Local Area Network (LAN)

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a localized group of devices that are connected and communicate over a network.

Consider the following questions for LAN environments:

• Are workstations placed in close proximity to one another?
• Will there be long cable runs between installation areas on the property?
• Will there be remote or satellite areas that may be permanent or temporary?

Simphony Point-of-Sale Networking

For reliability and ease of troubleshooting, all current Oracle products use 100/1000 BaseT network topology with twisted pair cabling. The benefits of this include reduced cabling costs.

The cost of installing cable is significantly higher than the cost of the cable itself. One advantage of 100/1000 BaseT is that it can use existing telephone wiring, which can help reduce installation expenses. However, most sites do not have enough high-quality twisted pair cable to support a network installation, so additional cabling is usually required. The use of existing telephone wiring requires approval from Oracle.

Troubleshooting, Fault Isolation, and Security

Troubleshooting is easier with an Ethernet star topology. Each workstation or printer is connected to its own port on a hub, switch, or router, allowing the behavior of each connection to be monitored individually. LED indicators on each port provide immediate feedback on link integrity and speed. As a result, failures can be quickly isolated, and the remaining Ethernet devices continue to operate while issues are being resolved. Adding or relocating devices is straightforward—simply install a wall plate or plug into a pre-wired connection at the switch or patch panel. In small or low-cost installations, the central point of concentration, point-to-point connectivity, and link status LEDs make diagnosing problems on a 100/1000 BaseT network much easier than inspecting an entire coaxial cable for breaks.

Key considerations:

• Number of workstations
• Workstation placement within a property
• Managed switch vs. unmanaged switch
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) requirements may apply to other switches or devices, such as Wi-Fi access points and credit card payment terminals
• Level of redundancy/availability necessary

Simphony Shared Services

Oracle Simphony uses the concept of shared services. It is recommended that workstations running shared services be placed on LAN network segments with high availability.

The following are Simphony shared services:

• Check and Posting Service (CAPS)
• Backup Check and Posting Service
• Transaction Services
• Distributed Client Access Loader Service
• Kitchen Display Controller Service
• Backup Kitchen Display Controller Service

Types of LAN Connectivity

• Ethernet
• Fast Ethernet
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1Gbps)
• Token Ring
• Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)
• Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

LAN Topologies

• Point to point
• Bus
• Ring
• Star
• Tree
• Mesh
• Hybrid