Access your copy of Optuma from any computer using a cloud-based PC - a great option for Mac users or for clients working behind corporate firewalls.
Are you finding that your PC is having trouble keeping up with Optuma? Do you run a Mac and are you getting frustrated with Windows in Parallels or VM Fusion? Would you like to keep your Optuma installation completely separate and in a secure location which you can access anytime? Would you love to be able to access your Optuma PC from anywhere, anytime? Then you need to consider looking at a virtual PC for Optuma.
Installing Optuma on a virtual Windows PC allows you to access your copy of Optuma from any device, which is a great solution if you are dealing with any of the issues above. If you work in a firm with a strict IT policy then you could be prevented from installing Optuma at all, this solution will allow you to use it via a website instead of installing it locally. Additionally, if you run large scans or backtests your computer will no longer be doing the work: all the processing will be done by the virtual machine, freeing up your computer’s resources for other tasks.
One service we’ve been using is called Paperspace. The Windows Paperspace computer is still a computer, it’s just that it is virtual. It looks and feels exactly like a standard Windows PC, because it is a standard Windows PC. When you log in you see the Windows desktop and all the icons just like your own computer. As such, you can install any Windows-based software on to the virtual machine, and access it from any computer in the world via their website or app.
Note: we aren’t affiliated with Paperspace in any way - we just think it could be a great solution for many of our clients.
For example, you can log in to Optuma via the Paperspace website on your work computer and update your Optuma charts, and then log in from home later on your Mac. Your work will be just as you left it in the office, because essentially you are working on the same Windows computer, just accessing from a different device and location.
There are four versions of virtual machines, depending on your requirements. I’ve been using the Air version for basic charting and scanning and it works really well (when I have my local Optuma open beside my Paperspace version, it’s hard to tell the difference). You can pay per hour or per month depending on usage, and you can always upgrade your virtual machine if required. Paperspace hourly Core Virtual Server pricing as at March 2023:
Paperpace Core Pricing as at March 2023
You can contact Paperspace to create an account (ask for a Standard GPU Desktop), and once set up you can log in via their website, or install their app. Once logged in, install Optuma by opening a web browser in the virtual machine and log in to your account page to save and run the setup file. Once installed, if you are a new client simply run Optuma and log in with the details provided and you’re in business. Existing clients may want to follow the steps below to move their existing work from their local computer to the VM.
By default, your Optuma work is stored on your computer’s C: drive in the Documents/Optuma folder, so there are two ways to copy your files across:
Once the files have been copied to the virtual machine, log in to Optuma. If the files have been moved correctly then the username and password fields of the login screen will be populated - if they aren’t then check that the files are in the Documents/Optuma folder.
When you log in you will be prompted to download the historical data for the exchanges enabled on your account, and once that has completed all your work should be available just as on your local computer. Also, if you use any realtime data providers that require other software to be installed (eg IQFeed, Interactive Brokers) then you will need to install that as well.
As always, if you have any questions please contact us.
In this week’s blog article Matthew Humphreys discusses the do's and don'ts when using Optuma with the cloud.
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