A connection to the cloud can be interrupted while a store is still trading. What happens at checkout then depends on where the POS software runs, which data is available in the store and what the connected services require.
Hybrid POS deployment addresses this by combining cloud services with POS execution at the edge. With ViKING POS, it allows retailers to keep the functions and data needed for offline checkout in the store while running other services in the cloud.
What runs where?
In a hybrid setup, the work is divided between cloud and store infrastructure:
In the cloud
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Central Services and Store Services can run in the cloud. |
At the edge
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ViKING POS runs in the store, together with the data needed to support offline checkout. |
Store Services can also run at the edge, depending on the setup.
If connectivity to cloud services is interrupted, the POS can continue the checkout functions supported by its offline setup. Payments, loyalty and other integrations may have separate connectivity requirements, so these dependencies also need to be considered.
Store Management can also run at the edge with offline support. The decision therefore extends beyond checkout to the tools employees use in daily store operations.
How containerization supports deployment
Running software across multiple stores also means distributing versions and maintaining the POS environment consistently.
Containerization packages ViKING POS and its dependencies into a well-defined deployment unit. This provides a standardized basis for delivering and maintaining the solution across stores.
Offline operation and containerization
Offline operation: POS execution at the edge and the required local data support offline checkout.
Containerization: Packages the software and its dependencies for consistent deployment and maintenance across stores.
Placement and operations are separate decisions
POS running in the store can still be supported centrally. Fiftytwo provides services for edge POS, including deployment, software updates and support. ViKING POS is also offered as cloud SaaS, hosted by Fiftytwo.
The service arrangement defines which responsibilities Fiftytwo handles and which the retailer retains, including store hardware and tasks that require someone on site. This allows retailers to run POS at the edge with Fiftytwo as their service partner, without needing an IT team in every store.
When does hybrid fit?
Hybrid deployment is relevant when a retailer wants centrally hosted services alongside offline capability in its stores. ViKING POS is also available as a cloud-based solution, reducing the POS infrastructure needed at each location.
The choice belongs to the retailer and starts with its operating requirements: connectivity, integrations, offline needs and IT resources. Assessing those requirements with Fiftytwo establishes both where the software should run and how it should be maintained.
