[Macpartners] FileMaker Pro - server needed?

[Rebecca Heiser]

Scott,
   I'm with Cecilia and think FileMaker Server is the way to go.   
Along with encrypting the data, FM Server allows you to set a  
schedule to back up your database. So if someone accidentally wipes  
out data or there's a power outage and the file becomes corrupt, you  
could restore from a previous backup easily.

   If it is being shared via plain FileMaker on someone's computer,  
that person needs to have their computer up all the time and can't  
log out.  Hosting it on a fileserver is dangerous.  Whoever opens the  
database first ends up being the host.  We did that with some files  
with FMPro 6 and we had a few corruptions which lead to inaccessible  
data.

-Becky
---
Becky Heiser
Computer & Network Support
MIT Resource Development E19-439
x3-5813 (voice)
x2-3800 (fax)


On Feb 13, 2007, at 12:05 PM, Cecilia Marra wrote:

> Hi Scott,
>
> FileMaker is cross-platform, so your Mac and Windows users should  
> all be fine.  You do not want to
> share this database via filesharing however; the risk of data  
> corruption is not worth it.  FileMaker
> Server is designed to handle multiple concurrent users in a more  
> reliable way, and it is included in
> MIT's volume license.  In fact, if you've ordered the FileMaker  
> software dvd from the volume
> licensing team, you've already got FileMaker Server.
>
> Cecilia
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Cecilia Marra
> Web and Database Consultant
> Departmental Consulting and Application Development (DCAD)
> IS&T
> cmarra at mit.edu
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Scott Ehrlich [mailto:scott at MIT.EDU]
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:58 AM
>> To: Cecilia Marra
>> Cc: macpartners at mit.edu
>> Subject: RE: [Macpartners] FileMaker Pro - server needed?
>>
>> Hello Cecilia:
>>
>> How about Mac/Win file linking?   Will the default Pro clients permit
>> users to share info?   Also, can the file be stored on a
>> Windows/SMB/CIFS
>> share, as long as the volume is mounted via TCP/IP somehow, and all
>> clients equally have access to the file?
>>
>> Thanks again!
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> On Tue, 13 Feb 2007, Cecilia Marra wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Scott,
>>>
>>> Your best plan of action would be to install FileMaker
>> Server on dedicated machine and host the
>>> database for use access that way.  It's a more reliable
>> arrangement and also gives you the security
>>> of SSL encryption for your data sharing across the network.
>>>
>>> For more information, here are some self-help resources:
>>> http://web.mit.edu/ist/db/fm/
>>> http://web.mit.edu/ist/help/filemaker/fmug/
>>>
>>> If you'd like to contact DCAD directly about configuring
>> your database with FileMaker Server, send
>>> an email to db-consult at mit.edu
>>>
>>> Hope that's helpful!
>>> Cecilia
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Cecilia Marra
>>> Web and Database Consultant
>>> Departmental Consulting and Application Development (DCAD)
>>> IS&T
>>> cmarra at mit.edu
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: macpartners-bounces at MIT.EDU
>>>> [mailto:macpartners-bounces at MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Scott Ehrlich
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 11:13 AM
>>>> To: macpartners at mit.edu
>>>> Subject: [Macpartners] FileMaker Pro - server needed?
>>>>
>>>> I have 3 Windows users and a Mac user who will be using the
>>>> latest copy of
>>>> Filemaker to create and access a database.   Will I need to
>>>> order FileMaker
>>>> Server as well, or can one user create the database on their
>>>> machine with FM
>>>> Pro client, and everyone else will have equal share?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> Scott
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Macpartners mailing list
>>>> Macpartners at mit.edu
>>>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/macpartners
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
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