Understand the server and client relationship

While you can install and use FH Mobile Response without setting up an FH Mobile Response server, many features such as dispatching, shared routing information, shared incident data, instant messaging, and email are then not available. These features require a FH Mobile Response server acting as a central point for the information.

When configuring your FH Mobile Response environment, you need to install FH Mobile Response locally on a computer already using FH and communicating with the FH database. Depending on whether you are using FH Standard or FH Enterprise, the FH database is located either on the same computer as the FH application, or in a SQL Server database. You will use this installation of FH Mobile Response to geocode addresses in the FH database.

Note: For the diagram below, the FH database exists on an independent SQL Server computer.

You will also set up an independent FH Mobile Response server, which does not communicate with the FH database. The FH Mobile Response server communicates solely with the FH Mobile Response client computers, providing dispatch and routing information, automatic vehicle locations (AVL) for your fleet, incident data, instant messages, email messages, and more between the individual client computers.

Finally, you will install FH Mobile Response on the individual mobile computers, which will be client computers to the FH Mobile Response server. The client computers also communicate with the SQL Server database, to obtain occupancy and hydrant location information, incident information, and more.