Installing on a secondary machine (FileMaker Server only, Windows and macOS)

After installing FileMaker Server on the primary machine, install FileMaker Server on the secondary machines. A FileMaker Server deployment can have up to five secondary machines. The following process adds one secondary machine to a primary machine. Follow the same process for each secondary machine you want to add to your deployment.

  1. Follow your electronic download instructions to download the installation disk image.

  2. Windows: If you have Bonjour for Windows installed, make sure it is running before you run the FileMaker Server installer.

  3. Start the installation.

    • Windows: Double-click Setup.exe. If a User Account Control alert appears, click Yes.

    • macOS: Double-click the installation icon. If a security message appears, click Continue.

  4. Windows: Choose a language, click OK.

    • If you do not have IIS and Microsoft Application Request Routing (ARR) extension for IIS installed, you are prompted to allow the FileMaker Server installer to install them.

    • If you do not have Bonjour for Windows installed, you are prompted to allow the FileMaker Server installer to install it.

      See Installation notes.

  5. To continue with installation, click Next (Windows) or Continue (macOS).

  6. Read the important information displayed. If there is a task you did not do, quit the installer and do the task.

  7. Review and accept the end user license agreement.

  8. Choose the installation destination.

    Note  In Windows, you can specify a non-default location. See Installation notes.

  9. Choose FileMaker WebDirect secondary.

  10. Click Install.

    macOS:

    • Enter your macOS user name and password, then click Install Software.

    • If Bonjour is not running, you are prompted to run it. See Installation notes.

    FileMaker Server begins to install. This process may take several minutes.

  11. After the software has been successfully installed, start the Deployment assistant.

    • Windows: In the last step of the installer, enable Start the Deployment assistant, then click Finish.

    • macOS: Click Continue.

    If necessary, see Deployment assistant doesn’t start after installation on the secondary.

    Note  The Deployment assistant requires JavaScript and cookies to be enabled in your browser.

    Optionally, you can stop now and start the Deployment assistant later. To deploy FileMaker Server later:

    • Enter http://127.0.0.1:16003 into a web browser on the secondary machine.

    • Use a desktop shortcut. To start the Deployment assistant using a desktop shortcut:

      • Windows: Double-click the FileMaker Server Deployment Assistant shortcut on the desktop.

      • Windows versions with the Start menu: Click Start menu > All apps or All Programs > FileMaker Server > FileMaker Server Deployment Assistant.

      • Windows versions with the Start screen: Go to the Start screen and click FileMaker Server Deployment Assistant.

      • macOS: Double-click the FileMaker Server Deployment Assistant shortcut on the desktop.

  12. For Certificate Information, verify that a signed SSL certificate is installed, or click Import Custom Certificate to install a signed SSL certificate.

    If Issued To indicates "Claris Self Signed Certificate (Not for Production Use)," then you are using the FileMaker default certificate that does not verify the server name. This certificate is intended only for test purposes. A custom SSL certificate is required for production use. See Requesting an SSL certificate.

    When you have a custom SSL certificate, click Import Custom Certificate to install the custom SSL certificate on the secondary machine.

  13. For Connectors > Web Publishing, enter:

    • the primary machine's host name or IP address

    • the secondary machine's host name or IP address

    • the server administrator user name and password that you use to sign in to Admin Console on the primary machine

    14. Notes

    • If you use a host name, it should be the fully qualified domain name specified in the custom SSL certificate installed on the machine.

    • The installer sets the primary machine's Web Publishing Engine redirect URL to the primary machine's host name. (In Windows, the installer uses the computer name as the host name.) If the primary machine's host name is not a fully qualified domain name, a FileMaker WebDirect client may not be able to connect to the primary machine's Web Publishing Engine when a secondary machine is unavailable.

    • To change the host name on the primary machine, disconnect all secondary machines, uninstall FileMaker Server on the primary machine, change the host name, reinstall FileMaker Server on the primary machine, then connect the secondary machines using the new host name.

    • To change the host name of a secondary machine, remove it from the primary machine, change the host name, then reconnect it to the primary machine.

    • If a secondary machine is connected to the primary machine using an IP address, redirects to the primary machine will use an IP address. If a secondary machine is connected to the primary machine using a fully qualified domain name, redirects to the primary machine will use a fully qualified domain name.

    • Make sure you have opened Admin Console on the primary machine to complete installation before connecting a secondary machine. Do not connect a secondary machine to a primary machine that has been installed but not deployed.

  14. Click Add to primary to connect the secondary machine to the primary machine. When you see a message that the secondary is successfully connected, the secondary has been added to the primary machine. You can verify the connection on the Connectors > Web Publishing tab of Admin Console on the primary machine.

    Notes

    • If you are using the FileMaker default certificate or a certificate that doesn't verify the server's host name, you may see an error message. To allow the unverified certificate, select Connect using the unverified certificate and click Add to primary again.

    • If you receive an error saying that the connection timed out, verify that the secondary machine has network access to the primary machine.