FME Flow Hosted FAQs

Introduction

What is FME Flow Hosted?

FME Flow Hosted (formerly FME Cloud) is our hosted deployment option for FME Flow (formerly FME Server). It enables you to launch and manage FME Flow instances through a web interface and API. With FME Flow Hosted, Safe Software deploys FME Flow for you and looks after the hardware, networking, and security. FME Flow Hosted was renamed with the FME 2023.0 release. 
 

How does FME Flow Hosted differ from FME Flow?

Both FME Flow on-premises and the FME Flow Hosted version of FME Flow share a common code base so the functionality of FME Flow is almost identical. However, some features that are applicable for an on-premises deployment of FME Flow can’t be used on FME Flow Hosted or would have limited use.

For a comparison of deploying FME Flow yourself vs using FME Flow Hosted, see Feature Comparison: FME Flow and FME Flow Hosted.
 

Security and Compliance

What are FME Flow Hosted’s security policies?

Safe Software’s entire business is built on data, and we understand that it is among the most important assets of any organization. The security and privacy of your data is our highest priority. For more information on how FME Flow Hosted ensures application security, please read our security whitepaper. Also, review our Security Center for the latest security updates. 
 

Workflow Design

How do I design integration workflows for FME Flow Hosted?

Workflows are designed using FME Form (formerly FME Desktop), the authoring environment for FME Flow. You simply design your workspace using the FME Form interface and publish it to FME Flow.

Which data formats are supported on FME Flow Hosted?

As FME Flow Hosted is built on Ubuntu virtual machines and you have no access to the virtual machine to install or license third-party software, not all formats are supported. Please refer to the Formats Matrix.

Which versions of FME Form can be used with FME Flow Hosted?

When you launch an FME Flow instance on FME Flow Hosted, you choose the year and build you want to launch. Your FME Form version should match this. You can download the latest installer here.

Account Limits

How many instances can I launch?

A default account can launch up to two instances. If you wish to launch more than two instances, please contact Technical Support, and we can increase the number.

Is there a limit on the size of an instance I can launch?

The Enterprise subscription is the largest instance we support, with 48 cores and 192GB of RAM. If you wish to launch a larger instance, please contact Technical Support, and we can discuss options.

Is there a limit on the number of snapshots?

A default account has a maximum of five snapshots. More are available on request, please contact Technical Support, and we can increase the number.

Is there a limit on the number of static IPs?

A default account has one static IP available. More are available on request, please contact Technical Support, and we can increase the number.

FME Flow Hosted Instance Configuration and Setup

What FME Flow Hosted instance sizes are available?

There are five instance sizes to choose from. FME Flow Hosted instances should be selected based on your application’s specific needs. For questions, please contact Technical Support.

• Standard - 2 cores with 8GB RAM
• Professional - 4 cores with 16GB RAM
• Premium - 16 cores with 64GB RAM
• Enterprise - 48 cores with 192GB RAM

For more details on instance sizes, please visit the documentation.

Where are the instances located?

You can launch an instance in Eastern USA (Northern Virginia), Western USA (Oregon), Canada (Montreal), Australia (Sydney), EU Frankfurt, EU Ireland, EU Stockholm & UK London. 

What time zone are the instances in?

All instances are in GMT.

Do you back up my data?

Yes, for each instance you launch we take a daily backup. This backup is a copy of the entire instance, including your workspaces, any data you upload, and any data in the PostGIS database.

How quickly can I scale my instances up and down?

FME Flow Hosted allows you to scale your instance between different instance sizes without altering any of the data on the server. You can change the size of a running instance on the FME Flow Hosted dashboard. It takes about 2 minutes to run the command. More info here.

Can I use SSH to access my FME Flow Hosted instance?

No. There is no operating system-level access to FME Flow Hosted instances. You can interact with FME Flow via the web application, REST API, or open ports on the server if you wish to send data to the instance via a port, such as through TCP/IP or WebSocket.
 

Pricing and Licensing

How will I be charged and billed for my use of FME Flow Hosted?

You only pay for what you use, and there is no minimum fee. Pricing is per instance-hour consumed for each instance launched. Partial instance hours consumed are billed as full hours. There are additional charges for data storage and outbound data transfer.

Are there any other costs except the hourly rate?

Yes. The hourly rate covers the capability of the instance (RAM and CPU). There are additional charges for data transfer out of the machine and for data storage. You can calculate the rough costs on our pricing page.

With regard to the disk storage charges. When you launch an FME Flow Hosted instance, it comes with three disks: a data disk, a temp disk and a root disk.

• The temp disk varies in size based on the instance size, and we use it internally to store temp data; you don't pay for this disk.
• The data disk is the one you sized when you launched the instance, and it contains the full FME Flow installation, including shared resources and the PostGIS database. You will pay for the amount of space that you provisioned.
• The root disk contains the operating system; it is 10GB in size, and you will be charged for this disk. 

Do I need an FME Flow license?

No. There are no licensing costs. The cost of the FME Flow is covered by the hourly/annual rates.

Does the number of engines I use affect my pricing?

No, you can choose as many engines as the server is technically capable of running (4x number of CPUs). The Instance Size Comparison Chart shows the recommended number of FME Engines to run on each machine.
 

Billing

How do I contact billing?

Contact Technical Support.

How do I cancel my account?

Login to FME Flow Hosted, go to your profile, scroll to the bottom of the first page, and you will see the cancel account button.

What defines billable FME Flow Hosted instance-hours?

Instances are billed for any time they are in a “running” state. If you no longer wish to be charged for your instance, you must "pause" or "terminate" the instance to avoid being billed for additional instance hours. Billing starts when an instance transitions into the running state.

Do your prices include taxes?

Applicable sales taxes vary based on region.

What forms of payment does FME Flow Hosted accept?

We accept all major credit cards. Annual Plans can be purchased via other payment methods.

My credit card won’t validate. Is there a problem with it?

When you enter a credit card, we validate it before letting you proceed. Sometimes cards are reported invalid even though they are valid. Please try with another credit card or contact Technical Support.

Do I need to enter a credit card before I can use FME Flow Hosted?

Yes. FME Flow Hosted requires a credit card. You can trial FME Flow Hosted without a credit card.

Can I pay by any method other than a credit card?

Please contact Technical Support. 

What happens if my credit card expires?

If your credit card is about to expire and you’ve received your replacement, simply visit the billing section of your account to update your credit card information.

When your credit card is due to expire in the next month, you will receive an e-mail notification from FME Flow Hosted asking you to provide new credit card information. If you don’t update it and your credit card goes on to become invalid, we will contact you, but you risk your account being suspended.

How can I save money using FME Flow Hosted’s pay-as-you-go model?

FME Flow Hosted allows you to pause an instance when it’s not in use, saving you the hourly instance cost. The only costs then are the data storage costs, as long as the data persists on the disk, meaning you haven’t deleted the instance completely. The virtual machine is still assigned to you and you alone.

Trial

Who Qualifies for the $250 free trial voucher?

All new account holders automatically qualify for the $250 free trial.

When does my $250 free trial voucher get applied to my account?

The voucher is applied automatically as soon as you sign up.

Does my $250 trial credit expire?

The $250 will expire three months after opening the account.

Do I need to enter a credit card before I use up my $250 voucher?

No. If you do not have a credit card on file, then once the trial ends, the instances you have running will be terminated.

What happens when I use up my $250 credit?

To use FME Flow Hosted once the trial period has ended, you must upgrade to a full account. To do this, you need to log in, enter some information, and accept terms. We will send you an email when you are down to your last $50 of credit and another email warning you once the trial has ended.

What happens after my trial has ended?

After your trial has ended, we immediately pause any running instances. Then, after 20 days, if you don't upgrade, we terminate all of the instances and close the account.