Frequently Asked Questions

Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) is simply a virtual server running in the cloud. Think of it as a computer that runs your library system, but instead of sitting in your building, it runs in Amazon's data center.

Why it matters: You can choose the size (power) of your server based on your needs and change it anytime. You only pay for what you use.

Application Load Balancer (ALB) is like a traffic director for your library system. When multiple servers are running (in Enterprise tier), the ALB automatically sends visitors to the server that's least busy.

Why it matters: If one server has problems, the ALB instantly redirects visitors to a healthy server. Your patrons never notice the problem—the library website just keeps working.

Auto Scaling automatically adds or removes servers based on how busy your library system is. During peak times (like course registration or summer reading program sign-ups), it adds more servers. During quiet times (like 3am), it removes them.

Why it matters: You get fast performance when you need it, but you don't pay for idle servers sitting around doing nothing. It's like having temporary staff who only work during your busiest hours.

Multi-AZ means your library system runs in multiple physical data centers at the same time. If one data center has a power failure, fire, or natural disaster, your system instantly switches to the other data center.

Why it matters: Your library stays online even during major disasters. Academic libraries serving 24/7 online students or public libraries with critical services can't afford downtime—Multi-AZ prevents it.

Amazon Aurora is a high-performance managed database that stores your library catalog, patron records, and circulation data. It's designed to be 5× faster than standard databases and automatically backs itself up continuously.

Why it matters: Faster searches, faster checkouts, and automatic protection against data loss. If you accidentally delete something, Aurora can restore to any moment in the past 35 days.

Amazon EFS is shared storage that all your servers can access at the same time. It stores things like book cover images, patron uploads, and reports.

Why it matters: When Auto Scaling adds a new server, it instantly has access to all your book covers and files. Everything stays synchronized automatically across all servers.

CloudFormation is automation that builds your entire library infrastructure with one click. Instead of manually configuring dozens of settings, CloudFormation does everything automatically in about 5-15 minutes.

Why it matters: You don't need technical expertise to launch Koha on AWS. CloudFormation handles all the complex setup work for you.

99.99% uptime means your library system is designed to be unavailable for no more than 52 minutes per year. That's less than 1 hour of downtime annually.

Why it matters: For comparison, most on-premise servers have 99.9% uptime (8 hours downtime/year) or worse. Enterprise tier with Multi-AZ achieves 99.99% because if one data center fails, another takes over instantly.

Koha is a full-featured, open-source Integrated Library System (ILS) used by thousands of libraries worldwide. Originally developed in 1999 in New Zealand, Koha is now the most widely-adopted open-source library system globally, trusted by public, academic, school, and special libraries.

Key capabilities:

• Complete ILS functionality: Cataloging, circulation, acquisitions, serials management, and patron management
• Web-based interface: Staff and patron interfaces accessible from any modern browser
• Standards-compliant: Full MARC21, UNIMARC support, Z39.50, SIP2, OAI-PMH integration
• Multi-tenant support: Manage multiple libraries or branches from one system
• Extensive reporting: Built-in reports plus custom SQL reporting capabilities

Open-source advantages:

• No vendor lock-in: You own your data and can export it anytime in standard formats. No proprietary database structures.
• No licensing fees: Koha is free software (GPL license). You never pay per-user, per-branch, or per-module fees.
• Community-driven development: Features are built based on actual library needs, not corporate profit targets.
• Full customization: Access to complete source code means you can modify anything to fit your workflows.
• Active ecosystem: Thousands of developers and libraries contribute improvements, plugins, and documentation.
• Standards compliance: Because it's open, Koha strictly follows library standards (MARC, Z39.50, etc.) rather than proprietary formats.

Koha includes professional-grade cataloging tools used by major research libraries:

• MARC21 and UNIMARC: Full support for all MARC fields and indicators with customizable frameworks
• Z39.50/SRU client: Copy cataloging from Library of Congress, OCLC, and other sources directly into Koha
• Authority control: Manage authorized headings for names, subjects, and series with automatic linking
• Item-level cataloging: Track individual copies with barcodes, call numbers, locations, and statuses
• Batch operations: Import, export, and modify thousands of records at once using MARC import/export tools
• Duplicate detection: Automatic detection of duplicate records during import or manual cataloging
• Holdings integration: Manage serials holdings and check-in with full MARC21 holdings support

Koha's circulation module handles all lending activities with flexible business rules:

• Smart checkout/check-in: Barcode scanning with instant availability checks, due dates, and overdue alerts
• Flexible circulation rules: Configure loan periods, renewals, fines, and holds by patron type, item type, and branch
• Holds management: Title, volume, and item-level holds with automatic capture and holds queue
• Automated renewals: Patrons can renew online via OPAC, or enable automatic renewals before items are due
• Offline circulation: Built-in offline mode for check-in/checkout when internet is unavailable
• Fines and fees: Automatic fine calculation with payment processing and write-off capabilities
• Statistics and reports: Track circulation by item type, patron category, branch, time period, and more

Koha's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) provides a modern discovery experience:

• Advanced search: Keyword, author, title, subject, ISBN, and call number searching with faceted refinement
• Patron accounts: View checkouts, holds, fines, and reading history; renew items and manage holds online
• Social features: Patron reviews, ratings, comments, and reading lists (public or private)
• Recommendations: "Patrons who borrowed this also borrowed..." suggestions based on circulation data
• Custom shelves: Patrons can create personal book lists and share them with others
• Mobile-responsive: OPAC automatically adapts to phones, tablets, and desktops
• Multilingual: Interface available in 50+ languages with Unicode support for non-Latin scripts
• Full customization: Libraries can completely customize OPAC appearance with CSS and template modifications

Yes! Koha includes a comprehensive acquisitions module for purchasing and budget management:

• Purchase orders: Create orders from MARC records with line item details, quantities, and fund codes
• Budget management: Multi-year budgets with fund allocation, encumbrances, and spending tracking
• Vendor management: Maintain vendor contact info, terms, currency, and order history
• EDI integration: Electronic ordering with vendor systems (EDIFACT support)
• Receiving workflow: Receive shipments, process invoices, and automatically add items to catalog
• Order baskets: Group orders together, get approvals, and track status through workflow
• Claiming: Generate claims for late or missing orders
• Standing orders: Automate recurring purchases for serials or standing order plans

Koha's serials module manages subscriptions, check-in, and routing:

• Subscription management: Track journal subscriptions with expected issue patterns (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)
• Issue prediction: Automatically generates expected issues based on publication frequency and calendar
• Check-in: Quick check-in of arriving issues with automatic status updates in OPAC
• Routing lists: Create routing slips for staff or patron routing before items go to the shelf
• Claims: Track late issues and generate claims to vendors
• Binding: Mark issues for binding and track bound volumes
• Holdings display: OPAC shows current issues and holdings summary with MARC21 holdings support

Koha offers extensive reporting capabilities for libraries of all types:

• Built-in reports: 200+ pre-configured reports covering circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, patrons, and serials
• Custom SQL reports: Create unlimited custom reports using SQL queries with guided report wizard
• Statistics wizards: Point-and-click interfaces for common statistics (no SQL knowledge required)
• Scheduled reports: Automate report generation and email delivery on daily, weekly, or monthly schedules
• Export formats: Export reports to CSV, HTML, or Excel for further analysis
• Saved reports library: Share custom reports between staff or download community-created reports
• Real-time dashboards: View circulation statistics, checkouts, holds, and overdues in real-time

Absolutely! Koha includes extensive integration capabilities:

• Z39.50 server: Share your catalog with other libraries, consortia, and union catalogs
• SIP2 protocol: Integrate with self-checkout machines, RFID systems, and patron station authentication
• REST API: Modern RESTful API for building custom integrations, mobile apps, or third-party services
• OAI-PMH: Harvest metadata for inclusion in digital repository systems or discovery layers
• LDAP/CAS/Shibboleth: Authenticate patrons via institutional single sign-on systems
• Payment gateways: Accept online fine payments via PayPal, Stripe, or other processors
• ILL systems: Integrate with OCLC ILL, INN-Reach, or other interlibrary loan platforms
• Discovery layers: Export records to VuFind, Blacklight, or commercial discovery services

Koha has a vibrant global community providing multiple support channels:

• Official documentation: Comprehensive manual covering all features with tutorials and screenshots
• Mailing lists: Active community discussions for users, developers, and translators
• IRC chat: Real-time help on #koha channel (irc.oftc.net) with international participation
• Bug tracker: Public bug database with feature requests, patches, and development roadmap
• Wiki: Community-maintained wiki with tips, tricks, and how-to guides
• International conferences: Annual KohaCon brings together users and developers worldwide
• Commercial support: Multiple vendors offer paid support, hosting, training, and custom development
• Regional user groups: Local Koha user communities in many countries and regions

The Free Tier includes a fully functional Koha installation supporting up to 1,000 bibliographic records and 2,000 items, with unlimited patrons and branches. Perfect for small libraries, pilot projects, and testing.

AWS Free Tier Eligible: New AWS accounts get 12 months of free EC2 usage on t2.micro/t3.micro instances, so you can run the Free Tier AMI at zero cost for your first year.

Your total AWS bill has two parts:

• 1. AMI License (paid to KohaSupport): This is the Koha software license. You can choose hourly billing (pay per second) or annual billing (one upfront payment).
• 2. AWS Infrastructure (paid to Amazon): This covers the actual servers (EC2), storage, networking, and enterprise services like Aurora database. Amazon bills this separately based on your usage.

Important: The AMI license is charged per running instance. If Enterprise Auto Scaling runs 3 servers during busy times, you pay 3× the hourly rate while those servers are running.

Choose Hourly if:

• You're using Enterprise Auto Scaling (recommended)
• You're testing or doing development work
• You want to stop instances when not in use
• You want maximum flexibility

Choose Annual if:

• You run a single instance 24/7/365
• You prefer predictable annual budgeting
• You want maximum savings (up to 53% vs 24/7 hourly)
• You're NOT using Auto Scaling

Warning: Annual billing with Enterprise Auto Scaling can be very expensive because you pay the annual fee for EVERY scaled instance (e.g., 3 instances = $8,997/year instead of ~$5,016/year with hourly).

Here are practical ways libraries save money:

• Use hourly billing for Enterprise: Only pay for servers while they're running (~$3,981/year savings vs annual with Auto Scaling)
• Right-size your instances: Start with smaller instances and scale up only if needed
• Use AWS Free Tier: New accounts get 12 months free on small instances
• Stop development/test instances: Turn them off when not in use (nights/weekends)
• Use Auto Scaling: Automatically reduces capacity during quiet hours
• Choose the right tier: Don't pay for Enterprise features if Basic/Standard meets your needs
• Monitor with CloudWatch: Set billing alarms to catch unexpected charges early

Beyond the AMI license fee, you'll pay standard AWS charges:

• EC2 instances: Virtual servers running your library system (~$15-$100/month depending on size)
• Storage (EBS): Hard drive space for your server (~$5-$20/month)
• Data transfer: Usually minimal for most libraries (~$1-$10/month)
• Enterprise services: Aurora database, EFS shared storage, ALB (~$50-$200/month for Enterprise tier)

Transparency: All usage is visible in the AWS billing console for full transparency and budget tracking.

Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade at any time by deploying a new AMI version. Your data migrates seamlessly.

Note: Annual billing is per-instance for the full year. If you switch tiers mid-year with annual billing, you'll start a new annual term on the new tier.

All billing is handled through AWS Marketplace. AWS accepts credit cards, ACH, wire transfers, and purchase orders for enterprise customers. Your organization's existing AWS payment method will be used.

AWS provides comprehensive billing tools:

• AWS Billing Console: Real-time view of all charges
• Cost Explorer: Visualize spending trends over time
• Billing Alarms: Get email alerts when spending exceeds thresholds
• Detailed breakdowns: See exactly what each service costs
• Monthly invoices: Download detailed statements for accounting

Enterprise isn't just "better performance"—it's insurance against catastrophic failures that can devastate library operations:

• 99.99% uptime = 52 min downtime/year vs Basic/Standard ~8+ hours/year
• Instant failover: If a data center fails, patrons never notice. With single-instance tiers, you're offline until someone fixes it.
• Handles peak loads: Course registration with 2,000 students checking out textbooks? Enterprise scales automatically. Basic/Standard crash or become unusably slow.
• No downtime for upgrades: Update Koha versions while patrons continue using the system. Other tiers require downtime.
• Point-in-time recovery: Accidentally deleted 1,000 patron accounts at 2pm? Restore to 1:59pm with Aurora. Other tiers restore from last night's backup (losing a full day of work).

Real scenarios Enterprise prevents:

• Course registration crashes: 5,000 students trying to check out textbooks simultaneously brings single-instance systems to their knees. Enterprise Auto Scaling handles it effortlessly.
• 24/7 availability for online students: Your library serves students in 50 countries across 24 time zones. Enterprise's Multi-AZ design ensures someone in Tokyo at 3am can access resources even if a US data center fails.
• No maintenance windows: Can't take the library offline for upgrades during finals week? Enterprise's zero-downtime deployments let you update anytime.
• Disaster recovery: Hurricane, fire, or power outage at one data center? Enterprise fails over to another data center in seconds. Faculty don't even notice.

Real scenarios Enterprise prevents:

• Summer reading program surges: 500 families registering kids for summer reading on the same day? Enterprise scales up. Basic tier times out and frustrates parents.
• Multi-branch coordination: 20 branches sharing one catalog need instant synchronization. Enterprise's EFS shared storage ensures book covers and patron data sync in real-time across all locations.
• Weekend/evening availability: Most library usage happens when IT staff aren't working. Enterprise's automatic failover means no 2am emergency calls when something breaks.
• Budget justification: IT department wants $50k for new on-premise servers + maintenance contracts. Enterprise often costs less when you eliminate hardware, backup systems, and staff time.

Hidden costs of on-premise servers:

• Hardware: $15k-$30k every 3-5 years
• Backup systems: $5k-$10k + offsite storage fees
• UPS and cooling: $2k-$5k + higher electricity bills
• IT staff time: 10-20 hours/month on maintenance, updates, troubleshooting
• No disaster recovery: Single point of failure (if server dies, library is offline until hardware arrives and gets configured)
• No scaling: Can't handle peak loads without buying oversized hardware that sits idle 90% of the time

Enterprise tier eliminates all of this:

• No hardware purchases or refresh cycles
• Automated backups with 35-day point-in-time recovery
• Built-in disaster recovery (Multi-AZ)
• Automatic scaling (pay only for what you use)
• AWS handles infrastructure maintenance
• Total cost often LOWER than on-premise when you account for all factors

Core differences explained:

Yes! Enterprise is specifically designed for complex library systems:

• Centralized catalog: All branches share one database with real-time synchronization
• Resource sharing: Patrons can request items from any branch and pick up anywhere
• Unified patron database: One library card works across all locations
• Inter-library loan automation: Built-in workflows for ILL between member libraries
• Performance at scale: Aurora database and Auto Scaling handle thousands of concurrent users across 50+ branches
• Branch-specific customization: Each location can have customized OPAC while sharing the backend

Talking points for budget approval:

1. Risk mitigation: "Enterprise eliminates single points of failure. If our current server fails on Saturday night, we're offline until Monday when IT arrives. Enterprise fails over automatically in seconds—patrons never notice."

2. Cost comparison: "We currently spend $X on server hardware, backup systems, and IT maintenance. Enterprise often costs less when you include all the hidden costs of running servers ourselves."

3. Service level: "Enterprise gives us 99.99% uptime (52 minutes downtime per year). Our current setup had 12 hours of downtime last year during the server failure. That's unacceptable for 24/7 online services."

4. Flexibility: "During course registration, we need 5× our normal capacity for 3 days. Buying hardware for peak loads means it sits idle 95% of the year. Enterprise scales automatically—we only pay for what we use."

5. No capital expenditure: "Enterprise is operational expense, not capital. No $30k server purchase approval needed. We can start small and scale up as needed."

No! Our AMIs come with pre-configured CloudFormation templates that automate the entire setup process. Simply select your preferences and click launch – everything else is handled automatically.

What you choose: AWS region, instance size, your tier (Free/Basic/Standard/Enterprise). What CloudFormation does: Creates servers, configures networking, sets up databases, installs Koha, configures security, and gives you a working URL.

Time required: 5-15 minutes depending on tier.

Just two things:

• AWS Account: Free to create at aws.amazon.com. You'll need a credit card for billing (but can use Free Tier at no cost).
• Basic decisions: Which AWS region (choose one close to your location), which tier (Free for testing, Enterprise for production), and what size instance.

No servers to buy, no software to install, no networking to configure. CloudFormation handles everything technical.

Deployment time:

• Free/Basic/Standard: ~5 minutes
• Enterprise: ~15 minutes (setting up Multi-AZ, Aurora, ALB, Auto Scaling takes longer)

After deployment: Your Koha system is immediately accessible via the URL provided. You can start cataloging, adding patrons, and circulating materials right away.

Absolutely! We offer migration assistance to help you move your existing Koha installation to AWS. The process typically involves:

• Database export/import: Your catalog, patrons, and circulation history
• File migration: Book covers, patron uploads, custom configurations
• Testing: Verify everything works before switching over
• Cutover: Switch DNS to point to new AWS system (usually takes 5-15 minutes of downtime)

Contact us to discuss your migration needs and we'll provide guidance on the best approach.

Most migrations complete in 2-4 weeks depending on data volume and complexity:

• Week 1: Data extraction, mapping, and transformation
• Week 2: Import and testing in staging environment
• Week 3: Staff training and parallel testing
• Week 4: Final migration and go-live

We provide a detailed timeline during the planning phase. Larger/more complex systems may take 6-8 weeks.

We support migration from all major ILS systems including Symphony, Sierra, Evergreen, Alexandria, Destiny, Follett, and legacy systems. Each system has different export formats, so we customize the migration process for your specific situation.

Your data is stored in your own AWS account in the AWS region you choose (e.g., US East, US West, Europe, Asia Pacific).

Why this matters: You have complete ownership and control. We can't access your data, we can't shut off your service, and you can export your data anytime. It's YOUR infrastructure in YOUR account.

Yes. AWS provides enterprise-grade security that exceeds what most libraries can implement on-premise:

• Encryption at rest: All data encrypted on disk
• Encryption in transit: All connections use HTTPS/TLS
• DDoS protection: AWS Shield protects against attacks
• Automatic security updates: AWS patches infrastructure vulnerabilities
• Compliance certifications: SOC, ISO, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and more
• Network isolation: Your system runs in a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) isolated from other AWS customers

Free/Basic/Standard tiers:

• Daily automated backups retained for 7 days
• Manual snapshots anytime (stored indefinitely until you delete them)

Enterprise tier:

• Continuous automated backups (Aurora's automatic backup every 5 minutes)
• Point-in-time recovery: Restore to ANY moment in past 1-35 days
• Dual-layer protection: Aurora backups + scheduled S3 backups
• Configurable retention (30 days to years)

Free/Basic/Standard tiers: Single instance means if it fails, you're offline until someone manually restarts it or deploys a replacement (typically 15-60 minutes).

Enterprise tier: Automatic failover and self-healing:

• Server failure: ALB stops sending traffic to failed server, Auto Scaling launches replacement in ~5 minutes
• Data center failure: Multi-AZ instantly fails over to other data center (patrons never notice)
• Database failure: Aurora automatically fails over to standby replica in ~30 seconds
• No human intervention required—system heals itself

Absolutely! Koha is open-source under GPL license. You can:

• Customize the interface: Change colors, layouts, add your logo
• Add plugins: Install community or custom plugins
• Modify workflows: Adapt circulation policies, cataloging rules, etc.
• Integrate with other systems: Use Koha's REST API to connect with student information systems, authentication systems, payment gateways, etc.
• Access the source code: Full SSH access to modify anything

Free/Basic/Standard tiers: Single-instance architecture, typical availability 99.9% (~8 hours downtime per year) depending on your operational practices.

Enterprise tier: Multi-AZ architecture designed for 99.99% availability (~52 minutes downtime per year) with automatic failover and disaster recovery.

Real-world factors: Actual uptime depends on planned maintenance, how quickly you apply updates, and whether you have good monitoring/alerting.

All tiers include:

• Knowledge base access (guides, tutorials, troubleshooting)
• Community forums
• Email support (response within 1-2 business days)

Standard/Enterprise tiers include:

• Priority email support (response within 4-8 hours)
• Phone support option
• Architecture guidance

Professional services available for all tiers:

• Custom development
• Staff training
• Migration assistance
• Dedicated support contracts

Yes! We offer comprehensive training programs:

• Live online training sessions: Interactive training with Q&A
• Custom curriculum: Tailored to your library's workflows
• Role-based training: Separate sessions for circulation staff, catalogers, and administrators
• Recorded sessions: Access training videos anytime for new staff
• On-site training available: For larger implementations

Training is available as a professional service through AWS Marketplace.