Linux iHRIS Compared to Windows iHRIS

The iHRIS Suite is available on two platforms: Linux (Apache) and Windows XP. This information sheet compares the two versions to help when deciding which version to install. Click on any unknown terms for a definition.

In general, we recommend that you choose the Linux version for installation:

• in a location where there is network or Internet connectivity;
• where a system administrator is available to manage the computer and supporting software;
• and where reliability, security and data protection are high-priority concerns, such as in a centralized office of the Ministry of Health.

We recommend that you choose the Windows version for installation in decentralized locations, such as a hospital, health facility or local government office, where network connectivity and technical support may not be as reliable, understanding that there are greater security and data quality risks associated with the Windows version. In that situation, we recommend that iHRIS be installed on a Windows computer that is physically secure from unauthorized access, that is not used for any purpose other than running iHRIS and that access to iHRIS be limited to as few users as practicable.

Software and Hardware Requirements

The Linux version of iHRIS must be installed on a server computer and requires that several pieces of software (Apache, PHP, MySQL, etc.) be installed to support iHRIS. While all of this software is freely available for download, installing and maintaining the software does assume that a system administrator with some expertise in these technologies is available to manage the server and the required software.

The Windows version can be installed on any computer running Windows XP. All of the supporting software (such as the MySQL database) are included in the Windows installation package and do not have to be installed separately. The Windows version does not require technical expertise to maintain. However, some knowledge of MySQL is required to perform more advanced database maintenance tasks.

If the Windows version is installed and runs on a computer where other intensive programs are running, such as an email program or word processor, Windows iHRIS may slow the performance of the computer.

Network Requirements

For users to access the Linux version of iHRIS, they must be able to connect to the server where iHRIS is installed over a network, either a local area network or the Internet. A freely available Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox, is required to connect to and interact with iHRIS. The Linux version is not appropriate for locations where there is no Internet or local network connectivity or that connectivity is unreliable.

The Windows version does not require a connection to a network or the Internet. It may be accessed on the same computer on which it is installed if there is a Web browser installed on the computer. However, if a local area network or Internet connection is available, other users may connect to iHRIS on the Windows computer as well via that network.

Reliability

To support iHRIS, many background processes such as caching forms and reports must run. The Linux version captures the output of these processes so that the system administrator can view it later if any errors occur. In the Windows version of iHRIS there is no way to capture this output, which makes tracking down and solving errors more difficult on Windows. This could make the Windows version more unreliable when trying to solve issues with data quality or software bugs.

Because iHRIS and its supporting software were written to run on a Linux problem, performance and speed of Linux iHRIS will be better than Windows iHRIS. For the same reasons, Linux iHRIS will be more stable and less prone to crashes than Windows iHRIS.

Security

In general, the Linux version of iHRIS will be more secure than the Windows version.

Linux iHRIS is designed to support multiple users, each accessing iHRIS with a separate username and password. Users are assigned a role that limits what data the user can see and change in iHRIS. Most Windows computers don't have multiple users. If a separate Windows user account is not created for each user of the Windows computer, then they would all have the same access to iHRIS.

Linux servers are generally stored more securely as well, such as in a locked server closet. On Windows the database passwords are stored in the Windows registry, which may be seen by anyone with physical access to the computer. If Windows iHRIS is installed on a desktop computer that is not physically secure, such as on someone's desk, then the iHRIS database will be more at risk of unauthorized access, deletion or corruption.

Linux servers are generally less prone to computer viruses than Windows computers. A Windows computer running iHRIS that is also connected to the Internet (via an email program, for example) is more vulnerable to hardware failure and data loss from a computer virus than a Linux server.