Managing multiple Mirth Connect servers can sometimes be a headache. Administrator Launcher is an application that allows us to manage multiple Mirth Connect connections from a single place.

This application stores the connection information of the servers we need to access and provides several advantages for using and launching the Mirth Connect Administrator.

But, before we continue, let’s remember what the Administrator is.

The Mirth Connect Administrator #

You probably already know that the Administrator is the application used to manage Mirth Connect.

The usual way to open it is to download its launcher with a web browser, accessing the server where Mirth Connect is installed. However, this can change forever with the new Administrator Launcher.

You can learn more with our article about the Mirth Connect Administrator.

Administrator Launcher to the Rescue #

The Administrator Launcher is installed on our local machine, stores the connection information, and allows remotely launching the Administrator.

Moreover, it includes its own Java virtual machine, so it’s not necessary to have Java installed on our machine. But, in any case, it lets us choose which Java version we want to use to launch the Administrators of each Mirth Connect installation.

Additionally, it is compatible with Mirth Connect from version 2.0. So it will work with practically all current installations.

Advantages of the Administrator Launcher #

We’ve mentioned some features of the Administrator Launcher that make it an interesting tool, but there are two situations where this application really stands out.

If We Manage Many Servers #

It’s common to work with several Mirth Connect servers, whether they belong to our organization or our clients. We can create shortcuts to the launchers to access their Administrators. The problem is that, when managing many installations, we also end up with many launchers and shortcuts. This can be confusing because:

• Each server has its own configuration and Mirth Connect version.
• We end up having a bunch of icons to access the different servers.
• Making a mistake in choosing the right Administrator can have catastrophic consequences! It’s not the same to stop a key channel in a test server as in a production one.

This situation improves significantly by using the Administrator Launcher because it allows us to save the configuration of all servers and launch their Administrators from one place. And so, we can forget about having a cluttered desktop full of shortcuts and their problems.

This is already a great advantage, but the Administrator Launcher also avoids a serious compatibility problem with Java 11.

The Administrator and Java 11 and later #

Java Web Start is a Java feature that allows running an application from a web page. It has been around since Java 5, but was removed in Java 11. This can be a problem, as Mirth Connect uses Java Web Start to launch its Administrator.

Fortunately, the Administrator Launcher solves this problem because it allows launching the Administrator without depending on Java Web Start. This is one of the most important reasons for developing this new tool.

Also, keep in mind that Mirth Connect 3.7 will be the first version compatible with Java 11 and, therefore, the first to face this difficulty when used with Java 11 or later. The Administrator Launcher will be very helpful in this situation.

To learn more: Java 11 and Mirth Connect: what should we do?

Conclusions #

Administrator Launcher is a free tool that makes it easier to manage multiple Mirth Connect servers and remotely launch Administrators from one place. Moreover, it doesn’t require Java to be installed and solves the problem of depending on Java Web Start in environments with Java 11.

Therefore, we think it’s a great initiative and hope that it will soon continue its development with new versions and features.

If you found this article interesting, you might want to:

• Learn more about the Mirth Connect Administrator.
• Go to the Administrator Launcher download page.