I'm attempting to set up our database on our network to be accessed via a remote desktop connection to our app server. RDC is how our company is currently set up to access our Oracle system and therefore this is how we would like to access our FileMaker database.

 

I understand I'll need FMS on one machine, and FMP on the app server. To let multiple users logged into the app server access the database a FMP volume license is required, so I'm told. Seeing that technically ONE copy of FMP will be installed on the app server for users to use, how is a Volume License entered to make this work? I'm under the impression a volume license is for multiple copies of the software on multiple machines?

 

Can someone elaborate on how the installation and set up of FMP would be performed on the application server?

 

Thank you!

Technically, this is possible, but I'm not sure that the installation is any different than on a regular machine.  

 

From a licensure standpoint, you should check out the Filemaker EULA (section 1c).  My understanding is that you need a license for each user/client that will access the database.  I presume your institution will want to document how many users will have access and that the number of licenses is appropriate.  You might also want to set the FM Server Admin client to not allow the number of connections to exceed the number of licenses.

My manager was in touch with FileMaker today about how many licenses he would need to purchase. I'll definitely take note of setting the Server to only allow that many concurrent connections. Good point! I read a white paper written by FileMaker about using FMP over a remote desktop session, but it didn't really elaborate on how the installation and setup works.

 

I'm still stumped on how FileMaker Pro 12 will be installed on the application server. I can't imagine it being different than installing it on a regular machine like you said. However, will the serial number provided by FileMaker indicate to the software that "x" amount of users are permitted to run the software at any one time? I guess what I'm asking is that there could be several users logged into the application server at the same time, running FileMaker Pro, accessing the database on the database server concurrently. Will the software run simultaneously on each user account? I would hate for one user to be able to successfully connect, but the other users get an error message saying that the one user is already using the software with the same serial number.

I'm running RDC remote apps already - works just fine, but resolving file path locations is not easy. You will also have difficulty using send by email to the local computer. Other file path problems too as a remote app does not have a desktop to see.

 

Volume license serials do not conflict and it is the same license code for FMP, FMPA and FMS. My experience to date is that single issue licenses DO conflict, but only when they are accessing the same FILE.

 

VLA is based on how many people/computers are in your organisation.

 

For best value look at Annual SITE Licensing - starts for 25+ users, but you can deploy multiple FM Servers!!

"Volume license serials do not conflict and it is the same license code for FMP, FMPA and FMS. "

 

That's a Site License, not a Volume License that does this.  A subtle, but important, distinction.

 

As for the broader issue in this thread, I'd recommend that the original poster read the information on using FileMaker Server with Citrix or Terminal Services.  That explains how these virtual desktops/sessions work in conjunction with FIleMaker Server.

 

Steven