FileMaker, AWS, and Amazon AppStream 2.0

Were you able to catch my DevCon 2017 session on FileMaker and AWS: What You Need to Know? I used the opportunity to show how to spin up a FileMaker Server with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and discussed relevant services and concepts. If you couldn’t make the annual developer conference, you can watch my session in its entirety here.

Toward the end of the session, I demonstrated an AWS service called AppStream 2.0, which offers a fully functional FileMaker Pro experience using nothing more than an HTML 5 web browser.

Get a full explanation here:

In this demonstration, we access a solution on Soliant Consulting’s FileMaker hosting service, Soliant.cloud^®, in AWS. There is very low latency, because all network traffic from FileMaker Pro to FileMaker Server is essentially on the same local network.

Amazon AppStream 2.0

With Amazon AppStream 2.0, you only pay for the time that sessions are active, and they can be configured to auto scale on demand. When users connect, more sessions are created. When they log out, the sessions end, and you save on cost. Elasticity is a huge benefit with AWS cloud computing.

AppStream also supports federated logins from other sites, including SAML or Security Assertion Markup Language. While FileMaker on its own does not support SAML, it is found more readily in enterprise-level companies for authenticating users to several services from one authority.

From there, it is possible to have the Windows image used by AppStream configured to use SSO (Single Sign On) and log you straight into your FileMaker solution.

Security Configuration

You can also configure security to only allow access from cloud hosted subnets, and not open your FileMaker Server to the world. You can configure to allow access from your “on premises” corporate location, as well as secure, cloud based clients such as AWS Workspace or AppStream 2.0. Below is a sample scenario we showed during the session.

Of course, this is just one sample scenario and could be built out to your exact needs.

All of this demonstrates how the FileMaker platform can indeed be a good fit for an enterprise, a point FileMaker highlighted during the DevCon Keynote address – a sizable amount of its business is from the enterprise market.

Of course, you could have this built to your exact specifications, or use the hosting we provide, Soliant.cloud to get started today with FileMaker and AWS.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about FileMaker and AWS or want to learn more about Soliant.cloud, please let me know in a comment below. You can also contact my team and me directly here.