RE: Design Advice sought...

This is actually a very easy scenario with multiple "good" solutions.  For starters you should always avoid duplicating data within the solution.  If you use an opener file, make a generic one that takes everybody to a login/validation screen or at least prompt them for accountname/password, then manage access using the built-in capability.

 

It appears from your post you are relatively new to creating/managing enterprise level databases- get someone to help you who can be there with you!

-----Original Message-----
From: FMPexperts-YhOVfwX2n+1GPrOSNmeGdnHfP1ztnLDb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:FMPexperts-YhOVfwX2n+1GPrOSNmeGdnHfP1ztnLDb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mike O'Neil
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 11:31 AM
To: FMP EXPERTS
Subject: Design Advice sought...

Hi Folks,

 

I have several issues I need to figure out. I finally talked my Fire Department to purchase Filemaker Server 7 and client licenses after eight years of trying and now I have the City’s IT department hating it and awaiting my failure. The fire department now wants me to design multiple databases to be deployed on their server (Win 2000) which is accessed on a LAN and WAN using W2000P and XPpro clients. Previously, I have designed and deployed single use/function databases on several server systems. Now, I am faced with multiple databases and about 200 users (employees) that will need to access from 1 to multiple databases with varying degrees of access levels.

 

Examples of possible solutions: Training Records, Fire Inspection Records, Overtime Selection, Scheduling, Patient Care Reporting, Fire Incident Reporting, Employee Records, Payroll, Leave scheduling and so on…

 

Each one of the potential databases/solutions will use an employee name and ID, and each solution might need to only allow select employees to access the solution, and some solutions will need to allow all to access to varying degrees.

 

My question/s:

 

1.) Would I be better off designing one database containing Employee Name and ID numbers and then have the other databases link to the Employee database by external file references? Or should I maintain a table in each one the solutions that contains employee data, which will be a nightmare to keep current?

 

2.) Issue of Passwords and Groups: Is there any way of getting around having to set up user names, groups and passwords in each solution/database?

 

3.) Each client will have an opener file, Should I have the opener file open to a layout (local database) with Icon buttons for each hosted/served database or is there a better way of doing this?

 

I know that many of you have faced these issues and I am interested on how you addressed solved these and many others I probably have not thought of yet. Any guidance is appreciated and if anyone knows of any available samples please send me a link.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike