IT Professional FAQ

Network Requirements:

• Server: Windows Server 2012 R2 or later (or Windows 10/11 Pro for small offices)
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet recommended (100Mbps minimum)
• File Sharing: SMB 2.0 or later enabled
• Ports: Standard Windows file sharing ports (TCP 445, UDP 137-138, TCP 139) plus port 6519
• Latency: Less than 50ms between server and workstations

Not Recommended: VPN connections, wireless-only setups, or WAN connections may cause performance issues.

Share Permissions:

• Share-level: Everyone = Full Control
• NTFS Permissions: Domain Users (or workgroup users) = Modify
• Disable: Access-based enumeration
• Enable: Opportunistic locking (OpLocks)

Path Configuration: Use the ABS Datapath Configruation app to create UNC paths (or IP address) rather than mapped drives.

Required Firewall Rules:

• SMB File Sharing: TCP 445
• NetBIOS: UDP 137-138, TCP 139
• Internet Access: HTTPS (443) for updates and license validation
• Database: TCP 6519

Windows Firewall Configuration:

1. Enable "File and Printer Sharing" exception
2. Allow all ABS executable through firewall (both Public and Private networks)
3. For Server, enable "File Server" role firewall rules

Note: Third-party firewalls may require similar exceptions. Some security software blocks network database access by default.

Not Recommended for Production Use. ABS is designed for LAN environments and requires low-latency, high-bandwidth connections.

Why VPN/WAN Causes Issues:

• Database file locking requires consistent, low-latency connections
• Network interruptions can cause data corruption
• Performance degradation makes the application unusable
• Document Manager file transfers are extremely slow (unacceptable for production use)

Alternative Solutions:

• ABS Cloud: Hosted solution designed for remote access
• Remote Desktop: Use RDP to access server where ABS is installed
• Terminal Services: Run ABS on Terminal Server with RDP connections

You will probably need the User Manual for detailed instructions.

Steps:

1. Use ABS Data Backup to make a removable backup of your data.
2. Upgrade Windows making sure it is still connected to your network.
3. After Windows is operating properly, install ABS per the installation instructions (especially step 14).
• Do a Host installation.
• Do not attempt to open ABS yet.
4. Using ABS Data Restore, restore the data from the backup made in step 1. You may now open ABS.

Note: if the new host has a different Computer Name, you will need to reconfigure the path for each workstation.

You will probably need the User Manual for detailed instructions.

Steps:

1. Use ABS Data Backup to make a removable backup of your data.
2. Upgrade Windows making sure it is still connected to your network.
3. After Windows is operating properly, install ABS per the installation instructions (especially step 14).
• Do a Host installation.
• Do not attempt to open ABS yet.
4. Using ABS Data Restore, restore the data from the backup made in step 1. You may now open ABS.

Note: if the new host has a different Computer Name, you will need to reconfigure the path for each workstation.

You will need the installation manual during this process. It does not cover changing host computers, so follow these instructions.

Steps:

1. Use ABS Data Backup to make a removable backup of your data.
2. Upgrade Windows on the new host computer if necessary.
3. Make sure the new host computer is connected to your network.
4. On the new host, uninstall ABS if installed.
5. On the new host, install ABS as a Host Computer according to the installation instructions (especially step 14)
• Do a Host installation.
• Do not attempt to open ABS yet.
6. Using ABS Data Restore, restore the data from the backup made in step 1. You may now open ABS.
7. On each workstation, update the ABS configuration to point to the new host.
8. On each workstation, verify that the ABS services are running and accessible.
9. If the old server is to be retaind as a workstation, uninstal ABS and reinstall as a Client Workstation.

Note: if the new host has a different Computer Name, you will need to reconfigure the path for each workstation.

ABS uses Firebird SQL a proprietary database engine optimized for insurance agency data. The database consists of a single file stored in the ABS3 folder. Document Manager files are located in the ABS3/DocMan subfolder.

Database Characteristics:

• SQL Server: Open source Firebird SQL
• Multi-User: Supports concurrent access
• Self-Maintaining: Automatic index optimization
• Robust: Transaction logging prevents corruption
• Lightweight: Minimal resource usage
• Convenient: Live backups using the ABS Data Backup tool

Important:

• Do not modify database directly with any 3rd party tools. Use ABS's built-in tools for all database operations.
• Perform backups using the ABS Data Backup tool. It can be scheduled via Windows Task Scheduler (see user manual).

Backup Methods (in order of preference):

1. ABS Built-in Backup (Recommended):
   • Use Admin > Backup Database within ABS
   • This ensures proper file locking and consistency
   • Can be scheduled for automatic daily backups (see user manual)
2. Volume Shadow Copy (VSS):
   • Use Windows Server Backup or compatible backup software
   • Ensures file consistency at the block level
   • Good for disaster recovery scenarios
3. File Copy (Not Recommended While ABS Running):
   • Only safe when ABS is completely closed on all workstations
   • Risk of corruption if files are copied while in use

Backup Frequency: Daily minimum, hourly for high-volume agencies. Keep at least 30 days of backups.

CAUTION: If using a 3rd party backup tool, do not backup the database file directly. Instead, use ABS's built-in tool, then use the 3rd party tool to backup the resulting backup file.

Typical Database Sizes:

• Small Agency (500-1000 policies): 200-500 MB
• Medium Agency (2000-5000 policies): 1-3 GB
• Large Agency (10,000+ policies): 5-15 GB

Document Manager Storage: Varies widely based on usage. Expect 50-100 MB per 1000 client documents.

Growth Rate: Approximately 10-20% annually for established agencies, more for rapidly growing agencies.

Disk Space Planning: Allocate 10x current database size for server storage to accommodate growth and backups.

Note: The above estimates are for initial planning purposes only. Actual usage may vary based on specific agency needs and document management practices.

Database Maintenance:

The most complete way to reclaim disk space and fully optimize the database structure (including indexes) is to perform a backup and restore. This creates a new, compact database file.

When to perform this:

• Performance degradation
• After importing large amounts of data
• After deleting significant records
• Quarterly as preventive maintenance

Password Configuration:

• Passwords are optional by default but strongly recommended
• Initially assigned in the ABS Administration application
• Change under Tools & Settings > Program Preferences > Personal Preferences
• Minimum 8 characters recommended
• Passwords are encrypted in the database
• No automatic expiration (set organizational policies separately)

User Permissions:

• Admin users have full access
• Users can change their password at will
• Users can be restricted to specific functions by the Administrator
• Document Manager access can be controlled separately
• Report and ACORD form access can be restricted by the Administrator

Security Best Practices:

• Require ABS passwords for all users
• Require Windows passwords for all users
• Implement Windows Active Directory for authentication
• Regular security audits of user permissions

Critical Antivirus Exclusions:

Files/Folders to Exclude:

• C:\ABS3\ (or installation directory) -- include subfolders
• \\ServerName\ABS3\ (database folder and sub-folders)

Processes to Exclude:

• ABS3.exe
• ABS3Backup.exe
• ABSAcord.exe
• ABSAdmin.exe
• ABSIMG.exe
• ABSRestore.exe
• ABSUpdate.exe

Why Exclusions Are Critical:

• Antivirus scanning can lock database files, preventing multi-user access
• Real-time scanning causes significant performance degradation
• False positives may quarantine critical program files
• Database corruption can occur if AV interrupts file operations

Alternative Security: Use Windows Defender exclusions or ensure third-party AV respects file locking.

Encryption Status:

• Passwords: Encrypted in database
• Database: Critical data is encrypted to protect against unauthorized access
• Network Transmission: Standard SMB encryption available
• Documents: Stored as-is (PDF, Word, etc.)

Compliance Note: For HIPAA, PCI, or other compliance requirements, use Windows-level encryption rather than relying on application-level encryption.

Common Performance Bottlenecks:

1. Network Latency (Most Common):
   • Wireless connections
   • Network congestion
   • VPN or WAN connections
   • Faulty network hardware
2. Server Storage:
   • Traditional hard drives (use SSD for database)
   • Network-attached storage with high latency
   • Disk fragmentation
3. Antivirus Interference:
   • Real-time scanning of database files
   • Missing AV exclusions
4. Database Issues:
   • Database needs compacting (backup and restore)
   • Corrupted indexes (extremely rare with ABS)
   • Extremely large document repository

Recommended Server Specifications:

Small Office (1-5 users):

• Intel Core i5 or equivalent
• 8GB RAM
• 250GB SSD for database storage
• Gigabit network interface

Medium Office (6-15 users):

• Intel Xeon or Core i7
• 16GB RAM
• 500GB SSD for database storage
• Dual gigabit network interfaces (teaming)
• RAID 1 for redundancy

Large Office (16+ users):

• Multi-core Xeon processor
• 32GB+ RAM
• 1TB+ NVMe SSD
• Redundant network connections
• RAID 10 for performance and redundancy
• UPS for power protection

Critical: SSD storage makes a dramatic difference in database performance. Traditional hard drives are no longer recommended for database storage.