Securing a FileMaker Database

Details

Dartmouth provides a secure, centralized environment for hosting FileMaker databases that contain DISC level 2 and 3 data. Each database hosted on this server must adhere to certain security guidelines.

There are four parts to getting your FileMaker database ready and hosted on the secure FileMaker server.

Part 1: Request Active Directory Security Groups

Put in a ticket at services.dartmouth.edu request Active Directory security groups be created for your database. They'll need the following information for this request:

• The name of the database;
• A list of the names of the people who should be added to each of the security groups for this database. Three security groups will be created for each database. The group name will consist of the database name and the privilege - Read, Write or Developer. So, for example, if your database name is "Widgets" then you will have 3 security groups "Widgets Read", "Widgets Write" and "Widgets Developer".

Once the security groups have been created, proceed to Part 2 where you configure your database security.

Part 2: Configure FileMaker Database Security

1. Open your FileMaker database.
2. Click File then Manage then Security.
3. Uncheck the Guest account, if it is not already.
4. Highlight the Admin account and click Edit.
5. Enter a password and click OK. The password on the Admin account must not be blank and should be easily guessed. The password should be at least 8 characters, contain upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. Keep this admin password in a safe place. If it is lost or forgotten, there is no way to recover it.
6. Add the Active Directory security groups created for you in Part 1:
   • Click New.
   • Set the Account is authenticated via option to External server.
   • Enter one of the Active Directory security group names created for this database into the Group name field.
   • Set the Privilege Set to the corresponding security level for this group. "Read" would be set to "Read-Only Access"; "Write" would be set to "Data Entry Only"; "Developer" would be set to "Full Access".
   • Click OK.
   • Repeat this process until all three of the security groups have been added.
7. Click the File Access tab. If the File Access tab is not visible, click the Use Detailed Setup... button to see it.
8. Check the box next to Require full access privileges to use references to this file.
9. Click OK.
10. When prompted, enter Admin in the Full Access Account field, and enter the password for that account.
11. Click OK.

Part 3: Configure FileMaker Database Sharing

1. Open your FileMaker database.
2. Click File then Sharing then Share with FileMaker Clients.
3. In the Configure Peer to Peer Sharing section, set Network Sharing to Off.
4. In the Network access to file section, make sure All users is selected.
5. Click OK.
6. Click File then Sharing then Configure for FileMaker WebDirect.
7. Select No users.
8. Click OK.

Part 4: Submit FileMaker Database to be Hosted

1. Create a ticket at our Services Portal http://services.dartmouth.edu  The subject line should be "FileMaker database for secure server".
2. The body of the email should contain the following information:
   • the name of the database;
   • the name of the owner of the database;
   • the owner's department;
   • the owner's division;
   • a statement verifying that the security configuration described in parts 2 and 3 above has been completed on the database being submitted.
3. Attach the database/s to the ticket
4. Once the consultant confirms your hosting request has been created and that the database is actually attached to the ticket, you should receive a confirmation when the database is hosted.

For connecting to that database once it is hosted please see the Related Article "Connecting to a Hosted FileMaker Database".

Service Levels

The secure FileMaker server will be supported in the following manner by ITC:

Please submit a ticket at our Services Portal if you're interested http://services.dartmouth.edu.