I am new to filemaker 7 server. To clarify, is this how remote access works - databases are hosted or served from the windows computer (with FM server loaded) and remote desktops and laptops at other locations have access directly into those filemaker hosted databases (not via web publishing) ? Also, do the remote desktops need copies of filemaker 7 installed to open the hosted files?

Thanks for any advice.

You need filemaker 7 on the laptop/desktop computer in order to connect to the server.

If you want "non-web clients" to access a FileMaker Pro Server, you will likely need to get either a Terminal Server box or a Citrix Box.

This means that you will need a "site-license" version of FileMaker and as many Terminal licenses as you need to allow your users access.

The Terminal Server will NOT be the FileMaker Pro Server.

You would likely need Citrix only if you are allowing Mac OS 9 clients in. If you are only allowing Windows and/or OS X clients, you don't need Citrix.