JobRunner and FloorManager system and network requirements

This article lists the server, network, firewall, and workstation requirements for running JobRunner, FloorManager, or both. Use it to size a new server, check your current hardware, or prepare for an update, upgrade, or migration. Systems that do not meet these requirements will not perform at their best.

This article covers:

How to choose your server environment
How to size your server
Server specifications
Network requirements
Server firewall requirements
Workstation requirements
Hardware and operating system deviation agreement
Server best practices
How to get help

Note: If Pacific Solutions hosts your system, we manage the server for you. The workstation requirements in this article still apply to you.

JobRunner and FloorManager both run on the Claris FileMaker platform. Our requirements are based on Claris FileMaker's baseline recommendations, our own development and testing, and reviews of real-world production performance.

How to choose your server environment

We recommend a server that is designed for business use and has a 3-year extended onsite warranty.

Bare metal servers and virtualized servers

We support both bare metal and virtualized servers. For the best performance, we recommend a bare metal (non-virtualized) server.

• Bare metal: All of the host's resources are available to your JobRunner or FloorManager server.
• Virtualized: The virtual machine that runs your JobRunner or FloorManager server competes with the host's hypervisor and with other virtual machines for the host's resources.

Claris provides general hardware and operating system recommendations, but states that it is the customer's responsibility to provide, maintain, and monitor an adequate machine. The specifications in this article are based on our own extensive testing, and we ask that you follow them.

Cloud servers

We support cloud servers, for example on Azure, AWS, Oracle, or Google, as long as they meet the server, workstation, and network requirements in this article.

Server lifecycle

Our specifications assume a server lifecycle of 3 to 5 years. A server can run for years beyond that, but it may no longer perform at its best. Depending on the server, you can replace some parts, such as storage drives, RAM, or the operating system, to extend its life. Other parts, most notably the CPU, may not be replaceable, and a full server replacement may be needed.

Keep the server dedicated to JobRunner or FloorManager

The JobRunner or FloorManager server uses a lot of resources. For the best performance, we recommend that you do not host other applications on it, such as Microsoft Exchange, ProSeries, or Microsoft SQL Server.

If you would like one physical host to run both the FileMaker server and the FileMaker user platform (a remote desktop session host for your users), set up a separate dedicated server or virtual machine for the remote desktop sessions. The FileMaker server and the FileMaker desktop platform must be fully isolated from one another. This is especially important if you would like to integrate Tableau or JotForm.

Note: A shared environment will result in frequent interruptions of service.

How to size your server

We group servers into four sizes. Start with your peak number of users, then check your ledger entries and database set to see whether you need the next size up.

• Size up your server if your ledger entries or your database set call for a larger size.
• We do not recommend sizing down.
• If your company is new to JobRunner or FloorManager, you only need the peak number of users. You will start with fewer than 1,000 ledger entries and a database set smaller than 500MB.

Peak number of users

Your peak number of users is the most people who will use JobRunner or FloorManager at the same moment. For example, if your company has 15 user licenses but only 5 people are ever in the system at once, your peak number of users is 5.

Note: Try not to underestimate this number. A small server works well for 5 users, but if 10 people regularly use the system at the same time, performance may suffer and a medium server would be the better choice.

Total number of ledger entries

Your total number of ledger entries is one of the two factors that decide whether to size up. Please contact Pacific Solutions and we will help you find this number.

Size of database set

The size of your database set is how much hard drive space your full set of JobRunner or FloorManager databases uses. To find it:

1. Locate your daily offsite backup directory. For most companies, this is C:\FMCloud.
2. Right-click the directory and select Properties.
3. Find the Size on disk entry. This is the size of your database set.
   
4. Click Cancel to close the window.

Sizing examples

• Example 1: Your company has 10 users, so a medium server is recommended. If your database set is 30GB, you need a large server instead.
• Example 2: Your company has 5 users and 200,000 ledger entries, so a small server is recommended. If your database set is 15GB, consider sizing up to a medium server for the best performance.
• Example 3: Your company has 5 users, so a small server is recommended. If you have 500,000 ledger entries, we recommend sizing up to a medium server. If your database set is 16GB, a medium server is still the right size.

The ledger count and the size of the database set usually line up closely. When they do not, you do not need to size up twice.

Server specifications

These are the baseline requirements for each server size. If you expect more than 30 peak users or more than 1,600,000 ledger entries, you may need an extra large server. Please contact Pacific Solutions and we will help you work out the right specifications.

Specifications by server size

Note: On a bare metal server, RAM should be DDR4. On a virtualized server, the RAM must be dedicated to the virtual machine.

Specifications for every server size

• Operating system: Windows Server 2022 or Windows Server 2019, Standard or Datacenter edition, with Desktop Experience. Windows Server Datacenter is compatible with FileMaker Server 20 but has not been fully tested.
• OS drive free space: The OS drive must always have at least 20% free space.
• Network: 1 Gigabit Ethernet NIC.
• RAID configuration: RAID 1, 5, or 10. This is optional, but we recommend it.
• External power supply: An uninterruptible power supply configured for a graceful shutdown if there is a power outage.

Additional requirements for virtualized servers

• Hypervisor: VMware ESXi 7.0u2 or above. We do not support other hypervisors, such as Microsoft Hyper-V or Proxmox, or VMware ESXi editions below 7.0u2.
• Virtual disk configuration: Thick Provision Lazy Zeroed.

Network requirements

Internet speed and network switches

• We recommend internet service with reliable download speeds of at least 25Mb per second and upload speeds of at least 10Mb per second.
• If your network includes a switch, it should be rated for one gigabit per second of network traffic.
• If you are installing new cable, please use Cat6 or better.

Wired and wireless networks

For stability and speed on your local network, we recommend a wired network over a wireless one. If you use wireless:

• We recommend Wi-Fi Certified 6 routers or access points.
• If you need coverage for more than 1,500 square feet, consider a mesh Wi-Fi product. A mesh system has a main router and one or more satellite devices that you place around your office to spread the signal.
• We do not recommend Wi-Fi range extenders. They can reduce network performance and cause radio interference.
• The Wi-Fi radio in each laptop or desktop should support at least Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Older radios may cause slower speeds or connection problems.

Remote access, WAN, LAN, and VPN

JobRunner and FloorManager performance is limited over WAN connections.

Note: The JobRunner or FloorManager desktop application must be launched from a computer on the same physical LAN as your JobRunner or FloorManager server.

If you work remotely, or at a different site from your server, you have two options:

1. Remote into an office computer that is on the same physical LAN as your server, and run JobRunner or FloorManager from that office computer.
2. Remote into a terminal (RDP) server that is on the same physical LAN as your server, and run JobRunner or FloorManager from the terminal server.

We do not support connecting to your office network over a VPN (client-side, site-to-site, or any other type) and then running JobRunner or FloorManager on the remote computer. This causes much slower response times. You can use a VPN to reach an onsite computer and control it remotely, as described in the two options.

Cloud networks

If you use a cloud server, we cannot guarantee performance over a virtual private network. Please check with your cloud provider that your cloud LAN (for example, Azure VNet or AWS VPC) delivers its advertised speeds and has no bottlenecks, such as a LAN running over a WAN.

Server firewall requirements

The firewall requirements for a JobRunner or FloorManager server are the same as the FileMaker requirements published by Claris in this article: Ports used by FileMaker Server 17 and later.

• FileMaker Server requires a web server in all deployments. The web server serves web publishing clients, hosts the web-based Admin Console, and handles some data transfer tasks.
• Port 80 must be available for web connections and port 443 for secure web connections. FileMaker Server uses these ports even if web publishing is turned off.
• If the FileMaker Server installer finds existing websites using these ports, you must disable those websites to free the ports.
• Ports marked Available are used locally on the FileMaker Server. They must not be used for anything else, but they do not need to be opened in the firewall.

Workstation requirements

The JobRunner and FloorManager user platform must run on individual workstations that are separate from the FileMaker server. Workstations that fall below these requirements will not perform at their best.

Printers

A printer is optional. If you use one, we recommend an HP inkjet or laser printer that can be used on a network. HP printers are durable, and their ink cartridges and toner are easy to find at most office supply stores.

Hardware and operating system deviation agreement

If your company chooses hardware or an operating system that does not meet the minimum requirements in this article, we will ask you to sign a hardware and operating system deviation agreement.

• The agreement allows you to run JobRunner or FloorManager on the equipment you have chosen.
• It also acknowledges that Pacific Solutions cannot support the underlying FileMaker databases until the hardware and operating system meet the requirements.

Server best practices

Windows updates

• Schedule Windows to check for, download, and install updates after hours.
• Stop the FileMaker Server service before you install updates, to avoid database corruption.

FileMaker updates

If FileMaker Pro tells you that a new version is available, click Skip this version. We test every FileMaker update for compatibility first, and then complete it for you.

Virus scanners

Exclude these directories, and all of the directories inside them, from live scans:

• C:\Pacific
• C:\Program Files\FileMaker Server
• C:\conf

Backups

Back up your JobRunner and FloorManager server every day, after hours. The 3-2-1 backup rule is ideal. At a minimum, we recommend:

• A local backup of C:\conf and C:\FMCloud
• An offsite (cloud) backup of C:\conf and C:\FMCloud

How to get help

To request an update, upgrade, or migration, see this article: How to request a JobRunner or FloorManager update, FileMaker upgrade, or server migration.

If you plan to purchase a new server, send us the planned specifications through the server upgrade or migration review request form before you buy. We are happy to review them for you.

If you have questions about any of these requirements, contact your Cyncly Account Manager or the Pacific Solutions Helpdesk (pacificsolutions-support@cyncly.com). We are happy to help.