Please can on premises DHIS2 Server use mobile app for data collection, just like how the cloud hosted server does

Hello DHIS2 Community,

I’m in the process of setting up a DHIS2 instance, and I’m interested in understanding the different hosting server options available. Specifically, I’d like to know about the eligibility criteria for each type of hosting server and their compatibility with mobile applications.

  1. What are the various hosting server types commonly used for DHIS2?
  2. What factors should I consider when determining the eligibility of a hosting server type for my organization’s needs?
  3. How compatible are these hosting server types with DHIS2 mobile applications for data collection and access in the field?

Your insights and experiences would be greatly appreciated as I make decisions regarding our DHIS2 hosting. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Hello @davidakanji ,

I will just reply to your point 3 as there are other experts or experienced users that could help you with this better than me.

The Android application is not impacted at all by the server you choose (cloud or permises) as the only thing needed is for the server to be reachable and a username/password. And the good thing about the App is that it can opperate offline if a frist sync has been performed. Therefore, if you would opt for a on-premises server where all your desktop users will work in a local network (LAN) you will need to decided if you want this server to be reached from the outside (so Android phones can sync while doing their work) which will imply probably performing some changes at your network configuration (firewall rules, etc). If you would opt for keep it closed and only accessible from within the LAN your Android users will need to be on that LAN (probably physically unless you decided to make a more complex set up which could involve a VPN) to do their work, meaning that in order to download and upload data to the server they would need to be on your office(s).

Also, it is important to note that despite choosing a on-premises or on-cloud approach, it is highly recommeded to have HTTPS configured. In on-cloud services this is the standard but on-permises might imply a bit more complex configuration in terms of certificates.

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