Reputable and Trustworthy Filemaker Hosting Services in Southern California?

[Jhestler]

Hi Everybody,

 

I've devised a Filemaker solution for a client, and am considering referring the client to a third party hosting service, rather than setting up a Filemaker server for the client in the client’s offices. 

 

I understand that there are any number of entities which provide such Filemaker Server hosting services.  My chief interests are as follows:

 

1.  I'd prefer an entity that is physically based in or around the LA area, where myself and my client are situated.

 

2.  I'd prefer an entity whose services are reputable and time-tested across a portfolio of respectable clients.

 

3.  The Filemaker database I developed features external file storage of my client’s extremely confidential documents.  Very strict respect for my client’s confidential documents is absolutely key; an exclusive server hosting package would be attractive.

 

I've to date always set up my clients with their own Filemaker Servers, with excellent results.  I'd like to consider referring my clients to third party hosting services, subject to the above considerations.  I'd very much appreciate your thoughts, personal experiences, and referrals.  Thank you!

 

J

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Given all these considerations, I believe you would be better advised to have the server on the client's premises.

 

In my Security Blog here on FM Forums, there is an article about Cloud computing that you might want to review.

 

Update:  I wrote the article almost two years ago; however it is still relevant.

 

Here is a link.

 

Steven

[noneofyo]

Try triple8.net. Great customer support, and they have servers in southern California

[pbouquet]

You can find a list of FileMaker hosting on this site :

http://www.filemakermania.com/filemaker_hosting.html

A friend told me that Datatrium works very good even from France.

[Jhestler]

Thanks to you all for your kind and generous comments.  Steven, that's an excellent article.  I share your concern regarding cloud-based software, which is why I especially appreciate Filemaker.  My clients are mostly legal departments of corporations and law firms (I'm a lawyer myself), and these folks are especially sensitive about confidentiality and security.

 

Not too long ago, somebody pitched me on an SQL/cloud-based database system that's quite popular in my particular biz industry (legal affairs).  In the course of pitching the database service, I was told that the service provider often did the pitcher a "solid" in providing confidential information derived from the hosted data; I could only speculate that the pitcher assumed that I'd be interested in such illicitly-obtained info as a business manager.  I rejected the offer, and was disappointed to in this way confirm firsthand that these things do happen.

 

Filemaker's new "secure storage" container data feature is interesting to me.  I understand that it implements Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-128), which is apparently a respectable standard used by the US government (though it's understood that almost anything can be hacked by some folks out there).  Assuming I do go for the third party hosting, I think it'd be a good idea to suggest "secure" rather than "open" storage of my client's container data.  On the one hand, the file path to the corresponding files can't be calculated with secure storage as it can with open storage; but on the other hand, it wouldn't be prudent to grant office staff access to the container data in any case, because if they even inadvertently move the files around, the link between the files and their corresponding Filemaker database records will be broken.  As a practical matter, the files are going to be located where the staff create them and ultimately place them; to the extent Filemaker duplicates them and encrypts them and stores them elsewhere (whether inhouse or on a third party hosted server) should be of no consequence to the users (subject to the security issues we're discussing), as those encrypted files are for exclusive use by the Filemaker database.

 

Your blog is an excellent resource, Steve; thank you!

[Joe King]

Among the hosting providers mentioned, none actually have servers in Europe- we all realize that FileMaker is network sensitive and closer is better. Worldcloud, Inc. is an FBA member, which has servers in Europe (Sweden) as well is in the United States (3 locations), Japan, and several other locations. Worldcloud also offers 15K SAS drives (RAID-6) on all of our FileMaker-centric clusters. We also offer SAS 70 Level III+ datacenter protection, which is much more rigid than ANY on-site server. Experaince why Eli Lilly, State of California, State of Washington, US Depsratment of Justice, and many other trust Worldcloud with their FileMaker solutions...

 

http://worldcloud.com

[Joe King]

it most be late, because I read this as Europe, when it clearly stated Southern California. We rent a suite in the One Wilshire Building at 6th and Grand in downtown Los Angels- one of the most wired buildings in North America. We offer hosting 'free' for 30 days to anyone which wishes to give us an opportunity to earn your business...

 

 

Thanks...

 

worldcloud

[noneofyo]

Among the hosting providers mentioned, none actually have servers in Europe- we all realize that FileMaker is network sensitive and closer is better. Worldcloud, Inc. is an FBA member, which has servers in Europe (Sweden) as well is in the United States (3 locations), Japan, and several other locations. Worldcloud also offers 15K SAS drives (RAID-6) on all of our FileMaker-centric clusters. We also offer SAS 70 Level III+ datacenter protection, which is much more rigid than ANY on-site server. Experaince why Eli Lilly, State of California, State of Washington, US Depsratment of Justice, and many other trust Worldcloud with their FileMaker solutions...

 

http://worldcloud.com

Joe, I checked worldcloud.com today following a link about the HTML5 access to Filemaker. Good job on that.

I would like to point out that triple8.net also has servers in Europe. I like honesty in business. I'm only a client for triple8. 

I understand that the thread author isn't concerned with Europe, I am writing this for viewers coming from search engines.

[keither20]

With respect to "Joe King" I find the service that he owns/runs (I assume that Mr. Joking runs the service since the URL is registered to him) awful. He promises you a free thirty day trial, then immediately debits your credit card and won't send registration information nor will he reply to ANY form of message. AVOID USING the service he is promoting (name left out deliberately as I don't want to give w****cloud any additional SEO opportunity. It seems like it is a very small operation as he utilizes an answering service for both chat and phone and hides behind them.

 

A charge back complaint will be filed and formal complaint issued with CC company will be issued. Use any service other than this one.