Deploying Filemaker Server Across Multiple Machines; Deployment Alternatives - FileMaker Server 11 Getting Started Manual

Deploying FileMaker Server across multiple
FileMaker Server allows you to deploy its components on multiple machines to improve overall
performance. In many environments, a single-machine deployment provides sufficient performance for web
publishing. However, if FileMaker Server will be used frequently by internet clients accessing data with
Instant Web Publishing, XSLT, or PHP, then you can deploy the components of FileMaker Server across two
or three machines.
You can first deploy FileMaker Server on fewer machines. If the web publishing load increases, you can
change your initial deployment to improve FileMaker Server's performance.
Note
If you're not using web publishing, you don't gain performance improvements from a multiple-
machine deployment.

Deployment alternatives

The diagram below shows the major components of FileMaker Server. You can deploy them all on one
machine or across two or three machines. The operating systems of the machines can be all Windows, all
Mac OS, or any combination of the two.
FileMaker Server components
Web Server
Web Server Module
PHP Engine
FileMaker Server uses the following components:
1
Web Server: FileMaker Server requires Internet Information Services (IIS) on Windows or an Apache
web server on Mac OS. For Windows, install and enable IIS before deploying the Web Server Module.
The Apache web server is installed as part of Mac OS, but you need to enable web sharing.
1
Web Server Module: this FileMaker Server software component is installed on the web server host
machine. The Web Server Module enables the Web Publishing Engine to connect to the web server.
1
Web Publishing Engine: provides the Custom Web Publishing services for databases hosted by
FileMaker Server and the Instant Web Publishing services (for FileMaker Server Advanced).
1
PHP Engine: for Custom Web Publishing with PHP, FileMaker Server requires a PHP engine to respond
to requests from the web server and to process PHP code. FileMaker Server includes a PHP engine and
the FileMaker API for PHP. When PHP code calls the FileMaker API for PHP, those calls are interpreted
and sent to the Web Publishing Engine.
Chapter 2
machines
Web Publishing
Engine
Database Server
Admin Console