Frequently Asked Questions
from the Sales Department
What is Synchronize?
- Synchronize is a real-time calendaring and scheduling application for corporate LANS, WANS and Intranets.
What makes Synchronize different from other calendaring and scheduling
products?
- INTEROPERABLE: Of ALL the scheduling products on the market, Synchronize is the
most likely to work in your computing environment. If you have TCP/IP, you won't find another calendaring and
scheduling product that provides a better fit for your computing environment.
- SCALABLE: Synchronize can be deployed for five users or fifty thousand users at any given site. All user populations can be transparently increased with NO
disruption of service.
- PERFORMANCE: Synchronize provides the real-time performance that other email-enabled scheduling products just can not. While these products may promise "near real-time" performance, what they actually deliver does not meet the needs of today's fast-paced environments and for large groups the idea of
having "near" real-time scheduling is about as useful as "near" real-time telephone service!
How is Synchronize priced?
- Synchronize has a low, per user price structure that our customers find both
convenient and straightforward. With Synchronize there are no "hidden costs"
such as additional charges for server platforms or expensive infrastructure
requirements.
- For the Synchronize Server you'll find software available on over 20 UNIX platforms. For endusers desktop there is Synchronize native client software for Windows, UNIX/X and UNIX/ASCII. And for Web browser access with CyberScheduler.
Can Synchronize be deployed on our corporate Intranet?
- Yes, with the addition of CyberScheduler for your Web server, full scheduling functionality is available to endusers through their Web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
How easy is it to use Synchronize and does it have on-line help?
- Synchronize is a intuitive graphical application with extensive
on-line help. Its simplicity is one of its many features.
What will Synchronize proactively do?
- Synchronize will find available times and resources required
to schedule meetings, send alarms about pending events, send e-mail
notification and proactively track tasks.
Can I print my schedule?
- Yes, your calendar can be printed in a variety of customizable
formats. You can print your "Day-at-a-Time" view, a weekly view or a
monthly view.
Is my calendar secure?
- Yes. Synchronize allows you to maintain your calendar security and
confidentiality. You can assign a password to your calendar for access.
You can also grant to other users, read, write, scheduling and agency
permissions, which can be assigned to one item or your entire calendar.
How does Synchronize work with other calendars?
- Currently, Synchronize has a command-line import/export facility integrated
with the UNIX/Motif client. CrossWind is also a member of the IETF task force working on a dynamic data exchange protocol for calendaring and scheduling information. This will enable users of different calendaring/scheduling apps. to dynamically exchange basic calendar data such as appointments, tasks and notes.
Does Synchronize work with e-mail?
- Yes. Synchronize has the option of sending you meeting notification by e-mail.
What if I have a problem?
- CrossWind Technologies provides excellent customer and
technical support. We have sales and technical people to
answer your questions on the phone, or you can e-mail us at: support@crosswind.com
How much disk and memory space does Synchronize require?
- The Synchronize MS Windows client requires approximately 2.5MB
disk space. At least 4MB Ram are recommended. The Unix/Motif client and
server software require approximately 5MB of disk space,(varies by platform)
Over time,the size of the Synchronize database will grow. There is an expiration
utility available to trim back the size of the databases if necessary.
How does the portable version work?
- Before you unplug your laptop from the network, your scheduling
and task information is downloaded from the server to your hard disk.
While disconnected, you can continue to use Synchronize to schedule
yourself and others for meetings, respond to shared notes, and assign
personal and workgroup tasks. When your portable is reconnected to the
network, Synchronize automatically merges and exchanges data, updating
all calendars in the database.
Can Synchronize schedule facilities and equipment as well as people?
- Yes. When you click on the Attributes Select button while
scheduling a meeting, a list of attributes will appear on the screen.
You select your needs: room capacity, equipment, etc. Synchronize will
automatically find an appropriate room available for your meeting.
Can attributes be assigned to people?
- Yes, attributes can be assigned to people as well as resources.
A person's attributes might include a specialized knowledge or
ability, such as "Audit Specialist, Oil Industry" or "Foreign Language
Translation."
On what networks does Synchronize run?
- Synchronize requires TCP/IP network connectivity. Our MS Windows
client supports Winsock 1.1, Novell Lan Manager, and MS Lan Manager
(including ARPA Services) compliant stacks.
How are Synchronize licenses configured?
- Synchronize licenses are sold in increments of 5-users. One license
can be assigned to one person or up to three resources. For example,
if you have four people and three conference rooms, you would need a
Synchronize license for five.
|
