The instructions below are from A1’s own setup articles, explaining how to use the A1Comm program to improve speed on a large network. I’m reposting them here to give you an idea of the kind of headache can be involved in setting up and maintaining a system like this.
1. First, make sure you have the latest version of A1Law (click Help, check for web updates).
2. Have everyone exit A1Law and it's a good idea to consider reindexing by clicking Start, Programs, A1Law, Reindex. You may select the Fast Reindex option.
3. Copy the A1Comm.exe program from the a1law\extras folder into the A1Law folder.
4. You will need to run the A1Comm program 24 hours a day. It MUST be running on one computer only (preferably the file server). All computers must have TCP/IP enabled (which is a default these days). When workstations connect to the A1Comm program, you may need to allow access (to the trusted zone on your local area network) if your firewall (ie: ZoneAlarm, Norton, etc) displays a message.
5. Create a shortcut on the desktop to the A1Comm program. Run the program and click the Options button and check the box Enable A1Law for use with A1Comm. Click Save.
6. Click the Listen button. A1Comm should now be ready to accept connections.
7. Have everyone sign out of A1Law. Go into A1Law and click Tools, System, Configure System Defaults, A1Comm Settings and check the box Use the A1Comm Server. All the other defaults should be fine.
8. Sign out of A1Law and back in to test it. Send yourself or someone else an instant message. It should appear immediately with A1Comm running (rather than the slight delay without it).
9. Once you have verified it is working properly, consider changing the Target in the A1Comm shortcut on the desktop as follows: path\A1Comm.exe START MINIMIZE
The Start parameter forces A1Comm to start automatically and MINIMIZE will minimize the program. This will allow you to put A1Comm in the Startup folder so that when the server is restarted, A1Comm will run automatically. Otherwise, if A1Comm is not running, users will get errors when trying to run A1Law.
10. Any workstation can always test to be sure it's connected to A1Comm by sending itself an instant message.
If you can even decipher what’s going on in that article, the amount of work involved is staggering. So much of that process could, and should, be automated. Kicking everyone off the system twice for one setup (or perhaps they only needed to be kicked off once, and the instructions are just poorly written?)—ugh. And there’s so much more where that came from—if you want to, you can read the articles for Backup Critical Files, Envelope Tray Override, External Calendars, Group Policies, Form letters - Changing Margins in A1-Law, Mass Mailing Labels For letters To Clients, Mass Mailing - Form Letters To All Clients...etc. Most are just as convoluted.
Really, technology has come pretty far in the last twenty years. It doesn't have to be this hard.
