard deployment includes two preconfigured devices:
A remote power reboot device
An Intel NUC acting as the local server (see more details here: Clinic IT Infrastructure)
This setup has proven to be reliable in most cases. We test all hardware prior to deployment, and the reboot device allows us to perform remote power cycles as needed. While no hardware solution is completely immune to failure, this approach has served our clients well.
In the rare event of a hardware issue, we typically activate a temporary remote backup to keep your clinic operational while the physical unit is returned for troubleshooting and repair. For most clinics, this transition is seamless. See more details here.
A Virtual Alternative
If you prefer to host the system virtually, we’re happy to support that. Here are the minimum specifications we require for the virtual machine (VM):
Memory: 8–16 GB RAM
CPU: A modern processor, equivalent to an Intel Core i3 or better
Storage: At least 100 GB of space on an SSD (not a traditional HDD)
Operating System: Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS
Access: SSH access enabled from a designated IP address to be provided.
Responsibility: The clinic is responsible for the physical host and/or hypervisor
Once the VM is provisioned with these specifications, our team will handle the complete setup remotely, ensuring everything is configured and running properly.
There is no cost difference between the physical and virtual approaches. While managing a VM can introduce slightly more complexity and coordination, we're happy to support whichever method best aligns with your clinic's preferences and IT capabilities.