Overview

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS is a Visual SourceSafe remote access solution. As an add-on tool of SourceSafe, Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS provides fast, reliable and secure remote access for users of SourceSafe 6.0 and SourceSafe 2005.

• High performance SourceSafe remote/internet access
• Cache server for your geographically distributed teams
• Java Client for cross platform
• 128-bit SSL and Blowfish encryption
• Password policy to protect your password
• Eclipse plug-in
• Visual Studio plug-in
• Macromedia Dreamweaver and Flash plug-in
• Delta transfer technology for high performance
• Ant Plug-in and CruiseControl.NET Plug-in
• Java SDK and COM SDK

For more details about the features of Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS, please refer to the Features and Benefits page.

Client-Server Architecture with Caching

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS is a client/server application. It consists of a Server, Cache Server (optional) and several types of Client. They communicate over any standard TCP/IP connection, including a PPP connection over a modem, an ISDN line, or an Ethernet connection on the same LAN as the Server. Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS does not require Windows Remote Access Service (RAS). The architecture of Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS is illustrated as below:

The client-server architecture eliminates many problems of Visual SourceSafe, which is file-system based, in remote access. For VSS, to share VSS documents, you have to share the whole VSS database folder, even if you only wish to share a single file in the database. Sharing the database folders exposes your valuable data totally to the outside, which may potentially cause the data to be copied or damaged. Especially in remote access, it is almost unconceivable. Also, accessing the file system in a remote environment is very slow.

In Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS, the VSS database folder is only exposed to the Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Server. The client sends requests to the server and gets results back. The security and performance are greatly improved.

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS 5 introduces a Cache Server for distributed developments.

Cache Server

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Cache Server is specifically designed for geographically distributed teams. Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Cache Server caches the files when they are transferred through it. When client needs to get or check out a file from remote server, if the file is cached in Cache Server, Cache Server transfers the file to client directly, without relaying the file transfer request on to remote Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS server. This way, the number of files to be transferred over internet is significantly reduced, and the remote access performance is greatly improved.

For more information about Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Cache Server, please refer to the Cache Server page.

Client

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Client includes the following types: Windows GUI Client, Windows Command Line Client, Java GUI Client, Java Command Line Client and IDE Client.

The Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Windows GUI Client is a GUI application that resembles the SourceSafe Explorer user interface very much. SourceSafe users should find Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Client familiar and easy to use. Users can perform most SourceSafe operations in a similar fashion. For details about other types of Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Client, please refer to the Client section.

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Client can connect to any Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Server or Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS Cache Server by simply specifying the location of that server (a host name or IP address, and a port number).

Server

Dynamsoft SourceAnywhere for VSS server is installed on the machine with access to the file system on which the SourceSafe (VSS) database resides. Once installed there, the Server provides access to SourceSafe operations to Clients that connect to Server using any standard TCP/IP connection.

The server is installed as a system service, hence the server can be installed on any windows platforms which support service, such as Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003. It runs in the background with no user interface of any kind. Configuration of the Server is accomplished through the Server Manager utility.