To get the most out of your shiny new business solution you'll need the right FileMaker licensing and the best hosting... we're experts at both and can advise on options and solutions specific to your circumstances.
Hosting
Hosting and Cloud Options
FileMaker applications usually depend on a central database which can be in the cloud or on your own premises on a dedicated server computer.
DF Cloud
FileMaker databases work well hosted in “the cloud”, which basically means on a virtual server in a data centre. The advantages are huge:
- You don’t have to maintain a physical server
- It’s accessible from anywhere (if you want)
- It’s well connected — you’ll get the fastest and most reliable connection over the internet when hosted in a data centre
- Backup power and internet connections are covered for you
Backups and server management can be taken care of for you.
We’re happy to advise the best options for you whether it be some space on a shared server or to set up a dedicated cloud-based server for you.
What About FileMaker Cloud?
There is also a FileMaker Cloud product from Claris, which we generally do not recommend due to some limitations it comes with. In some circumstances it is an economic and easy solution.
On Premise
The traditional way of hosting your application is in-house on a dedicated server computer. The big advantage is performance: it’s hard to beat the network speed within an office!
The downsides are that external access (like using the system from another office or home) will be harder to set up and probably much slower than cloud based options.
You’ll need a modern, dedicated computer running either the latest Mac or Windows operating system, which you need to manage with things such as a applying security updates, managing backups and a “Disaster Recovery Plan” for that rainy day when something fails on the machine.