FileMaker Cloud and AWS
FileMaker Cloud and AWS
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has come a long way since in the last three years, making great strides in usability and offerings. How does this apply to the FileMaker world? FileMaker teamed up with AWS in 2016 to provide a linux based server known as FileMaker Cloud.
FileMaker Cloud is, basically, FileMaker Server running on a Linux Server hosted by AWS. Easy to setup, easy to maintain, easy to get FileMaker licensing, and easily expandable with more hard drive space, memory and processing power when needed – and easy to take back down when the extra juice is not needed.
And if you don’t want to use Linux, you can make your own AWS server (known as an instance) using the Windows Server software of your choice, and be up and running pretty quickly, too. And the internet bandwidth in and out of your server is downright incredible.
Recently, my team and I had to hurriedly move a FileMaker solution to an existing AWS server and connect it to a voting website. The process took about 20 minutes, including transferring the file, and the users were back up and running with very snappy page load times. You could say I am sold on AWS, and am planning my transition to happen as soon as possible for all my other cloud needs.
FileMaker Cloud Services
To get started with FileMaker Cloud with any further ado, click the link below:
Amazon’s FileMaker Landing Page
FileMaker Cloud provides secure, reliable access to your custom apps in the cloud — all without the administrative hassle. Get the simplicity and performance you’ve come to expect from the FileMaker Platform without having to spend time and resources deploying and maintaining a server. With FileMaker Cloud you’ll get low cost of entry, speedy deployment, minimal administrative overhead, instant scalability, and more. You’ll be up and running in 20 minutes or less since no hardware or software needs to be installed and set up. Monitoring, OS updates, and software patches are all automatic. Plus, you can quickly scale up for fast-paced growth or easily scale down after seasonal demand periods. Get started with FileMaker Cloud today with a 15-day software trial. FileMaker Cloud supports a minimum of FileMaker Pro 15.0.2 and FileMaker Go 15.0.2. Available in the United States and Canada only.
FileMaker, AWS, and Windows Server
If you are interested in using AWS with FileMaker using Windows servers, click here to get started.
FileMaker Talk Podcast
Matt and Matt (Matt Petrowski and Matt Navarre), of FileMaker Talk Podcast, posted a podcast dedicated to FileMaker Cloud (look for Episode 128 at the link) right here: FileMaker Talk Podcast
Here’s just a sampling of what you will learn:
- FileMaker Cloud is Linux based.
- The admin console is completely different that the normal FileMaker 15
- Spins up with 3 drives automatically
- FileMaker Cloud does not run XML or PHP
- ASW Virtual Host with Windows VS FileMaker Cloud
- Windows Firewall issues
- AWS Firewall issues
- Backups are more difficult in AWS Windows
- FileMaker Cloud backups are snapshots of the Virtual Machine (VM) snapshot (and these are cheap)
- With FileMaker Cloud, you do not get a Remote Desktop, but you do get a web based GUI interface
- Amazon sells SSL Certificates for a great price (90 days free)
- AWS servers all have SSD drives, allowing for smaller cache settings in FileMaker
- With AWS, you can easily upgrade to more cores, memory, and hard drives when needed, then drop back down
- Updates are as easy as clicking a link
- For FileMaker Cloud install, use the instructions provide by FileMaker (very important)
- Licensing forFileMaker Cloud is different
- Internet speeds are incredibly faster, both in and out, than most hosting
- Server Side Scripts are not supported
There’s lot’s of help to get you started, too. Check out the links below for more details.
FileMaker Cloud Overview | DB Services. FileMaker Cloud is fast and easy to set up with easy scalability. There are a lot of reasons that FileMaker Cloud will be a great fit for your organization.
FileMaker Client installers with FileMaker Cloud | beezwax > blog. If you purchased your FileMaker Cloud server with user connection licenses, you may well wonder “Where do I get the client software to connect to my server?”.
Using an AWS Reserved Instance with FileMaker Cloud | beezwax > blog. We’ll discuss how you can use a one or three year reserved instance for your FileMaker Cloud instance. This can shave 30% or more off your AWS instance charges.
Restart interrupted FileMaker Cloud deployment. If you had started a FileMaker Cloud deployment, but lost access, accidentally closed the page, or had some other issue that caused the process to stop, you may be able to restart your deployment easily by going to the AWS Marketplace and checking your history.
FileMaker’s comparison of FileMaker Cloud vs FileMaker Server
FileMaker Server on Amazon Web Services: Part 1
FileMaker Server on Amazon Web Services: Part 2
They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Andy Warhol (1928 – 1987), The Philosophy of Andy Warhol