[RetailEdge Moderator]

When installing RetailEdge in a multi-location environment remote access needs to be allowed to the databases. In order to ensure that there is adequate security in this environment, we recommend the following:

1. Install virus protection and internet security software. When doing so, you will need to make sure that the software recognizes RetailEdge and allows access to your computers from the software.

2. Use a firewall. When using the firewall however, you will need to create some exclusions for the ports that RetailEdge uses for access.

3. If possible, with the firewall, specify which IP addresses are allowed access to the ports RetailEdge uses.

4. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between the remote locations.

5. If you have a wireless network, use at a minimum WPA encryption. Avoid using WEP.

Obviously this type of security can lead to problems with RetailEdge data access and transmission. So during the installation process, this should be done incrementally. One method that has been successful when setting up multi-location is to set the computers in a single location on a network as a multi-location system and not connecting the system to the internet. Once communication between "locations" has been established, then the security steps can be taken. We have seen customers encounter problems with remote access and security that could have been simply solved with this type of incremental approach. For instance certain internet security software once it has blocked access to a program like RetailEdge, needs to be fully uninstalled before it will allow access to a program again. Access to RetailEdge from the internet through the router will be different for many different types of routers. Keeping it simple at first will help to prevent these problems.