PC Reservation is unique because it links directly to ILS borrower databases, LDAP, or other sources for validation instead of creating and using secondary patron databases (although a secondary or separate database is an option).
No separate database to manage - no special patron management software to learn.
PC Reservation auto discovers components and supports DHCP for Clients. 
It practically configures itself.
Distributed processing means that Clients can operate stand-alone* or connected to a Management Console. Each branch can operate independently. (Don't let the competition lead you astray, we don't require dedicated hardware at the branches.) There is no single point of failure in a branch or in a system.
PC Reservation operates at the same speed whether serving a library with 5 computers or 5,000 computers, and it's impossible to experience an outage beyond the limits of a single building.
While EnvisionWare was founded to serve the needs of small to midsized libraries, the architecture has been remarkably well suited to large systems. Performance is unmatched, which is why EnvisionWare services many of the largest libraries in the United States. The same software provides the same features to the smallest libraries because of our scaled pricing structure.
All time management products require some form of Client component and PC Reservation is no exception. In the case of PC Reservation, the Client is intelligent enough to operate independently in case of a network failure and it also performs all of its timing functions to maintain efficient network bandwidth. EnvisionWare Clients auto-update when new versions are posted by the system administrator. PC Reservation client configurations are centrally managed from the Management Console.
No local configurations to update or maintain.
* To support the potential for a network or PC outage, Clients fall back to a stand-alone mode and will continue to function in a special standby mode until the connection to the branch Management Console is restored.
For the most part, 3rd party vendors like EnvisionWare depend on SIP/SIP2 as the method of connecting to an ILS borrower database. SIP provides validation of barcode, fine and other patron status but the SIP "standard" does not provide for patron type, age, and other information that is required for a time and access management system.
Other companies chose to develop separate patron databases, some of which would synchronize with the ILS via SIP so that added fields could be manually maintained for age, group, patron type, Internet Filtering, and other criteria. EnvisionWare's approach was different because our distribution model is different. We provide products through regional resellers and we also market through major ILS vendors. As such, we have a direct channel to ILS developers. So we asked the ILS vendors if they would agree to customize SIP by adding age, patron type, and some other information to their standard SIP messages. Nearly everyone agreed. Since it's not standard, all the interfaces are different but we worked with each vendor to certify and test our interface for the enhanced data. The result is that we uniquely connect DIRECTLY to the ILS patron database without an intermediary patron database. No secondary database means less maintenance, lower cost, and reduced concerns over patron privacy. Is it an extra burden on your ILS server? No. A SIP validation transaction is less work than an OPAC lookup.
The net result is a much higher degree of reliability, the absence of yet another server to maintain, and slightly better cost than some of our competition. Of course the performance is better too because we are connecting directly to the ILS.
If you want a server you can have a server. EnvisionWare is committed to customer choice, so our architecture provides lots of options for customers. Our SQL database which runs on Windows, Linux, UNIX, Solaris, and other platforms, is an option that can be used to centrally store statistics and to enforce global policies among other services. What's interesting is that it can work passively so that a network communication failure to the server has absolutely no impact on the operation of your enterprise network operation.
When you run the PC Reservation Client Windows installer, the Client automatically discovers the Management Console in the branch and reports its IP address and computer name. The system administrator (locally or centrally) can then automatically configure the Client with a friendly name. If the IP address changes the system handles it automatically. (Note: The Management Console is a reference or circ PC in most libraries.)
On a LAN with multiple subnets, auto discover will not work due to inherent routing constraints. In this case the Client will not "see" the Management Console and will ask for an IP address of the console. The administrator needs only enter the IP address one time and the multiple subnets are handled from that point hence.
Reservation Stations and Staff Consoles work the same way, automatically configuring themselves at startup.
More information is available from an EnvisionWare reseller or from one of our Regional offices.
