FileMaker Pro Server 5

[murraym]

Does anybody out there know whether or not FileMaker Pro 5 server is compatable with Windows Server 2000? Thanks.

[Anatoli]

Yes.

However, our server guy doesn't recommends the W2K server at all.

You can also run FM server 5 on W2k client.

[Mark Appleby]

If win2k is not reccomended, what is? And as a matter of interest why not? We are looking for a move to it in the near future. Maybe we should reconsider.

[LiveOak]

The official FileMaker Inc. system recommendation for Windows machines is:

Windows NT 4.0 (Service Pack 4), or Windows 2000.

FM Server also runs on Red Hat Linux 6.2 or 7, Mac OS 8.6-9.1, Mac OS X

-bd

[Anatoli]

W2k have much more unresolved security problems, than NT4. In W2k is chaos with security and another patches. Also, W2k doesn't do more for FileMaker, than NT4.

Especially if the server will be exposed to Internet, there is no other choice, than NT4.

Also Microsoft stopped selling the NT4 after introduction of W2k servers. And then again reintroduced the NT4 as another choice -- fast.

FM server failed to operate in one company on super-duper DELL $5000+ server with W2000 OS. Even someone disabled the second NIC card, W2K still behaved as the card is present and that crashed FM server often.

Our Czech server expert navigates me country-to-country through proper and complicated de-installation of that second NIC and it now works OK.

And I also trust this guy -- in 4 years I didn't get from him wrong or misleading advice. And in 4 years we didn't had single unexplained problem. He knows this Windows stuff more, than Microsoft employees do.

Take or leave it, I will still prefer NT4 to any other OS for FM server. W2k will be down the list, after MacX, Linux just before Mac OS.

[Will]

I've had no problems running FM Server 5 under Windows 2000 Server for over a year. Windows 2000 is about as secure as any other O/S IF it is not installed with default settings AND is kept updated with security patches - Yes, there are many patches released but not all need to be installed depending on the circumstances. Anatoli is correct that it also runs fine under NT4. However, NT4 will be unsupported in terms of updates in the future.

[Anatoli]

I am not saying it will not work on W2k.

But web exposed server should not run W2k. And so far the NT server is more secure and more robust. During 4 years I saw only single crash on NT. On W2k I saw one crash in week-month period.

Problem with second NIC created 1-3 crashes a day! The removal procedure was not so difficult, but one must know there is such thing.

In fact, we are running FM server on one NT4 server with 2 NIC cards without problems for 2-3 years.

[murraym]

Actually they (FileMaker) is refuting the Win2000 Server compatability claim - or at least one of their sales Execs is despite what's on their web site. They're telling me I HAVE TO upgrade if I'm migrating to Win2000 server. Perhaps she really just wants a sale on an upgrade? I'd like to hear from more people using FileMaker Pro Server ver 5 on Win 2000 Servers.

[Kurt Knippel]

Not to really speak with any definitive authority here, but there are requirements and then there are requirements. Then there are best practices. Then there are marketing requirement, then sales requirements. It is pretty well know that many of these are in conflict with each other. I do know that some of the box (or marketing) requirements are not the official best practices requirements. So I am sure that if you talk to 4 different people with FMI, you will get 4 different stories on what the requirement are.

[Anatoli]

Nicely explained.

And also users have different ways of how to make things tick. You guys are running the FM servers on Mac OS from RAM drivers -- combination which I will be scared to death to set up.

So all what I am saying -- if I must, then I'll go to W2000 server. If I have choice it will be again NT4 server.

BTW, in Czech republic is one Internet only Bank. No brick branches. Their server guy did installation of PC server for my FM client. When I asked him if he is putting W2000 as server he replied: "are you out of your mind? Of course it will be NT!" This bank is using all stuff from VAX to NT and plenty of W2000. Not on important servers. Approximately 500 computers mainly servers mirrored on 2 sites.

[SteveB]

Anatoli: I don't know anything about servers, but I have a question: Why isn't XP Professional a more appropriate software platform? If one believes Microsoft (which I know we shouldn't), XP is an up-to-date version of NT4 and uses the same kernel.

[Anatoli]

The NT kernel is solid base for many OS.

Read e.g. http://grc.com/dos/xpconference.htm

Read everything on that site.

Test your PC (if you have some) with GRC utilities.

The fact is, that MS is so obsessed with new features and concepts for dominating the industry, that usually they do forget something simple. Lock the door, close windows, and switch of the gas off kind of things.

I like W2000 better on my machine, because improved multitasking is cooling down memory hog and CPU cycles hungry GoLive.

Until the experts will say to me -- now you can run FM server on W2k I am sticking with NT. And why not? Until FM will change the file format or speed up the new version by 300% I am fine with v. 5.

There will be problem if new FM servers will not run on NT, but so far so good.

[Anatoli]

BTW, on Friday we switched the machines for FM server from that above mentioned Dell super-duper Xeon based machine to slightly slower machine W2K client OS and with RAID 10 on 15k SCSI drives.

The Dell was OK after we de-install the second NIC and then never crashed.

We will use the Dell for terminal services and with 2 Xeon processors it will help us achieve better throughput.