Can I do this? (Remote offline usage question)

[Justin@PCHospital]

My client has FM Pro 7 setup on his home PC (PC1 running winxp home). It is networked to another PC (PC2 also running winxp home) and I've shown him how to share his databases across the network. The Database is stored on PC1.

He needs to get some sort of remote access happening as he travels a lot.

The problem is, his home internet connection is barely faster than dialup speeds (128kbs max) and is producing unacceptable results when trying to publish the database to the web. Getting a faster connection is impossible at this time.

As a backup solution, I may install Windows XP Pro on PC1 so he can remote desktop to it when he travels and work directly with the database. However, his laptop is only ever on dialup so this will be a chore.

What I need to know (somewhat urgently) is, is it possible for him to take a copy of the database with him on his travel laptop, use it as needed, then when he comes home, be able to sync it up with the original database?

Or, is there any other solution to this dilema?

[JerrySalem]

It sounds like he is the only user of the database. If this is the case, there is no need to sync with the home database. The database he last uses is the current one.

I use VNC and have used RD to connect to a central computer and this works ok over dialup (assuming he is patient). That may be the way to go, if there is a second user of the database while he is traveling.

Jerry

[Justin@PCHospital]

While he travels there may be a couple other people using the database. which is why it needs to be sync'd.

I tried VNC and it was pathetically slow. I seriously could not recommend that option to him. But it is a fallback option.

[Reed]

you could use citrix or windows terminal services...

[Justin@PCHospital]

Not that I know how to use them (yet), but wouldn't that be just as slow?

[Reed]

I haven't used them myself either, but I've heard many threads in these forums sing their praises for good network performance. You're just displaying the screen from the remote terminal server rather than having to render layouts, found sets, etc. The actual copy of filemaker pro resides on the terminal server and is on the same local network as the filemaker server, so all network database operations are fast.

Another lower cost option for one remote user would be screen sharing software like timbuktu or something like that.

[IdealData]

As the laptop only gets dial up (56k) then remote (live) connections are non-starters. Custom web publishing is much faster the IWP, but if you want to sync the files then you're looking at some kind of scripting solution.

Shouldn't be too difficult, but make sure you establish the sync "rules" first.

Could he e-mail his changes ?

[Justin@PCHospital]

I thought there might be some built in sync solution. I don't think I want to have to look elsewhere as it's a bit beyond the scope of what I'm supposed to be doing. Thanks anyway.