Cloud System Overview

Remote Sampler at its simplest level is a remote data capture application that gathers information collected on tablet devices by users in the field and stores it in a laboratory instrument management system (LIMS). It can also be used to send information that is present in LIMS out to users in the field.

The figure above shows each of the main components that form the Remote Sampler system and where they reside in terms of corporate infrastructure. This particular diagram outlines the setup of a standard cloud-based hosted Remote Sampler implementation.

The Corporate Network

LIMS Adaptor Service

The LIMS adaptor service is the only component of the Remote Sampler system that needs to be installed on customer infrastructure. This component is a standard Windows service that controls all bi-directional communications between the cloud Remote Sampler system and external data systems (e.g. a LIMS).

The service is usually installed and configured by a member of the Remote Sampler team. The service creates an outbound connection with the cloud system and all communications are secured over HTTPS.

Hosted in the Cloud

The hosted part of the Remote Sampler cloud system resides on our Amazon Web Services infrastructure. Each Remote Sampler implementation is a fully separate stack of AWS resources. We do not use any form of multi-tenanted architecture to ensure full data separation for each client.

Remote Sampler Web Interface

All data that passes in and out of the Remote Sampler cloud system does through across our secure RESTful WebAPI that sits behind an elastic load balancer. All communications with the API from either the mobile devices in the field of from the LIMS adaptor service are fully secured via HTTPS.

Labcache Database

Remote Sampler stores all information that it processes securely using a SQL Server database operating on Amazon RDS. Remote Sampler is often capable of storing a wider range of job data than the external systems to which it often exports data so this database may contain a more comprehensive set of data about sample collection activities that other customer systems. This database is not externally accessible other than through the reporting tools offered by Remote Sampler and all data is backed up daily.

Out in the Field

Remote Sampler Device Client

The Remote Sampler Device Client is a fully cross-platform mobile app that supports iOS, Android and Windows UWP devices. The app can be deployed using either the standard app stores or using custom app portals where available on customer sites.