The Cattery's Standard™ .NET
Answers to Frequently-Asked Questions

On this page, we've tried to anticipate your questions and give you good answers that will help you understand TCS .NET more completely.  Please read on for these answers:

Q: Is my data safe?
A: Yes.  Our web servers are in a state-of-the-art data center, complete with redundant systems, daily backups and secured premises.

Q: Can other people see or change my Private Data?
A: No.  The only things shared are animal name, breed, gender, color, primary registration, dates of birth and death, and owner.  Your private comments and all history (eg medical, heats, litters, etc.) are hidden from view of all people but you.  If you entered the animal, nobody but you or a Breed Co-Ordinator may change its information.

Q: What is a Breed Co-Ordinator?
A: A Breed Co-Ordinator is a person, well-versed in his or her breed, who has taken responsibility to keep that breed's records accurate.  BC's are usually our customers who have volunteered to this task in exchange for free usage of the program.  Each breed has only one co-ordinator.

Q: Can I contact my Breed's Co-Ordinator in order to discuss something inaccurate I've found in TCS .NET?
A: Yes.  There is a "Contact Co-Ordinator" button on the Animal Information window.  This sends an email message to the co-ordinator and to our database management department.

Q: What if I need records for more than one breed?  Is that an extra cost?
A: No.  You can store as many breeds as you desire in TCS .NET, and access the libraries for them all, at no extra charge .

Q: How often are your breed libraries updated?
A: Continuously as our customers add and change records in the database - Instantly!  We also import the data from other places, such as the OFA database.

Q: Will you sell a copy of a breed's database to me so I can use it on my PC program?
A: Sorry, we will not.  Although the data is uncopyrightable fact, we don't sell the data since we did not gather all of it ourselves.

Q: How do I add a dog in your database as an ancestor of one of my dogs?
A: Simply use the look up window to locate the Sire or Dam.  You will get all records for your breed.

Q: How many servers are used to run TCS .NET?  What are their exact configurations?  What security protocols do you have in place?
A: At this time there are 11 servers that make TCS .NET happen.  We will not disclose their security configurations or additional security hardware in order to protect the integrity of the program.  We will say that we use Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and Advanced Servers, with all security patches applied.

Q: If I have an older version of The Cattery's Standard, Can I get my data into TCS .NET?
A: Certainly.  We have a dedicated import server running 24 x 7 to process import orders as they are received.

Q: How many of your huge database are of my breed?
A: See for yourself by clicking here for the latest counts updated in real time.  We easily have the largest database available anywhere.

Q: What do I need to run TCS .NET on my Macintosh?
A: You've got it now!  All you need is a web browser that uses cookies, Javascript and Adobe Acrobat!  See a Macintosh-based features tour by clicking here.

Q: Are you dropping your other Windows-Compatible programs?
A: No.  Our Windows programs remain for sale and are fully covered by support.  We are not dropping anything from our product lineup.

Q: I have Pedcasso™ and I want to put my custom layouts into TCS .NET.  Can you do that?
A: Yes.  Right now Product Support needs to add it to your profile.  However, in early 2007, Pedcasso .NET will release and you will be able to do it all directly.

Q: Does TCS .NET make NETigree® pedigrees?
A: Not yet.  We hope to have NETigree® .NET finalized and available as an option soon.

Q: If my friend has a database from another pedigree program, can I import it here?
A: Yes, if the program supports our BXF™ data import/export language.  If not, we have programs that can convert almost anything into BXF, free of charge.

Q: What if I am a linechaser?  Can I share data with my friends?
A: Absolutely!  Any TCS .NET user can permit any number of other TCS .NET users to access his or her database.  You can also drop that permission at any time with immediate effect.

Q: How do I restore from your backups if my PC crashes?
A: You don't need to.  We store nothing on your PC.  It's all here in a secured environment.  You can use any PC as a backup and continue work with no need for recovery

Q: How do I move my data back and forth between my laptop and my work PC and my home PC?
A:  You don't!  Use any one to get to TCS .NET at any time, and always have the latest data where you're at.

Q: What happens if your server crashes?
A: Everything has a backup.  Every server has more than one CPU, RAID fault-tolerant disk arrays and multiple network connections.  The critical ones even have multiple power supplies!  So a crash is highly unlikely.  But, let's say that we have a crashed server.  We have hot "buddy" servers ready to pick up, usually without you even noticing.

Q: Won't it be slow, since we share servers over the Internet? Won't the servers become swamped or the Internet connection clogged?
A: We have our database on a huge 4-processor server with gigabytes of RAM, and we have multiple servers, each with multiple CPU's and network links, to handle that.  Our new hosting center meets the Net with multiple T-3 connections with failover.  We personally have counted a capacity of over 1100 transactions per second on Internet-hosted stress tests.  In English, we can have 20,000 people on at the same time and offer lightning fast response time.  This web page is part of TCS .NET and has programming in it to fetch the latest animal count.  Was this page fast? That is how fast TCS .NET usually is.

It is true that people with DSL, wireless, cable modem or commercial-grade connectivity will experience speedier access.  As these technologies become pervasive, TCS .NET will usually outperform many Windows programs!

Q: What will upgrades cost?  How often will you upgrade?
A: Your upgrades are included in your price.  So they are no-charge!  Upgrades will be "slipstreamed" into TCS .NET as we develop them.  Many will be free upgrades, but we reserve the right to make major new feature sets into options.  However, nothing that is included today will ever be an option in the future.

Q: Will you have group discounts?
A: Yes, for clubs and linechasers, or any other group of 5 or more people signing up at once.  Contact our main office at 800-746-9364 (815-806-2130 outside USA) and Press 1 for Sales and Customer Service.  We'll get you a discount plan.

Click the icon above to immediately sign up for TBS .NET!

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