FileMaker Client-Server Applications

NOTE: IS&T recommends that IS&T Managed Servers be used for hosting FileMaker databases. Only experienced server administrators should attempt to do so, particularly where databases with sensitive data and/or mission critical functions will be housed. The following web page offers MIT-specific configuration recommendations to help mitigate against security risks in the FileMaker hosting environment. In a changing computing landscape these recommendations in no way offer a guaranteed maintenance or risk-free hosting environment.

Hosting databases through FileMaker Server is the only approved means of sharing FileMaker data at MIT.

FileMaker Server

FileMaker databases are properly hosted using the FileMaker Server application. If you don't have any expertise in managing a server, but you would like to find out more about what is required to host a FileMaker database, request a consultation to find out about options for hosting existing or new FileMaker solutions at MIT. IS&T recommends using Managed Server Services for hosting FileMaker databases at MIT in most cases.

For those of you who are experienced and plan to manage your own servers, you may request FileMaker Server for use on MIT-owned servers. Anyone installing FileMaker Server at MIT should follow all recommended security and configuration recommendations detailed in the links below.

FileMaker Server runs as a service on Windows or a daemon on Mac OS X. FileMaker Server accepts up to 250 concurrent connections from FileMaker clients, and can host up to 125 files. FileMaker Server should be run on a dedicated, server-class computer with a server operating system. No other unrelated applications should be running on the server. Be sure that your FileMaker Server and client versions match, patch for patch. Fmserverd is the database engine. Fmserv_helperd is the service that exposes the server to FileMaker clients; it must be running for the engine to launch.

For more information on setting up FileMaker Server, see:

FileMaker - MIT Security Guidelines
FileMaker Server - Installation and Configuration Instructions
FileMaker's Getting Started Guide: FileMaker Server

Peer-to-peer data sharing

Peer-to-peer data sharing is not approved for use in the MIT network environment. Peer-to-peer networking is unstable, insecure, and therefore not compliant with best practices for sharing data. Additionally:

• The connection between the host file and users cannot be encrypted via SSL, so all data sharing is insecure
• The host machine is unlikely to be dedicated solely to hosting FileMaker files and is therefore more likely to suffer performance issues, including crashes
• There is no backup utility native to the FileMaker Pro client, so data recovery in case of a crash is problematic

MIT strongly discourages use of peer-to-peer sharing of FileMaker databases.