BIOS: Technology Means Business

FileMaker has announced the immediate availability of FileMaker Server 7 Advanced, an enhanced version of the company's FileMaker Server 7 database application that includes advanced Web publishing and connectivity options for more efficiently management of shared resources. The software supports database sharing for up to 100 Web and 250 desktop clients and comes with more features for publishing databases to the Web, such as connectivity to XML, ODBC and JDBC-based data sources (ODBC and JDBC not supported on Mac OS X). The server software can also be run in a mixed-platform environment by allowing access to shared files through either Windows or Mac OS versions of FileMaker Pro 7. In addition to the security system included in FileMaker Pro 7, FileMaker Server 7 provides additional protection by encrypting FileMaker information that is transferred between hosted databases and desktop clients using SSL encryption, external authentication through industry standard protocols, such as LDAP, as well as the ability to filter the display of hosted database names based on users' privileges.

Pros: Better Web tools and security compared to FileMaker Server 7
Cons: Doesn't run on Linux servers; reduced Mac OS X connectivity

Release; FileMaker has announced the immediate availability of FileMaker Server 7 Advanced, an enhanced version of FileMaker Server 7 that provides advanced Web publishing and connectivity options for efficiently managing shared solutions for desktop and web clients.

FileMaker Server 7 Advanced includes all the benefits of FileMaker Server 7 and provides simultaneous database hosting for up to 100 Web-based clients and 250 desktop clients within one easy-to-use software application. In addition, customers can now integrate FileMaker databases with other applications using such industry standard connectivity options as XML, ODBC and JDBC.

With FileMaker Server 7 Advanced, users can create a Web version of their FileMaker database with a few clicks and no modifications and then easily share it with up to 100 users via a browser 20 times the number possible using Instant Web Publishing in FileMaker Pro 7. Web users browsing the database will see the intuitive FileMaker interface without having to use any additional software.

In addition, FileMaker Server 7 Advanced offers Custom Web Publishing, which delivers rich, Web-based applications for customers, partners and other remote users. Users may employ the new built-in Site Assistant wizard for serving FileMaker Pro data to Web sites or work with such web design tools as Dreamweaver MX from Macromedia.

'Our challenge in designing a new interactive Web site was to improve both the content and speed of the site and FileMaker Server 7 Advanced proved to be up to the task, reports Philip Vitanza, president and CEO, NextHome, a full-service Realtor serving the Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Columbus, Ohio housing markets. 'Our inventory of thousands of home photos are displayed dynamically with ease using FileMaker Pro 7 and FileMaker Server 7 Advanced. The database management system has significantly increased our efficiencies in managing our business as well as providing our realtors the ability to view and update our leads and customer information online, by simply using a browser. This eliminates the need for contact management software.

'The ODBC connectivity in FileMaker Server 7 Advanced is a quantum leap in both functionality and performance,' says Dan Stein, Digital Software Solutions, Telford, Pa. 'We are able to take a complex data-intensive Web-based course registration system that is back-ended by MS SQL 2000 and the Witango Developers Studio to convert our solution to a functional FMP back-end within hours.

He further adds, 'Performance was on par with the SQL database. The complex SQL queries were handled well. The new ODBC driver and server connectivity adds a tremendous value to FileMaker Server 7 Advanced combined with the ability to serve multiple roles in an enterprise environment, on the Web and in data interchange.'

'With the addition of server-side XML/XSLT transformations, FileMaker Server 7 Advanced has become a complete application server that allows a true dynamic integration between FileMaker 7 data and other emerging web technologies,' states Francesc Sans, Network BCN Software, Barcelona, Spain. 'XML/XSLT data modelling is currently something essential in the IT field and now brings FileMaker 7 to a serious option for developers. Furthermore, in a few minutes your application server is up and running, surprisingly fast and simple!'

FileMaker Server 7 Advanced, priced at £1,650 (RRP) runs on Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server, Windows 2000 Server SP4, and Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition and leverages their built-in security to provide Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption of data transferred between FileMaker Server 7 Advanced and the Web. FileMaker Server 7 Advanced Web publishing supports both Apache and IIS Web servers. The software also provides support for industry-standard connectivity options such as XML, ODBC, and JDBC.

FileMaker Server 7 owners can upgrade to FileMaker Server 7 Advanced with the purchase of the FileMaker Server 7 Option Pack, priced at £1,000 (RRP). In addition, owners of FileMaker Developer 7 may build and test FileMaker 7 files running on FileMaker Server 7 Advanced using the new FileMaker Server 7 Advanced Development License.

Links:
FileMaker Server 7 Advanced Web site