[FX.php List] Using a web app over a VPN

Thu Mar 25 16:34:18 MDT 2010

Well, after all of this, here's what we [they] decided to do:

I said this:

a) Fix the VPN so it works;
b) Put a web server with the FM Server so we're not using the VPN.

Well, neither happened; finally, someone asked if I could write a 2nd database and put it next to the web server, in the LAN. So that's what I'm doing; I've taken a subset of the main database, just tables that I need, and written a little db that we'll use in the LAN. Then I'll establish relationships between all the tables and deal with things that way.

Not what I wanted, a lot of extra work, but suffice to say I'll be charging the client for my grief!

Thanks to everyone who offered advice... I wish I could've gotten it working but these guys just can't figure out why the 2 machines can't establish a snappy connection.

An interesting sidenote: everytime we reconfigure FMS's web-publishing settings, it trashes IIS and he has to rebuild all the settings. This time it also trashed PHP...

<dig>

Being the Mac snob that I am, I'll say that I've never had that happen on my Mac servers... :)

</dig>

Best,

Bob Patin
Longterm Solutions
bob at longtermsolutions.com
615-333-6858
http://www.longtermsolutions.com
iChat: bobpatin
FileMaker 9 & 10 Certified Developer
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On Mar 25, 2010, at 4:26 PM, Leo R. Lundgren wrote:

> I guess it's quite apparent by now that 1) the network ppl at the client doesn't know jack about what they are supposed to be doing, and 2) the only effective solution to actually get to the bottom of it is that the client or someone hires someone who *does* know their stuff, to simply tell everyone exactly what the problem is. I still think it shouldn't be that hard. But I realize that getting an external consultant to look at it is probably not going to happen :)
> 
> Bob; Please let us know that/if it works out when you change the setup entirely. Maybe you can soon have this being you and sleep well, and so can we ;-)
> 
> 
> 25 mar 2010 kl. 21.11 skrev Dale Bengston:
> 
>> Bob, this reminds me of three instances I've encountered years ago where Cisco routers were configured wrong to work with AFP on the Mac. Slowdowns, packet drops, disconnections. Things would work for a while and then go deaf.
>> 
>> Now, I know AFP on old Macs does not describe your scenario, but I'm going back to my original hypothesis that this is a problem with network hardware. I'd start with the firewall or other device where the VPN connects. As you point out, getting any real troubleshooting done is going to be difficult. You can always come back to what you know:
>> 
>> No VPN, same net, no problem. VPN, problem. Your code has not changed, so the problem is in the ether. Sooner or later, someone who owns the network path is going to have to own up to the problem. Until then, I'll be beaming positive thoughts towards Tennessee while you spin your wheels.
>> 
>> Dale
>> 
>> On Mar 25, 2010, at 12:51 PM, Bob Patin wrote:
>> 
>>> Chris,
>>> 
>>> You nailed it on all counts; I talk to the client (who knows almost nothing) who talks to the IT guys (who *act* like they know more than they do) who come up with every way to blame FileMaker for the problem...
>>> 
>>> Last night they asked one of their guys to look at my web app to "see if he could spot the reason that it's slow." Not knowing FX.php of course, his brilliant conclusion was that "these lines of PHP code seem to be where the slowdown is." Four lines of code doing an FMView()... of COURSE that's where the slowdown occurs, because that's when it's trying to talk to FM Server! 
>>> 
>>> We're going to do an end run, split the web app off into a little database and put it on a LAN with their webserver, saving them the future embarrassment of trying to figure out why their network isn't working right. 
>>> 
>>> Thanks for your reply... and yes, this IT company has ingratiated itself to a point where they'd chew their own arms off to keep this account. :)
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> 
>>> Bob Patin
>>> Longterm Solutions
>>> bob at longtermsolutions.com
>>> 615-333-6858
>>> http://www.longtermsolutions.com
>>> iChat: bobpatin
>>> FileMaker 9 & 10 Certified Developer
>>> Member of FileMaker Business Alliance and FileMaker TechNet
>>> --
>>> Expert FileMaker Consulting 
>>> FileMaker Hosting for all versions of FileMaker
>>> PHP • Full email services • Free DNS hosting • Colocation • Consulting
>>> On Mar 25, 2010, at 10:43 AM, Chris Hansen wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I just realized that I've been in a similar situation to yours.  As in your case, I had no control over the server.  And they were Windows servers.  I'm not sure what the problem was, but it had something to do with "packets being dropped" between the two machines.  Yeah, that's pretty vague, but it does sound like what could well be going on in your case.  Unfortunately, I have no means of getting additional details.  (I spoke with my client, who spoke to his contact, who spoke with the network guys...)
>>>> 
>>>> The thing is, I would think that the logs would indicate that there were problems.  Is there any way your client would look for a more responsive provider?  (My guess is no, since much of what you've said makes it sound to me like they've been using these guys for some time.)  *sigh*
>>>> 
>>>> May the FMorce be with you...
>>> 
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