The Triad of Server

I recently attended a FileMaker, Inc. sponsored seminar about proper configuration of FileMaker® Server 8 and FileMaker® Server 8 Advanced. The day-long program featured members of the North American FileMaker System Engineer team.

At the outset of the program, the SE’s made a very critical point about successful deployment of FileMaker Pro solutions to FileMaker Server. That point bears repeating here. For a deployment to be successful, three keys parts must be properly configured and designed as well as properly aligned with one another:

•The Server hardware and operating system,
•The FileMaker Server services/daemons, and,
•The developer designed FileMaker Pro solution.

Typically, there has been some considerable discussion about the third point: solution design. The Certification Program, various on-line resources, educational programs, seminars, etc. focus on this. FileMaker Tech Support, the SE’s, the development engineers, and a few senior developers have provided guidance and information about the second point: the FileMaker Server services or daemons.

However, there has been very little discussion about the first item: server hardware and operating system requirements. Outside of the Server Best Practices White Paper authored by Wim Decorte [http://www.filemaker.com/downloads/pdf/techbrief_fm8_server.pdf] and some postings that he and I have made to various forums, there has been very little discussion about this until the SE’s started this series of seminars.

I want to commend the SE’s for conducting these seminars and to commend FileMaker, Inc. for providing them. They are absolutely critical in my view to having successful FileMaker deployment experiences. The responsibility remains however for us as developers to acquaint ourselves with the requirements of all three parts of the Triad of Server and to learn and follow best practices for successful deployments of solutions hosted by FileMaker Server 8 or FileMaker Server 8 Advanced.

Steven H. Blackwell
Platinum Member, FileMaker Business Alliance
Partner Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance (1997-2007)
FileMaker 8 Certified Developer
FileMaker 7 Certified developer

Comments

[Rob Russell]

SHB said:

> For a deployment to be successful, three keys parts must be
> properly configured and designed as well as properly aligned
> with one another:

> •The Server hardware and operating system,
> •The FileMaker Server services/daemons, and,
> •The developer designed FileMaker Pro solution.

May I venture that there is a fourth that is sort of implied by (and relies upon) the first two but should always be explicitly called out:

• A well designed back up and restore procedure.

I am constantly amazed by the number of Server installs I come across that do not have a decent (sometimes any) backup procedure.

First port of call is Wim's other paper "Backups, Backups, More Backups". Read it, read it and apply it.

Rob