Need Advice which Windows Server version to use - 2008 or 2011?

[WestCoaster]

Hi there,

one of our customers is planning to upgrade his Windows servers from Small Business 2008 to Small Business 2011 and has asked us if there are any known issues with FileMaker Server running under Windows Server 2011. He is using FileMaker Server 10. Along with the upgrade of Windows he'd be willing to upgrade to FileMaker Server 11.

I am aware that Windows Server 2011 is not in the list of the supported platforms on the FileMaker web site. I was wondering though if FileMaker Server is already fit to run with Windows Server 2011.

Has anyone any experience with that kind of setup?

Alternatively, if FileMaker Server may not be used together with Windows Server 2011 would it be advisable to install a Windows Server 2008 within a virtual box like VMWare ESX on the Windows Server 2011 and then let FileMaker Server run within the virtual box?

Is there anything that needs to be observed in connection with 32-bit Windows as opposed to 64-bit Windows?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Regards,

WestCoaster

[Steven H. Blackwell]

32 bit only. FMS 11 is not a 64 bit service. Also Small Business Server is not a supported platform. Windows Server 2008 is your best bet.

Steven

[NickOE]

I would recommend Server Standard 2008 64-bit.

FMS 11 will run perfectly fine on 64-bit Server. 64-bit Server can run both 64-bit and 32-bit applications. I have installed FMS on many 64-bit servers and have never had a problem. I would not get 32-bit, because then you are limited to 4 GB of memory.

FMS 11 will also run on SBS 2008. SBS is Windows Server with additional programs included with it like SQL and Exchange. Although I would not recommend SBS because in my experience SBS runs much slower than Server Standard. Most likely due to the extra programs that are running on it are using up resources.

I have not used SBS 2011 yet, so I do not know if there are any issues with FMS. I would not recommend using it.

[WestCoaster]

Hi there,

thanks for your answers. I've just talked to FileMaker concerning this question and they still recommend FileMaker be installed with Windows 2008 32 bit. However, they don't see any problem if this setup itself is hosted within a virtual machine running Windows Server 2011.

Regards, Thomas