hiding the backend

[fishqqq]

I have the backend dbase on our server in a public directory and each
user (workstation) has the front end application. is there a way to
hide the backend location on each workstation?

all the users have to do is go to explore and find the public
directory then see the backend .mdb files and copy all the data.

the server has XP Professional and we're all using Access2003

I would appreciate any feedback on how to secure (hide) my data on the
server

Tks
Steve

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:16:05 -0800 (PST), "(e-mail address removed)"

You could create a share that starts with a dollar sign:
\\someserver\$someshare
That would make the share invisible when browsing using Windows
Explorer.

Your app could have this location hard-coded (provided it does not
change very often).

This won't keep a more sophisticated user from stealing the data, but
it is a start. If you want real security, you need to store your data
in a SQL Server database rather than in an Access (better: Jet)
database.

-Tom.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Actually, the share name needs to end with a dollar sign, not begin with it:

\\someserver\someshare$

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 07:15:34 -0500, "Douglas J. Steele"

You're right. Sorry about that.
-Tom.

 

[fishqqq]

Thanks Doug,
i'm sorry but i still don't follow. I"m comfortable with front end vs
back end and linking the two but you lost me below...

I put the back end on the server and called it test$.mdb. but i can
still see it on any workstation. I also tried test.mdb$ but again you
can still see the file on any workstation? what am i doing wrong?
Tks
Steve

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thanks Doug,
i'm sorry but i still don't follow. I"m comfortable with front end vs
back end and linking the two but you lost me below...

I put the back end on the server and called it test$.mdb. but i can
still see it on any workstation. I also tried test.mdb$ but again you
can still see the file on any workstation? what am i doing wrong?
Tks

The share name of the *folder* is what should have the dollar sign at the end,
not your file.

EX: On a server I have a folder named "Test". If I turn on sharing for that
folder and name the share "TestShare" then all users on the network will see it
when browing the network. If I name the share "TestShare$" then they will not
see it (even if they have permissions to use it).

If a user has permissions they can type \\ServerName\TestShare$ into a Windows
Explorer address bar and get to the contents of the share, but they won't see it
when browsing the network.

 

[fishqqq]

The share name of the *folder* is what should have the dollar sign at the end,
not your file.

EX: On a server I have a folder named "Test". If I turn on sharing for that
folder and name the share "TestShare" then all users on the network will see it
when browing the network. If I name the share "TestShare$" then they will not
see it (even if they have permissions to use it).

If a user has permissions they can type \\ServerName\TestShare$ into a Windows
Explorer address bar and get to the contents of the share, but they won't see it
when browsing the network.

Thanks again Rick.
i created this exactly as you did on your example.
I created a directory on the server called 'test'
in properties i picked share and named it testshare$

then on the workstation i mapped to that location and i can still see
the directory and file as if the "$" wasn't there?

did i miss a step?
Tks
Steve

 

[David W. Fenton]

The share name of the *folder* is what should have the dollar sign
at the end, not your file.

The folder doesn't need to have that, but the *share* has to have a
dollar sign at the end of its name.

 

[David W. Fenton]

:

i created this exactly as you did on your example.
I created a directory on the server called 'test'
in properties i picked share and named it testshare$

then on the workstation i mapped to that location and i can still
see the directory and file as if the "$" wasn't there?

did i miss a step?

No. Rick explained it wrong. It's the *share* name that needs to
have the dollar sign at the end.

 

[fishqqq]

No. Rick explained it wrong. It's the *share* name that needs to
have the dollar sign at the end.

I still must be missing a step. i put the $ at the end of the share
name and i can still see the directory and file on the workstations
over the network.

please help me figure this out - i must be close....
tks
Steve

 

[Rick Brandt]

No. Rick explained it wrong. It's the *share* name that needs to
have the dollar sign at the end.

Isn't that what I said?

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:23:55 -0800 (PST), "(e-mail address removed)"

Don't map a drive letter to that location. Just reattach your tables
to \\servername\testshare$\your.mdb
The point is that if you use Windows Explorer and browse to that
server, you won't see this hidden share.
If you map a drive letter to this hidden share, you -obviously- will
see the files in this share.

-Tom.

 

[fishqqq]

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:23:55 -0800 (PST), "(e-mail address removed)"


Don't map a drive letter to that location. Just reattach your tables
to \\servername\testshare$\your.mdb
The point is that if you use Windows Explorer and browse to that
server, you won't see this hidden share.
If you map a drive letter to this hidden share, you -obviously- will
see the files in this share.

-Tom.

I finally got this to work properly.
i have the file on backend$ and it's invisible on the workstations.
Thanks for your guidence

now another error pops up when more then 1 workstn is logged on at a
time
"could not use ' \\server-pc\backend$\db1.mdb', file already in use"

it looks like db1.mdb is set up for only 1 user at a time??? i never
had this problem when i put this file in a public directory and shared
it?

Can someone please tell me how to allow multiple users access
this .mdb file at the same time? I was looking for a setting for
'multi-user' access but could not find any.

tks
Steve

 

[Joan Wild]

It's a Windows permission issue. All users need read/write/create permission on the folder where the backend is located. Also recommended (although not imperative) is delete permission.

 

[Rick Brandt]

I finally got this to work properly.
i have the file on backend$ and it's invisible on the workstations.
Thanks for your guidence

now another error pops up when more then 1 workstn is logged on at a
time
"could not use ' \\server-pc\backend$\db1.mdb', file already in use"

it looks like db1.mdb is set up for only 1 user at a time??? i never
had this problem when i put this file in a public directory and shared
it?

Can someone please tell me how to allow multiple users access
this .mdb file at the same time? I was looking for a setting for
'multi-user' access but could not find any.

Users need more permissions to the shared folder. They need permissions to
create new files, to modify existing files and to delete existing files. All of
that is required to manage the LDB file for multi-user access.

 

[David W. Fenton]

Isn't that what I said?

You're right -- I think I misidentified you as the source of the
mistaken advice. Sorry about that.

 

[David W. Fenton]

It's a Windows permission issue. All users need read/write/create
permission on the folder where the backend is located. Also
recommended (although not imperative) is delete permission.

And you have to set the permissions on both the SHARE and on the
underlying folder that is being shared.