FileMaker Pro Virtual Clients

In the same ways that worldcloud brings value to our FileMaker Pro hosting products, we also bring advanced features, improved performance, flexible deployment options, and decreased initial investment to the FileMaker Pro (client) marketplace. Combining FileMaker Pro with the latest offerings from Citrix, MicroSoft, vmWare, and others we can make FileMaker even better. Our biggest challenge is explaining these 'value-add' services in a way that makes sense- after all, we are combining several technologies together and it's easy to miss the 'bigger picture'. There are also a number of myths which surround these technologies which are simply not true.

Licenses

As we speak with new clients and/or prospects, one statement which often is made is I've interested in vApp because I don't want to purchase FileMaker Pro for each of my users. The reality is that is this is a half-truth. Each of our virtual clients are fully licensed; however we offer the same options as our FileMaker Server hosting plans. You can use your existing FileMaker licenses, you can purchase discounted licenses from us (or FileMaker, Inc.), or you can lease a license from our pool of licenses on a monthly basis. So although it is true that we can offer a means to get started with FileMaker for very little 'up-front' expense, all virtual clients are fully licensed and ultimately you are not going to escape licensing expense.

How it works

Before we get into the specifics of our virtual client offerings, let's look at how they work. For all practical purchases, we are permitting you to control one of our machines inside our datacenters. There are numerous advantages to this approach but before we get to those, by controlling our machine, you have access to a FileMaker Pro client on the same local network as the server. These are connected with a very robust Ethernet network and all the processing of your FileMaker solution happens in the datacenter on robust hardware. Utilizing the latest virtual client technology, we stream only the screen changes therefore allowing complex scripts, sorts, and finds to happen faster than many users have seen while using a local, single-user solution. Certainly it gives a much more responsive environment than a traditional FileMaker client-server experience over a Wide Area Network.

Virtual Apps

Using Microsoft vApp we can stream your specific FileMaker solution and provide link to a local machine, so when a user clicks on the link- they get a window showing your remotely hosted FileMaker solution. It's ideal for vertical market solutions. One of the few downsides of the technology is that it is not certified for use on MacOS; however some clients have used it with success. read more about vApp for FileMaker

XenApp works like vApp, but it is more application-like, so typically users with still log onto there individual FileMaker solutions. We are a Citrix Partner, so to can offer your users a unique Dazzle market, so that each user can install and launch only the apps which they have been authorized for. XenApp runs well on multiple platforms, including thin clients. Citrix is based on web technologies, and therefore is rarely blocked by corporate firewalls.read more about XenApp for FileMaker

Virtual Desktops

Virtual desktops from Microsoft and vmWare are just like operating your normal computer. You get a desktop, your own set of folders, applications, etc. You can sign on from work and literally have the same apps, the same access to data, and the same performance because the 'performance' is that of the host machine which you are controlling, so whether on a desktop computer, a old laptop, a thin client, or an iPad; you can maintain the same user experience. From an IT perceptive these 'host' systems are always available and thus software updates, backups, or other maintenance tasks are much easier. This makes your computer a commodity, so if your laptop dies one day, you just simply borrow another and you don't miss a beat. Virtual desktops can provide your will all your apps, and in many cases can save on license expense because you no longer need to purchase all your apps for each computer.

Thin Clients

As more and more tasks are getting shifted into the cloud, then why have a computer? Devices like the Ncomputing L300 or the Wyse or Hewlett Packard thin clients give you all the functionality of a 'real' computer without the RAM, hard drive, and other systems to maintain. A worldcloud powered thin client can run FileMaker on a $200 piece of hardware while still providing state of the art performance. Security is enhanced the cost of ownership is decreased because there is almost nothing to maintain. Typically, many companies spend more to maintain equipment than they do to purchase it. read more