FileMaker makes its foray into the Cloud with Linux powered Server platform hosted on Amazon Web Services
"Say hello to my little (Cloud) friend"
FileMaker Inc., is on fire. Less than three months after concluding its annual Developers Conference in Las Vegas, and just over four months after releasing FileMaker 15, they're announcing the release of FileMaker Cloud, a new Server platform powered by Amazon Web Services. This is not just the same FileMaker Server hosted on a virtual machine, this is a complete overhaul architected from the ground up to be Cloud ready.
It's got Amazon Web Services under the hood
Topping the news list is the fact that FileMaker has partnered with Amazon Web Services to offer FileMaker Cloud as an on-demand application on AWS Marketplace. A 15-day free trial is available, and you can even rent FileMaker Cloud on an hourly basis for as little as $0.99/hour.
Being on Amazon Web Services allows FileMaker Cloud to offer a number of features such as automated snapshot backups, OAuth security for Administrators, and an abstraction model that separates data and configuration from the application and the virtual machine. This last feature makes upgrading or downgrading the server as simple as putting on a new pair of shoes - you take the old shoes off and put the new shoes on. Wrong size shoes? Try on a bigger or smaller size until you find the right fit. Same is true of adjusting the storage capacity, you pick the new storage capacity you need from a pre-defined list of increments and away you go.
As a brand new offering, FileMaker is wisely rolling out FileMaker Cloud in phases. For the time being, FileMaker Cloud is available for purchase only in the United States and Canada, and instances can currently be spun up in two AWS regions (North Virginia and Oregon). Having said that, this is a watershed moment for the platform, as FileMaker joins the Cloud computing services community.
It runs on Linux!
Up until now, FileMaker has supported two server operating systems: OS X server and Microsoft Windows Server. Now, for the first time in over 15 years, as part of the new FileMaker Cloud architecture FileMaker is running their server software on Linux (specifically, CentOS) . This means that in addition to leveraging all of the great features and benefits of AWS, FileMaker's customers can now benefit from having an on-demand, enterprise-class Linux Server at their disposal.
It's got your back FileMaker Cloud also includes new automated server health monitoring and notifications, which provide Administrators actionable warnings with specific recommendations to resolve the issue. Along the same lines, when you first launch an instance, it installs a 90-day SSL certificate to get you started on the right foot.
Completing the picture
FileMaker Cloud rounds out the FileMaker platform by adding the missing piece of the puzzle: a scalable and robust server in the Cloud. As certified FileMaker Business Alliance partners and Amazon Web Services experts, Automation USA is proud to offer FileMaker hosting services on either FileMaker Cloud or FileMaker Server running on AWS. Contact us for a free demo or to arrange a free 15-day trial.
Comments