VisionNEWS
October, 2014 Issue
ANNOUNCEMENT …
VisionWare Version 8.6.9.1 is now available. This is a mandatory update containing program fixes for
issues found in Version 8.6.9. Please read the Release Notes after downloading this update for
information on these program updates.
LET’S TALK …
Let’s talk about the “B” word! You guessed it … “backups”. This does not have to be that end-of-theday chore that keeps you from getting out of the office on time. But, backups are critical for disaster
recovery (ie. hardware failure, fire, flood or theft) and can sometimes be used to correct user error (ie.
accidental deletion of data files). Today’s technology gives us many options for performing backups to
suit our environment. Even though backing up may be getting easier, you must remember that you are
only as safe as your last successful backup. So don’t forget to test them regularly.
LET’S LEARN …
We all know that backups are important. But what are the recommendations for making sure your data is
safe? What media should you use? How often should they be done? Where should they be stored? How
do you test them to make sure they are working properly? These are the typical questions we get asked all
the time, and there’s no one answer to apply to every situation.
Certainly, there are common rules to be followed when performing backups:
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Make sure all programs (and data files) being backed up are closed on all computers in your
facility. As a general rule, open files cannot be backed up because they are “in use”.
Rotate your backup media so that there are always a number of backups available for restore in the
event that the most recent backup did not successfully complete. For example, a practice using
USB stick backups should have a stick for each day of the week the practice is open (which are
rotated weekly) as well as month-end backups to be stored throughout the year. This ensures the
most amount of data that can be lost is one month. The frequency of permanent storage is up to
you (weekly, monthly, quarterly).
Schedule the backups to be performed daily, at a time when there will be no interruptions. Most
practices schedule them to be performed during the night when there is no staff in the facility.
Test your backups regularly. This usually involves restoring the backup to an alternate location
(preferably not on the same network to avoid the risk of duplicate data sources) and then launching
the program from that location. If the program launches properly and recently entered data is
visible, your backups are working! Now make sure to schedule your testing at least semi-yearly.
Store backups off-site so they are not subject to the same disaster as your computer/network.
When choosing the media to be used, consider three things:
(1) How much storage space is required and at what cost? A small practice may be able to fit backups
comfortably on USB storage sticks. At a cost of approximately $25 for 32 GB of storage, it’s
cheap. A medium to large practice should consider using a removable, external hard drive (2 TB
for under $100) or cloud backups (monthly charges by volume). Tape medium is not
recommended.
(2) How portable is the media? It is recommended that backups be stored off-site (in case of fire,
flood, theft, etc.) USB sticks are very portable, as are external hard drives. Both these media
choices can be rotated on a daily basis. Cloud backups are already off-site and accessible from
anywhere.
(3) How easily can a restore be performed and who has the knowledge to do the restore? The goal is
to be able to copy from the backup media directly back into your office computer/network and be
functional in a reasonable amount of time. Small practices should be able to restore on their own.
Larger practices with network concerns may need to consult with their IT support for assistance.
LET’S HELP …
From the VisionWare Hotline
Hotline User Question:
A third party we submit claims to (ABC Corp) was bought out by another corporation (XYZ Corp).
Using “Modify Insurance Company” we deleted the original third party name (ABC) and added the new
name (XYZ). When the cheques came in for the outstanding claims from ABC, we could not process
them as the claims were not listed under the new company (XYZ). We realized our mistake was in
deleting the old insurance company name before all the claims had been processed. We put the original
company name back in (ABC), but the claims are not there. Can we get the claims back?
VisionWare Answer:
Here is a perfect example of the use of backups due to user error and not computer disaster.
Instead of deleting the ABC name, you should have used the “change name to” feature. This would
simply have renamed the insurance claim file to the new name (XYZ) and the claims would have stayed
intact.
By deleting the original insurance company name (ABC), you actually delete the ABC data file
containing the claims for ABC, including the claims that have not yet been processed.
We can restore the ABC file from a backup that was taken before you deleted the company name. If this
mistake had not been noticed for a few weeks, then the daily backups that are rotated each week will not
suffice. We would need to refer to a previous month-end backup to find the file.
LET’S UPDATE …
Are you up to date?
VisionWare Program Updates:
VisionWare Version 8.6.9.1 must be downloaded by all users. This update contains critical program fixes
for issues found in Version 8.6.9.
VisionWare Lens Product Updates:
The most recent Lens Product update is version 2014-09A which was issued on September 24, 2014. We
remind you that you MUST have downloaded the VisionWare Version 8.6.9 (or higher) program update
before downloading this Lens Product update. If you need assistance, do not hesitate to contact the
VisionWare hotline.
LET’S PLAY …
Homonym Nightmare
definition: 2 or more words that sound the same but have
a different meaning
1.> The cut on his _ _ _ _ won't _ _ _ _ in time for the race, so _ _'_ _ have to drop out
2.> The man was so upset about being _ _ _ _ that he regularly _ _ _ _ _ _ himself up on the bed & _ _ _ _ _ _ his eyes
out.
3.> I couldn't _ _ _ _ _ any of the _ _ _ _ _ _ in the flower shop, because for some reason I had 50 _ _ _ _ _ crammed up
my nose.
4.> A bloodthirsty pirate will wander the _ _ _ _ and essentially _ _ _ _ _ everything he _ _ _ _.
Example: Benny had two pairs of pears he had to peel using a paring knife
Answer to last month:
Unscrambled Hint: “Move the first letter of the word to the end”
When you move the first letter of the word to the end of the word, and spell the word backwards, it’s the
same word! Example: “Assess” becomes “ssessA” which, spelled backwards, is “Assess”.