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Will LovingFlag for United States of America

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Filemaker Server slow with PHP on new server

I'm looking for help with a persistent issue that I can't seem to find an answer to. I have a client that is looking to use an existing set of PHP pages to talk to their FileMaker database. The PHP pages are in use in other situations with the same database and work fine there.

They've got it setup on a new fast server running FM Server 11 deployed for single-machine web publishing, with IIS and an SSL area, but the response time for database related interactions is very slow, 20-30 seconds per page. Even when I open a browser on the desktop of the server and connect to the php pages using http://localhost, it's slow. In fact, though I didn't time it, on the server's desktop if felt even slower than opening it remotely from my own computer.

I recently installed the same PHP pages with FM Server 9, on an old G4 Mac Mini the other day for another client and it was far more responsive than this much newer and faster machine (I know there are OS differences, but still…).

It's definitely slower than on other Windows Server 2008 installs that I've seen but I'm just don't know Windows and IIS well enough to diagnose it. And it might be an FM Server issue but I don't know why that would be, especially when opening to localhost on the same machine... Their local tech who setup the server, IIS and SSL doesn't have any ideas and neither do I at this point.

I'm looking for insight and suggestions from anyone with experience using Windows Server, IIS and Filemaker Server.
Avatar of Andrew Angell
Andrew Angell
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Direct connections to FileMaker in general are always slow, which is why they introduced External SQL Sources and FM themselves recommend you use that instead of connecting directly.  That said, it shouldn't be taking 20 - 30 seconds with just a single visitor on the site.  That's the thing, though, as soon as you get 2,3,4+ visitors all clicking around quering for categories, product details, etc. it will bring your server to its knees no matter how big and powerful it is.  So honestly, I'd recommend going that route and skipping this anyway.

If you want to stick with what you're doing, though, the first thing I would look into is to make sure all of the ports that need to be open are open on all routers and firewalls, including the Windows Firewall.  Here's a good resource for that:  http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6427/~/filemaker-server-and-filemaker-server-advanced-port-numbers
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Will Loving
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Solution was found through direct troubleshooting rather than the one answer I received.