Primary machine major components

In a single-machine deployment of FileMaker Server, the following components are installed on one machine and that single machine is the primary machine.

In a multiple-machine deployment, the machine running the Database Server is the primary machine.

primary machine components
FileMaker Server major components

  • Web Server: in Windows, FileMaker Server requires Internet Information Services (IIS), which is enabled when you install FileMaker Server. In macOS, FileMaker Server uses its own instance of the Apache web server, so you do not need to enable the Apache instance that is installed as part of macOS.

  • Web Publishing Engine: provides the Custom Web Publishing services and the FileMaker WebDirect services for databases hosted by FileMaker Server.

  • 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.

    Note  FileMaker Server installed on Linux doesn't support Custom Web Publishing with PHP and XML. For FileMaker Server, PHP is not included with the installation.

  • Database Server: hosts the databases that you share with FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Go users and publish on the web.

  • Admin Console: runs in a web browser on any client computer from which you want to configure and administer FileMaker Server.