In order to substantiate the performance capabilities of PremiumWare Access Services, outside study of the PremiumWare system was commissioned. This study examined the functionality of PW Access Services in a real-time nationally distributed trial. With identical operational behavior to LAN-based installations of PremiumWare, the study demonstrated acceptable performance in a nation-wide WAN environment. Performance data from the trial further supports existing evidence of PremiumWare’s efficient network operation due to streamlined management of communication and optimized transactions. Ultimately, the study established PremiumWare Services as a feasible solution for companies demanding the benefits of the PremiumWare audit system in a low cost, low management installation.

The following sections further outline points illuminated in the commissioned study.

PremiumWare Services applications have been developed to contain all the features and functionality of the site licensed PremiumWare installation. Organizations that opt for a WAN installation will lose none of the PremiumWare capabilities.

The PremiumWare system is optimized for high-speed database connectivity and performance. This optimization translates well into the remote environment of PremiumWare Services. Performance of the wide area network (WAN) implemented in a PW Access Services installation operates at acceptable levels, allowing auditors, managers, and reviews to distribute audit data in a quick and seamless manner.

PremiumWare Access Services has been modeled and developed to operate in a secure network environment. The two primary networks used are Dial-up IP (Intranet) and Frame Relay. Both networks have been proven to be effectively secure for distributed enterprise applications. These non-Public networks ensure that data is not exposed.

PremiumWare Services applications are communicate with the database via TCP/IP. This universal networking protocol allows PremiumWare to perform over a variety of connection types and platforms. The functionality of an IP based network has been successfully verified on dial-up modem/ISDN, dedicated high-speed line (HSL) circuits, Frame Relay, Internet, and Intranet.