Adjustments through internet

[Andy Verheye]

Hi,

My boss wants to make adjustments to the interface of our database at home. Is it possible to connect via internet to the server (which is at the office, Filemaker Server 5.5 on Win2K) and work with these files?

What adjustments need to be done?

Thanks for your replies!

Greetz,

Andy

(Filemaker noob )

[Ender]

You can do all the same things to the interface (layouts, scripts, fields) over a WAN as you would do in the offices, it's just slower (depending on your network speed.) A modem connection is probably not fast enough. There are also security risks with opening databases over a WAN without a VPN.

If maintenance must be performed remotely, using a remote dektop management program like Timbuktu or Apple Remote Desktop is a better way to go.

Either way may require opening a port on your firewall to allow the remote entry.

[cjaeger]

Don't do it. You risk corruption of the whole db.

If you are planning to change the interface, sharing should be suspended unless these are minor cosmetic changes. You should not do much development in a live shared database, especially not over thin wires.

Tell you boss to take a clone of the file home, then reimport the data when he is doine with it.

[Wim Decorte]

I would agree with Christian but with one twist:

Set up an XP Prof box in the office that your boss can connect to with the RDP protocol (Remote Desktop Connection). He can use that XP session to connect to the hosted files. That way when the internet connection drops, his XP session is still running and you won't risk data or file corruption.

Alternatives that give you the same functionality are pcAnywhere, VNC, Terminal Services, ...

HTH

Wim