ISO FileMaker Magazine

Even if it's not a super interesting topic, and really only applies if you're managing a FileMaker server, it always pays to know how things work behind the scenes. If you've never used FileMaker's external authentication via LDAP then you'll want to watch this particular video.

If you're creating any type of FileMaker solution which needs to know when your users both enter and exit the system, which especially applies to using external authentication, then you'll enjoy the super simple access log discussed within the video.

There's even a great tip about adding a unique backdoor for emergency access to your files - should you forget your master password for Full Access. Remember, this may seem like a boring topic but it's critical information to have if you're going to be managing any type of complex solution with centralized access controls.

When developing a FileMaker solution, you often want a system where the distribution of labor is such that other administrators can create and manage the users of that system. It can't always come back to the developer who has the only Full Access account.

When considering FileMaker's authentication methods, you basically have three options. Internal, external and third party. The external option is typically Active Directory on Windows or OpenDirectory on Macintosh. The newer third party options are from Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

However, with both external and third party, you have to manage users and their passwords outside of the FileMaker space. If you're wanting to use FileMaker itself to mange users and passwords, then you'll be using FileMaker's internal accounts. The trick is to have a way to manage those accounts within your database. And, that's up to you to both create and manage.

This video is about using a dedicated Users table and how you can securely manage the communication between your table of users and the actual users list within FileMaker's internal accounts. Need to provide a secure method of allowing certain users the ability to create and delete accounts? This video will have the know-how you need.