Need advice, Filemaker Server 5.5 and OS X Server

[janish]

We are looking to migrate from System 9.2 server to an OS X server with Filemaker Server 5.5. We have about 10 people using FMP 6.0 from their (currently all System 9.2) Macs with light to moderate usage of about 20 shared databases.

What is the best way to go about this? Can/should I run FMS 5.5 under OS X Server? Can I run it on my OS X Server under System 9.2? Is that a better way to go?

Any and all help is appreciated.

[paulage77]

If you are thinking of running FMS 5.5 I'd suggest running it on OS X (Non-Server). Although that seems somewhat illogical, there are some known issues with running it on OS X Server. I don't think you can run it in legacy mode.

I think OS X FMS 5.5 can be a good way to go, just read this forum before going into it.

[Kurt Knippel]

Honestly I would NOT consider moving to OS X for your Filemaker Server. Filemaker on OS X has some serious design flaws and there is no advantage to running on OS X anyway.

If you wanna move your desktop systems to OS X, then fine, but keep your server on OS 9.

[janish]

Thanks for your posts. I have decided to keep my System 9 server running our Filemaker Server for the time being, and move only part of our file service over to the OS X server.

I will watch this board for updates from folks on the right time to migrate.

[philmac]

We are awaiting since more than 9 month the FileMaker Server 6.0 version, which will certainely never be available, because the good programmer staff of FileMaker has left.

Now there is a problem. Who will program and continue the development of FileMaker.

Because only telephone hotline is available at FileMaker and this line is everytime busy, it is very difficult to obtain an information that will be realistic in the future.

We had to migrate to 4D and since this time, we have really less problems with our database server and client network. Sorry, but we have invested a lot in FileMaker and never got a correct support and the bugs were not corrected.

Is FileMaker out?

[kennedy]

Just catching back up with realities (I've been out of touch).

What's this about FMI staff leaving?

Are there worries about FM development going forward?

Are there worries about continued FM support?

As for FMS on OSX, any updates or changes?

I've been happily running FMS 5.5 for many many months on OS X (in fact, on OS X Server). No problems to speak of... though its had rather low numbers of users, I suppose.

CaptKurt, you mention "design flaws". I know there has been some occurrence of problems and FMI has posted warnings... but just based on experiences, I thought... are there explicitly identified design flaws? If so, can you point me to the documentation?

Thanks for catching me up to speed.

[Anatoli]

We had to migrate to 4D and since this time, we have really less problems with our database server and client network. Sorry, but we have invested a lot in FileMaker and never got a correct support and the bugs were not corrected.

Is FileMaker out?

Maybe FM on OS/X is out, but I believe only temporarily.

FWIW, since my switch from Macs to Windows I had in 4 years less problems, than with Macs in week. Probably it was due to heavy-duty applications and lousy CE language updates, but FM is excellent on Windows and in Server thread I've read also about great Linux FM server.

[Dan Ortiz]

What about this verbage found on the filemaker.com product page?

FileMaker has tested FileMaker Server (for FileMaker Pro 5, 5.5 and 6) running on Apple Xserve with Mac OS X Server v10.2, and this is a supported configuration.

[Anatoli]

So find the page about "possible" corruption of FM databases on X.

That is only Mac X specific problem, not Windows, Linux or MacOS, but MacOS is not such good performer. Search Fmforums for tips on MacOS with FMS running on RAM disk.