Config questions

[DanielS]

We are currently running FM Server on OS 9 with about 60 databases being served and want to move to OSX. At the same time, we have a machine that gets used to run a series of daily scripts involving FM client, and would like to move the server onto that same machine (G4 dual 500). We have noticed under 9 that running the server and the client on the same machine leads to *huge* slow down that makes the server nearly unusable. Is this true for OSX as well? Would a dual 500 have enough muscle to run these both at the same time, or should we bump up to something more powerful? Also, does the OSX version of FM server allow command line access to databases/scripts?

I'm posting here because I figured that someone might have some anecdotal evidence at the least, any help or info would be appreciated.

Thanx.

[Kurt Knippel]

1.) DO NOT RUN CLIENT AND SERVER ON SAME BOX. No matter what the specs, use any old machine for this.

2.) While many people have had good luck with OS X and Filemaker Server, I have yet to see a good reason to move from OS 9.x, so you may want to rethink this. What is the purpose for the move?

3.) Filemaker Server is disk-based, not RAM nor processor. Any more than about 256MB RAM and a single processor is wasted, even with that much RAM FMS will not use more than perhaps 40MB or so.

4.) FMS on OS X only has command line scripting, there is no interface such as you are used to on OS 9

5.) If you do make the transition, use regular OS X, and not OS X Server. The Server version of OS X is more expensive and has a whole bunch of stuff that will interfere with Filemaker. In fact FMForums.com itself is run on plain ole OS X.

[Scott H]

Captkurt, do you see any advantage to running FMS on the Xserve (hardware) without running XServer (software)?

[Dave Graham]

"2.) While many people have had good luck with OS X and Filemaker Server, I have yet to see a good reason to move from OS 9.x, so you may want to rethink this. What is the purpose for the move?"

I have some reasons for you:

1) FMS under OS X is dramatically faster due to native PPC code for Disk I/O. OS 9 and earlier Disk I/O is still old 68K code. In my testing I demonstrated a 20% increase in performance. YMMV.

2) FMS under OS X is a daemon (aka background process) that doesn't need to be in the foreground for maximum performance benefit.

3) If you do have to run other apps/services on the same box, OS X is light-years ahead of the classic Mac OS in terms of multi-threading and mult-tasking.

4) Security: you don't have to be logged into the machine for the server to be running. This prevents somebody from sitting down at your server and causing many kinds of mischief.

"3.) Filemaker Server is disk-based, not RAM nor processor. Any more than about 256MB RAM and a single processor is wasted, even with that much RAM FMS will not use more than perhaps 40MB or so."

To clarify, this doesn't mean that the processor isn't a factor, but rather a smaller factor than the disk speed. Also, FMS under OS X is a multi-threaded BSD application that can take advantage of dual-processors. While it's not specifically written to leverage the MP API, any multi-threaded app on OS X can benefit from a MP machine, because the system can schedule other tasks, including the FMS tasks, accross each CPU.

"5.) If you do make the transition, use regular OS X, and not OS X Server. The Server version of OS X is more expensive and has a whole bunch of stuff that will interfere with Filemaker. In fact FMForums.com itself is run on plain ole OS X."

If you need the features of OS X Server, you can run FMS just fine on an OS X Server box, even though FMI specifically recommends using OS X (not server). Dedicating a machine to one process should be a decision that's based on server load; FMI just wants to play it safe and make it easier to support end-users.

- Dave

[ricwash]

"

4) Security: you don't have to be logged into the machine for the server to be running. This prevents somebody from sitting down at your server and causing many kinds of mischief.

Really? That has not been the case with my setup....and all the other discussions I have seen about this indicates you DO have to autologin to an account...

-Ric

[Arin]

I've seen posts that say you can start FMS from the command line like the linux version, and then make it a startup shell script... search around, you should find it...

in response to Dave's post about FMS being more I/O dependant that CPU/Ram... I've been considering replacing my current FM Server Machine (currently an 867 G4/640MB - OS X 10.2.5) with an old iMac 333Mhz / 160MB (OS X 10.2.5). I only serve about 15 databases to two machines, another 333Mhz OS X iMac that checks email every 3 mins, and a FMU machine that serves to the web (currently a G3 iMac that I'd like to replace with the 867 G4).

Do you think the 333Mhz iMac will have enough power for decent performance? My other thought was to use an old Pentium box w/ Red Hat Linux (thanks for all the installers on one CD FMI ! )

- but life's simpler if I can stay with the macs... ( Remote Desktop )

Oh and I've got version 5.5 of FM Server

-A