Server 8 verses FMP 9 Hosting

[Colin Gilboy]

Was thinking about purchasing a volume 10-pack of FMP 9s upgrade to standardize our network. We have only 7 clients active, and could go to 8.

In researching I realized that FMP 9 will host 9 clients rather than the 5 clients last time I looked.

I currently use Server 8 to host these 7. Are there any disadvantages to using a dedicated machine to run FMP 9 and host the 7 others as compared to Server 8. Is there something not obvious to me?

Also, I cannot find any "rules" on using the 10-pack volume license for one user with both a desktop and portable - does this count as one or two?

Specifics:

1. 5 clients on Win XP and 2 on Vista. Host would be on Win XP - all v2.

2. Server is 8. Currently a mixed environment of 7/8/9 clients plus FMP Advanced 8 used primarily to compress and optimize the file.

3. Only one database is live, about 20-22 meg before optimization and compression - 17 meg after.

4. Do not require IWP, PHP or any other database connections.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Safety, security, and ease of backups stongly argue for the use of FileMaker Server to host files. Additionally, Server 9 can execute many server side scripts.

Steven

[genevieve charbon]

Server 9 can execute many server side scripts.

Well, that's what I've thought. But the truth is, that this feature doesn't exist because for most of us because it's limited to web savvy script steps.

So kiss your import/export scripts goodbye. And since those script steps are mandatory in all communication to other database systems (perhaps not the sql ones, I don't know), every scripts that needs to synchronize the DB are non server side-able.

That's a TOTAL SHAME. And yes, I'm talking even for non dialog, 100% scriptd import and export, so that limitation has no sense at all.

[IdealData]

There is another very tactical reason to buy the 10-pack - you get 1 years maintenance included.

Plus you can continue to get maintenance, which I don't believe is available on single license products.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

One of the critical issues for imports and exports is the question of privileges at the source and target directories, respectively.

Steven