MSI Data Service Pro

Author: Eric Vasbinder

Logistics

Support Status:  Supported

Integration Method: ODBC Direct Connection

Connection and Hosting Location (FOR NEW IMPLEMENTATIONS)

Connection Method:  TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) (PREFERRED) / IPSEC VPN

Hosted:  NO

Additional Charge:  NO

Previous Connection and Hosting Location (ONLY for Customers Already Using Service Pro in Our Cloud)

Connection Method:  Hosted in VP Datacenter

Hosted:  YES

Additional Charge:  YES - 1 third party integration mgmt fee, 1 standard Windows server, and 1 SQL Server

CRITICAL NOTE

For existing customers who are already hosted in our VEC RDP, TC1, and VP1 environments who ALREADY have MSI Data's Service Pro data connector hosted in our cloud: 

You are allowed to continue hosting MSI Service Pro's Data Connector with us FOR THE TIME BEING even if you upgrade from VEC RDP licensing to TC1.  Please be aware that this exception does NOT apply to customers in VFC wishing to upgrade to TC1.

Reminder, hosting of this data connector in our cloud will eventually be no longer supported.  If possible, please utilize remote hosting of this solution with VPN connectivity.

Product Description

MSI Data's time and mobile service solutions are designed to provide a mobile and web field solution for staff to enter data about work orders, tasks, etc. whilst in the field.

Integration Method

As per many other server-side integrations to third-party products, MSI Data's Service Pro solution directly connects to the Vista database over ODBC.

Connection Method and Hosting Location

The MSI Data Service Pro solution consists of an app server and a SQL server.  The MSI app server provides a web interface, and mobile app connectivity, in addition to being the application server.  As such, the MSI solution, if it is installed in our cloud (as was the case historically), needs two separate servers.  As such, we need to pass on the costs for an additional set of two servers (one app server and one SQL server) to the customer when hosting Service Pro.

As a result of those increased costs, and the increasing security and compliance restrictions that are present in our cloud environment, we are moving away from physically hosting the programmatic bits for third-party software in our cloud.  Instead, we are moving toward having these components hosted remotely, connecting to Vista over a TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) or an IPSEC VPN.

IMPORTANT

MSI Data's SQL Service Account requires specific permissions in order to operate.  "SA" permissions are not approved.  Instead, please use the list of permissions needed below as a guide to configure the service account for appropriate access.

Service Account Permissions Required

Please configure the MSI Service Pro SQL service account to have the following permissions into Vista:

• Vista Records Database:  DBO

• Vista VPAttachments Database:  db_datareader and db_datawriter

tl;dr:  Customers who need to integrate MSI Data with Vista in our cloud should host it remotely, connected over a TLS Database Endpoint (TLS VPN) or IPSEC VPN.  Hosting of new installations of MSI data in our cloud is no longer supported.  Permissions for the MSI Service Pro account should be granted according to the above permissions list.