FileMaker Pro 9, Pro Advanced, Server, and Server Advanced
Posted 09/25/2007 at 11:21am
| by Stuart Gripman

FileMaker Server’s Java-based administration tool is its friendliest yet.
FileMaker Server and Server Advanced, which never saw a version 8.5 like their FileMaker Pro cousins, have not been passed over this time. One of the most welcome changes seems mundane: a new installer. The installer has been totally rebuilt, replacing a process we’ll charitably describe as cumbersome. FileMaker claims you can have FileMaker Server installed and running in 20 minutes. It took us about eight. For kicks, we also installed FileMaker Server 9 on Windows Server 2003 and still came in under 20 minutes. Comparatively, you needed to set aside an afternoon to install FileMaker Server 8.
The server products now offer direct support for PHP, a popular tool for building data-driven websites. Administration has been simplified by switching to a Java-based admin console that provides the same interface across platforms and provides a conduit for uploading databases to the server. In all, FileMaker Server 9 was a joy to use.
COMPANY: FileMaker
CONTACT: www.filemaker.com
PRICE: $999 Server ($599 upgrade); $2,499 Server Advanced ($1,499 upgrade)
REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS 10.4.9 or later or Mac OS Server 10.4.9 or later, 1GB RAM, 80GB free disk space
Vastly improved installer. Java admin. Database upload via admin. PHP. Universal binary.
None significant.
