FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
| QUESTION | ANSWER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How does SaaS work with E*JUSTICE SYSTEMS? | The E*JUSTICE SYSTEMS application is
hosted on CrimeCog Technologies' (CrimeCog) secure servers.
Users connect
from their desktops over the Internet or via a private network.
CrimeCog takes the technology hassles away without compromising performance or reliability. It looks and functions just as if it were locally hosted on your computer system without all the associated costs and overhead: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There are no software purchasing costs. No licensing fees. No maintenance costs. After setup you only pay a monthly subscription fee. And that fee is affordable for small to mid-size law enforcement agencies because the fee is based on the population of the jurisdiction you serve. You have probably always wished that your organization could afford the same high-tech, streamlined systems that the big agencies use, and now you can with CrimeCog's E*JUSTICE SYSTEMS. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where do we start? | The CrimeCog solution is VERY flexible in allowing customers
to start small or go big depending on their needs. Start with just
the modules, users, and functions that are ready to be automated.
Purchase each subscription you need as you need them! Customers only
pay for what they use. No over-spending. If there are cutbacks you
are able to reduce your expenditures along with the headcount. Customers don’t have to buy a BIG SYSTEM to run the whole department because they are not buying a hardware and software package. Customers purchase membership subscriptions on the CrimeCog solution. Each organization owns and controls their database. Whether purchasing one user subscription or 200, each user has the fast, reliable resources needed to run their Integrated Justice Information System. Customers can start with one module or any combination of modules, and “turn on” more modules when they are ready for the added functionality. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If we have problems operating the system, how do we get help? | Your CrimeCog subscription includes a toll-free telephone assistance line for support. CrimeCog support personnel provide direct assistance to your users. Users of the system can even permit our support personnel to virtually “look over their shoulder” (by shadowing their sessions) to SEE exactly what they are seeing and diagnose the problems and assist them in effectively using the service. CrimeCog personnel are there “in the car” or “at the desk” of your users... no matter where they happen to be physically located. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How will our people get trained on the new system? | Our expert trainers will work with your staff to train the users and we will stick around and help after the system is implemented. We will provide support and training for your users to help them maximize the value of the information in the system. Our mission is to help criminal justice professionals share information more effectively to put the “bad guys” where they belong. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will my printers and other devices work with CrimeCog? | Yes. Your printers, scanners, cameras, and other network devices will continue to function; preserving your previous investments. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How reliable is my data access? What if my Internet connection fails? |
CrimeCog technical specialists will work with you to implement
the most reliable Internet connection that fits your budget.
Typically, we recommend a redundant connection with multiple
architectures (i.e. cable, wireless, RF, land line) so that you have
the greatest reliability and fault tolerance. Since the bandwidth
requirements are very low at your site, the costs are very
affordable.
CrimeCog also utilizes state-of-the-art data centers thereby ensuring data integrity and security. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Who owns the information stored on CrimeCog's servers? | You do. CrimeCog never takes ownership of your data. CrimeCog also guarantees never to sell your information or make it public without your specific permission. You may choose to sell the information and CrimeCog will help you implement the required interface. CrimeCog is not responsible for the content and we do not access your data without your specific permission. YOU own and maintain your data. We just make it easy for you to collect, use, and share it with whomever you designate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How safe is my information? | CrimeCog provides state-of-the art physical
and electronic security measures, and we utilize industry standard
BEST PRACTICES available for securing and distributing your
information. Not only is your data always safe in our high security
data centers, our security-focused system architecture ensures that
your data is safe from physical damage to the computers as well as
protected in our virtual disaster recovery environment. As a by-product of our thin-client deployment, your raw data is never physically transferred to your client computers, so there is no way for someone to steal a laptop and take your data. We also utilize state of the art encryption, identity verification, and non-repudiation techniques which provide a very secure overall system environment. If you have security concerns, we can set up a full security review for you and your staff to fully address those concerns. Our delivery model ensures data security because only pictures of your data are transferred between the server and user workstations. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What happens to our data if, for any reason, we decide to stop using CrimeCog? | CrimeCog will provide a full database export to you upon termination of our agreement. If you wish, we can also arrange for you to get periodic (point in time) snapshots (backups) of your data or we can even replicate your data to a server located in your facility. Each of these options has a cost and performance effect, however, we are certain CrimeCog can design and implement your data continuity plan in a cost-effective manner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What kind of computer equipment do I need? | All you'll need is a computer with the ability to run a web browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape), which is also attached to the Internet, a private network or a VPN, for each person logged into the system. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How fast does my Internet connection need to be? | Even though our system is usable when accessed at speeds as slow as 14.4k, to run optimally we recommend a minimum of a 56kbps connection speed which allows users to quickly access images and perform other high-volume system functions. This is made possible because we use a THIN CLIENT connection and your data resides at the SaaS server, not on your workstation. Using our exclusive CrimeCog delivery model, only "pictures of your data" are transmitted to the client workstation resulting in higher speed and security across lower bandwidth connections. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is meant by a "named user subscription"? | CrimeCog does not license software; we charge a monthly subscription for each individual system user, much as a cell phone company does. You only purchase the number of users who need access to the system. Each user has a separate login and password for security and auditability. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How do I receive E*Justice upgrades or hardware upgrades when required? | When CrimeCog releases a new versions of E*JUSTICE SYSTEMS, we install the new version on our test server and coordinate the migrations with each customer. In some cases, you may request additional training to cover the major system changes. Maintenance releases and bug patches are installed after a comprehensive testing period. CrimeCog is fully responsible for all of our hardware maintenance and performance. Most customers never realize that upgrades have been installed until CrimeCog tells them! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What type of technical staff do I need to operate E*Justice with CrimeCog? | The level of local support you need varies with the size of your organization and the number of departments using the system, but generally you will need one person designated as the System Administrator. The duties of the System Administrator include; maintaining user accounts and security levels, changing system behavior settings, running special ad-hoc queries for users, working with CrimeCog to troubleshoot issues, and working with users to ensure proper system usage, data accuracy, and process adherence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will we be able to keep our existing data with the new system? | Yes, CrimeCog can convert most existing system data into E*Justice so your existing and new records will be searchable in one place. The specific data migration plans are addressed as part of the system implementation plan. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Do I need to license expensive hardware or software? | No, all software and hardware expenses are included with your monthly user fee. You pay nothing extra for software licensing, hardware or maintenance. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Our budget is tight. Are there any other expenses I need to plan for? How does it compare to operating our database on our own server? |
Since you are sharing the costs of the infrastructure (hardware, software, support expertise, and personnel) with other users of this service, the costs are greatly reduced. As your staff increases or decreases so do your monthly expenses. If you have to reduce headcount your computer expenses go down, too! In addition you are not required to purchase capital equipment and justify a major expenditure to a budgeting committee. Your monthly subscription fees generally come out of operating expenses, and CrimeCog does not require a long-term commitment from your agency. If CrimeCog fails to meet your expectations, you can terminate your subscription at any time, making this a low-risk decision. The following table compares costs of a traditional client-server implementation to our CrimeCog deployment:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How can we connect to other agencies to get Warrant, Name, and other criminal justice information? | The CrimeCog
solution connects your agency to
other local, state, and federal agencies, sharing the
information needed to locate, arrest, and adjudicate
suspects including Warrants, Jail Bookings, Master Names,
Search Arrests/Incidents/Field Interviews, Court
Cases/Convictions, and Caution Alerts. This optional service
is priced separately and may become part of your
original contract with CrimeCog. back to top |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WHAT IS SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SaaS)?
SaaS is a low-cost, high-speed
method for software users to obtain the same benefits of
commercially licensed, internally operated software without the
complexity and high costs associated with software
deployment. Developed specifically to leverage web
technologies, SaaS enables customers to access applications
remotely via the Web.