access dilema

[Slobey]

Hi everyone,

I searched for this but couldn't find anything. I have a project that I am trying to get a backup of so I can move it to another server. The problem I have is nobody has admin access to the server computer. I can access the solution and I know where the server is but can't get into it to copy the files.

I was hoping to set up a schedule through server admin to back up the files to a computer that I know the admin log in for but can't seem to be able to do it.

Is there a different path configuration for backing up to a different machine? I am almost positive that the machine has been mapped to the server but i still get an invalid path message.

Can anyone help? Is a remote path "filewin://server/folder/"? and is there any other way to copy the files without getting into the physical server?

Thanks in advance

Mike

[IdealData]

You cannot backup to a remote machine - it must be a locally mounted drive.

You must get admin access to the FM Server machine.

If you were allowed to copy the files off the server without the authority then it would be a major security breach.

[Matthew F]

I'm pretty sure the backup function in the Filemaker Server Admin console will only backup to local volumes. According the FMServer v.10 help manual,

Specify a folder on a local volume, not on a remote volume.

If you want to store database backups on a remote volume, first backup the database to a local volume, and then copy the backup to a remote volume.

You can then run system-level scripts to mount remote volumes and copy the data. However, you will need admin privileges to the machine to install these scripts.

If you are really desperate you could probably shut down the machine pull the hard drive and install as a secondary (non boot drive on another machine) and then extract the data files. They are probably not encrypted. That's risky if you don't know what you're doing.

Filemaker Help PDF

[Alanwell]

Here's a suggestion: Use DFS-R from R2, and/or DPM (data protection manager). DFS-R to replicate files to your server from the workstation, and use DPM to back up the files.

[Wim Decorte]

Hi Mike,

Unless FMS has been installed otherwise, it runs under the "local machine" security bubble and that has no access to any share on the network. A mapped drive won't help because belong to a user's profile and the server probably is (should be) running with no user logged into the OS.

Someone must have admin privs to the machine so you'll need his/her involvement in getting a copy of the files. Like IdealData says: otherwise it would be a major breach of security and you'd be for all intents and purposes stealing the files.

If nobody truly has the admin privs to the machine then you're only way out is to close the files and stop the database engine from the admin console and then pull the hard disk. If you go down this way, make sure someone else is involved every step of the way and document the heck out of what you're doing.