Hi All

 

I'm about to incorporate a database written for a company I work for. Currently, our system is run off of a Windows Server, on which our Oracle database is placed, along with the front end software (R2) we use to manage it via remote desktop sessions. Each user has their own Windows server log in, and their own log in to access the R2/Oracle system simultaneously.

 

As I have no experience with integrating FileMaker solutions on a server I'm wondering what is the best way to incorporate this on to our server so that multiple users can use it at the same time. If the company purchases FMP12 Advanced and installs it on the server, will our users be able to access it like that of our Oracle/R2 system (i.e. multiple users)? If so, I'm assuming there will be a limited number of users that can access at one time. What about FMP12 Server? Does the server also need the regular FMP software to function? Can you edit the database through FMP Server?

 

The FMP db is only for certain users, and will only have about 5 people needing access to it at any one time, unlike our R2 system. As I am the one who will be modifying and maintaining this custom solution for my employer, I want the purchase of the FM software to be cost effective for the business (meaning that they would not be spending too much money on implementing it on to an already existing server.)

 

Any help appreciated! Cheers

You will need Pro. FMS just serves the data (also some other functions like running scripts on the server). If your Oracle db is heavily used, I would suggest using another box.

 

As for using rdp, you will need a volume or site license. I would check this PDF out for more info.

 

http://www.filemaker.com/support/product/docs/12/fmp/fmp12_remote_desktop.pdf

Thanks! I have read the PDF regarding remote desktop, however I still have some unanswered questions.

 

The db was designed in FM Pro 12 Adv on my personal mac. My manager has purchased Pro 12 with a volume license (5 users) which will be installed on our server (for the record, is a Site or Volume license better?). The PDF states that FM network sharing isn't supported when running via a remote desktop connection on a server. How would I be able to connect to the db from my personal computer running Pro Advanced to modify the system? Ideally I would like to be able to open the db remotely in my copy of 12 Advanced. I don't want to have to log in via a remote desktop session and edit in just Pro, and I don't see the need for the company to purchase Advanced.

 

Thanks!

the piece that you are missing is that apart from the remote desktop server,  you still need a filemaker server.  The volume license you have just covers the clients, not the filemaker server so you can a max of 5 fm clients. But they need something to connect to.  You cannot put the filemaker files on the RD server and let each user open it from a shared folder somewhere.  Doing that will corrupt your files in the long run.

 

So you need a filemaker server license, install FMS on its own box so that the 5 clients can use "open remote" to open the hosted files.

the piece that you are missing is that apart from the remote desktop server,  you still need a filemaker server.  The volume license you have just covers the clients, not the filemaker server so you can a max of 5 fm clients. But they need something to connect to.  You cannot put the filemaker files on the RD server and let each user open it from a shared folder somewhere.  Doing that will corrupt your files in the long run.

 

So you need a filemaker server license, install FMS on its own box so that the 5 clients can use "open remote" to open the hosted files.

 

Thanks for clarifying.

 

If my manager purchases FileMaker Pro 12 and FileMaker Pro 12 Server, the computer my users connect to for a remote desktop session is the one that is running FMP Server? Does FMP need to be installed on the same computer?

FileMaker Pro does not also need to be installed on the server that has FileMaker Server installed.

 

Install FileMaker Server on the server machine.

 

Install FileMaker Pro on the user machines, and use Open Remote to the server running FileMaker Server

Thanks for clarifying.

 

If my manager purchases FileMaker Pro 12 and FileMaker Pro 12 Server, the computer my users connect to for a remote desktop session is the one that is running FMP Server? Does FMP need to be installed on the same computer?

 

Assuming that you absolutely have to have the remote desktop for whatever reasons then these are the machines involved:

 

 

user computer (runs nothing but RDP software) ----> RDP server (runs FMP ) ----> FileMaker Server (runs FMS)

 

It is not good practices to install FMS on an RDP server.

Thanks for clarifying. Management wants the system accessible via RDP as that is how our other databases are accessed. There are two servers: one hosts the front end software (RDP server), the other is the database source. The setup we have is what you described.

Thanks again.