Peer-to-Peer Hosting

Peer-to-peer deployment enables a small number of workers to share a solution, without the cost of setting up and maintaining a dedicated server. You can turn any single-user solution into a peer-to-peer solution simply by turning on FileMaker networking and adding the fmapp extended privilege to one or more privilege sets.

To learn more about extended privileges, see Chapter 12, "Implementing Security," p. 325.


Peer-to-peer deployment is often found in small organizations or departments in which only a handful of users need access to shared data. The database usually physically lives on one persons machine or on a file server. The first person to open the file is known as the host; other users who access it are clients. Provided that they have proper privileges for the file, both the host and clients can modify field definitions, access privileges, scripts, and layouts. Development teams therefore often use peer-to peer sharing during construction of large systems.

Several of the risks of single-user deployments also pertain to peer-to-peer deployments. Files are likely to be backed up sporadically rather than systematically; development standards are frequently nonexistent or not enforced. Solutions that are shared peer-to-peer often fly under the radar of IT departments as well, which might be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective. Its nice for you, as the creator or user of a system, to be in control of your own project, but our experience is that IT departments generally prefer that shared systems be centrally controlled and managed.

Using peer-to-peer sharing, you are restricted to sharing up to 10 databases with up to five concurrent users. If you need to expand beyond these constraints, you need to use FileMaker Server to deploy your solution.

Caution

Because the host of a peer-to-peer shared solution is a users workstation, you may face stability and performance concerns. For instance, the users machine may crash, she might need to disconnect clients to reboot her machine, or she may perform actions in other applications that cause slow client performance. FileMaker Server is the remedy to all these problems.




Part I: Getting Started with FileMaker 8

FileMaker Overview

Using FileMaker Pro

Defining and Working with Fields

Working with Layouts

Part II: Developing Solutions with FileMaker

Relational Database Design

Working with Multiple Tables

Working with Relationships

Getting Started with Calculations

Getting Started with Scripting

Getting Started with Reporting

Part III: Developer Techniques

Developing for Multiuser Deployment

Implementing Security

Advanced Interface Techniques

Advanced Calculation Techniques

Advanced Scripting Techniques

Advanced Portal Techniques

Debugging and Troubleshooting

Converting Systems from Previous Versions of FileMaker Pro

Part IV: Data Integration and Publishing

Importing Data into FileMaker Pro

Exporting Data from FileMaker

Instant Web Publishing

FileMaker and Web Services

Custom Web Publishing

Part V: Deploying a FileMaker Solution

Deploying and Extending FileMaker

FileMaker Server and Server Advanced

FileMaker Mobile

Documenting Your FileMaker Solutions



Using FileMaker 8
Special Edition Using FileMaker 8
ISBN: 0789735121
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 296

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