FMPro Server 3 in Classic with VPN

[PeterB UK]

I'm entering this as a newbie here and from the looks of other topics, pushing the boundaries - but backwards!

I'm also having to pick up an existing situation and make it work in new circumstances - if I can find a way. So I'm looking for any advice I can find, on a legacy setup that we have been running for many successful years as a multi platform installation.

We are a small design business using a custom FM database for the last 15 or more years. Up until recently that has been on a G3 running OS8.5 and then 9.22. But now we have decentralised and need to run multi-site. So we have aimed at VPN as an interconnect solution. Since I believe pre OSX cannot support VPN, I sourced and setup a G5 as an FM server, as this was the last machine capable of supporting Classic apps - which our old FMPro version is.

With some advice from other sources, I've been successful in organising FMServer to run like this and despite grim warnings of using Classic in any kind of server environment, it has proved to be quite stable and reasonably quick for our purposes.

So far I have it running successfully on an internal LAN and serving to WinXP, MacOS 9.22 and MacOS10.4.11/Classic 9.22 clients, all using FMPro4/4.1.

I've also managed to configure a VPN Server onto our Draytek router and successfully enabled connection to that by our remote sites.

But FM use has been found to be limited to WinXP users only so far.

MacOS 10.4.11 users running FMPro4/4.1 in Classic 9.22 have not been able to access the Database via any settings we have tried yet.

When attempting to open it via Hosts, a single blank window comes up, not the normal twin window offering local and specify server options, which we normally see in WinXP or MacOS.

Can anyone advise if this might be due to our particular settings (and any possible solutions) or if this has reached the limitations of Classic's networking capability?

Before looking towards more costly means of overcoming this impasse, I'd like to be sure there is no other way.

Looking forward to any suggestions and comments,

PeterB UK.

Edited October 13, 2009 by Guest

[Vaughan]

I'd suggest upgrading to FMP 6.0 and FMS 5.5. From memory the conversion of files from v4 to v5 was almost trivial -- not like the process from v6 to v7+ which can be a huge job if the solution is complex.

FMS 5.5 runs natively under Mac OS X at least up until 10.4. It might have problems with 10.5.

[IdealData]

Can you set up the router to perform IP and port forwarding?

I know this loses the encryption security of VPN, but the FM data is likely quite encoded any way.

Although Vaughan has suggested upgrade to FM 5/6, I'm not sure where you would source them from now.

[PeterB UK]

Many thanks for your response and suggestions Vaughan and IdealData.

To run another FMP Client version fully in X, is one of the options I have considered but at present I have not been certain what versions I would need to run as server or as clients for this, or if that would then invalidate the current database format. (I've seen what it does in one I converted up to 7)

The other issue of course is if I can actually get hold of a copy of these versions now as IdealD points out.

Having said that, presumably there is a point where an FMServer version will also run on a Windows machine too, which might present a different situation to OS9 clients (if these had still to be run). But what would then be the minimum Client version that would work with those server version files?

On the server IP/port forwarding score, I believe that I could organise that, but would not necessarily be able to identify which ports to do that with. I know the principle to some extent, but possibly not the means to find what Classic needs to use in this kind of situation - if that is what you meant by your suggestion. Perhaps you could clarify if you know more about it yourself?

Edited October 20, 2009 by Guest

[IdealData]

I'm afraid that VPN performance will cripple you - as FM Server will attempt to push too much data.

There was a massive improvement to this with FMS v7, and further improved since then too. So much so that remote FM hosting has become a reality using conventional broadband.

As you say your pushing the boundaries backwards, but there is no future in that direction.

The upgrade task will not be easy, nor cheap, but you must move with the times as it is only a matter of time before you are forced into the upgrade on FM. There is currently an FM promo with 10 users plus FREE FM server.

"Classic" was a classic - but the party's over now.

[colinchong]

Hi Peter, I understand your reluctance to move past FM 4 especially as you have a working solution. You may find this a good solution. Setup a Microsoft Terminal Server which can access the FM 3 Server files. Install a multi-user version of FMPro 4 on the Terminal Server. (Multiple instances of FMPro 4 at once) Use MS Remote Desktop for either Mac or PC to connect to the Terminal Server and launch FMPro 4 and access the served files from the G5 Host. There is a cost to this but if your users can get comfortable with Terminal Services then you have some seriously good connectivity and not just for the FM Solution.

[PeterB UK]

Thanks for that MS suggestion Colin.

As it happens we do have a WinXP PC running file serving already, which is accessible on the current VPN link for those who need it. I could upgrade that to a more powerful system, relatively easily if it could also do the Terminal job. Or I could add in another spare PC for that if needed. Neither of our current Servers come under heavy load by users at present.

Also, it happens, my brother is very much into Virtual Servers and PC Servers in general, so I may be able to use his knowledge to look into your suggestion of an MS Terminal Server setup and then follow it through. If I do, I will pass back the results here.

As you say, we do have a working system at present, for those working from Windows XP, even though they are still working with FMpro4 clients. Also, surprisingly, the VPN performance for them is proving acceptable for the moment. So it does seem worth hanging on with it at the mo. If and when budgets permit, then I will attempt to persuade my partners to move forward, as there are other gains to make. But if I can find a workable solution for all users in the current situation - that would be a good status to reach for now. Sadly and ironically, it is the Mac users only, who face the problem now. We shall see what can be done.

[PeterB UK]

Hi again IdealData.

Thanks for your input.

Your second post is not so optimistic sounding as your first. But I recognise you're flagging the likely issues.

Our XP Client users at present are not finding too much lag on the VPN system, which is good and our OSX users are finding the VPN system quite speedy when accessing our PC File Server too.

So I would be hopeful that if I can get the Classic side to make the connection somehow, it will also prove an acceptable speed. I would therefore like to explore your original port forwarding option if I could access some more info about what is required. I am already looking into aquiring the necessary FMServer 5.5 and Client 6 versions, which Vaughan first posted, to try them out too. It's just finding time to do all this which is keeping me from the results.