Managing Director is based upon the Helix® database engine published by QSA ToolWorks, L.L.C.. This underlying technology allows Managing Director to run as an application on a single computer for a single user, or under a true client-server architecture supporting many simultaneous users.
When used in multi-user mode, a computer may be dedicated as a compute server which runs the Helix Server application and stores the collection of data entered into Managing Director. It is possible to run the Helix Server application in the background on a computer also being used as a user workstation if sufficient RAM is available. Dedicating a computer as a compute server is most recommendable to enhance performance and reliability where many client workstations will simultaneously access the server.
Helix Client applications running on client workstations with access to the network send data to and request data from the Helix Server application running on the server. The server manipulates all data locally, and sends only those data to the client applications necessary for display in the currently open and visible windows. The client applications handle all display and entry functions.