Bandwidth Limitations in QuickBooks
QuickBooks is an Intuit program allowing users to generate invoices and accounting ledgers and print checks for personal or business use. QuickBooks integrates many different data streams to keep track of all your interlinking records in order to make invoicing, taxes and bill payment easier. You can set up your QuickBooks to cross-reference in many ways. The bandwidth limitation is determined by the server you run QuickBooks through and the amount of data you intend to transfer.
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Minimum Requirements
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QuickBooks requires 40 Mb/s (40 Megabytes per second) to run properly. This means one computer can transmit a QuickBooks file at that speed. Depending on what else is running through your server, the file speeds can vary. In order to properly encrypt and protect your data, QuickBooks need a minimum of 40 Mb/s so the file moves fast enough to not set off any warnings or issues within the system. The bandwidth is also used by the program when it processes the data you enter. There is no such thing as too much bandwidth. The more you have, the faster the information will process.
Calculating your Bandwidth
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Copy the QuickBooks file from the network to your desktop. Watch your desktop and time how long it takes the file to copy. You should mark this time in seconds. Use the formula Bandwidth = (File size x 8) / (time x 1024). The 1024 works to convert the kilobytes to bytes as most files are measured in kilobytes. The factor of 8 converts the Megabytes to Megabits. Be sure you are plugging your time in using seconds and the file size in kilobytes to make the formula calculate properly. Your end result is your bandwidth speed. If it is under 40 Mb/s, the network connection is not fast enough for QuickBooks.
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Localization of QuickBooks
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You need to network QuickBooks if multiple users input information simultaneously from different locations. You can set up a separate server to handle only QuickBooks related items as to keep the bandwidth open for all transactions. This not only makes it so you know the program will run at an optimum speed but also keeps the information separate from any other viruses or hackers. If you only need one computer to input your information, consider running the program only on the local computer and not connecting it to the network at all.
Bandwidth for Backup
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When creating a backup of all the QuickBooks files, you need the same minimum bandwidth to ensure the proper transfer of the information. When the information moves slower, the opportunity for corruption increases. Just like with any other connection, you are most vulnerable when logged in and making changes. It opens a small window of opportunity for viruses, worms and hackers.
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References
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