How many users can Access Support?

[Guest]

From reading the other responses in this website I gather that Access can
support anywhere from 20-30 users at once as long as the database is split
into a front and back end. Does that number include users who only have
their front end copy open but are not using it? The impression I get is that
the 20-30 figure applies to users who are actively updating records. I am
hoping that as many as 35-45 users could have their front end copy of the
database open, without freezing up the database, as long as no more than half
of them are trying to work at once.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Guest]

Hi Julian,

If by "having the database open but not using it" you mean that they are
sitting on a main menu type form and aren't in the middle of adding/updating
a record, then that user doesn't really figure in terms of "concurrent users"
(until you reach the 255 user maximum).

Generally when people speak about limits for concurrent access they are
referring to users who are actively adding or updating records at the same
time. The size of your data file is more likely to be a dictating factor for
moving to SQL Server than having 20 or 25 or perhaps even 30 users.

Hope that clears it up for you.

Damian.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

From reading the other responses in this website I gather that Access can
support anywhere from 20-30 users at once as long as the database is split
into a front and back end. Does that number include users who only have
their front end copy open but are not using it? The impression I get is that
the 20-30 figure applies to users who are actively updating records. I am
hoping that as many as 35-45 users could have their front end copy of the
database open, without freezing up the database, as long as no more than half
of them are trying to work at once.

Sure, go for it. There are reports of 100 users happily into an MDB.
Our rule of thumb for 20-30 users is mostly because not too many of us
have gone past that point.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

The size of your data file is more likely to be a dictating factor for
moving to SQL Server than having 20 or 25 or perhaps even 30 users.

In my opinion the most important factor is the possibility of data
corruptions and if your users can recreate the data if you have to
restore from backup.

Size is secondary unless you're getting past the 1 GB mark.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Guest]

Yes, a fair point also Tony... as I said, more likely to be a dictating
factor than the number of users... if you have 1.5 gig of data and only 3
users, I'd still say it's time for SQL Server...

D.

 

[Larry Linson]

From reading the other responses in this website I gather that Access can
support anywhere from 20-30 users at once as long as the database is split
into a front and back end. Does that number include users who only have
their front end copy open but are not using it? The impression I get is
that
the 20-30 figure applies to users who are actively updating records. I am
hoping that as many as 35-45 users could have their front end copy of the
database open, without freezing up the database, as long as no more than
half
of them are trying to work at once.

You can support a great deal many more concurrent users if the Access app is
the "client app" in a client-server environment. I've worked on an old,
Access 2.0 application, using ODBC drivers for connection to an Informix
database, which had about 30 users on a combination of LAN and 256KB leased
line connections when I first worked on it; when I last worked on that app,
about 5 years later, it had between 175 - 200 users scattered all over a
large LAN / WAN, and the 256KB leased lines had been replaced with T1 lines.
Others have reported Access client audiences also in the low hundreds.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Susie DBA [MSFT]]

larry

shut the hell up; those reports of low hundreds = Access Data Projects

 

[Susie DBA [MSFT]]

rofl

wow.. so a serious number from tony.. I'm impressed

Tony; I worked with a dozen MDB that were each 1gb 10 years ago.. I
supported 20-30 users
at that time; i realized that MDB is 100% incapable of supporting
multiple users or working across a network

simple tools like SQL Server profiler became invaluable to me.. the
second that someone showed me profiler; I sure as HELL wouldn't ever
use MDB for anything.

1gb of data.

how do you KNOW how big your data is going to be?

What you don't understand, guys-- is that ADP development is _EASIER_
than MDB development
none of this horsing around

no need to rewrite it every 4 months; whenever you get an additional
user

use Access Data Projects and your life is a whole lot easier

 

[Susie DBA [MSFT]]

Access can't reliably support more than a couple of users



seriously

I've spent enough time; getting called into manufacturing shops--
where MDB is throwing a tissy fit at 336am.. and I've got to go in and
compact & repair

using MDB for anything is just goddamn ridiculous

move to Access Data Projects; or your job will go to India

 

[David W. Fenton]

From reading the other responses in this website

You may be reading on a website, but what you're reading is posts to
a Usenet group, which is not a website at all. It's a discussion
forum propagated through news servers across the Internet and
completely accessible without the use of any website at all.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Access can't reliably support more than a couple of users



seriously

I've spent enough time; getting called into manufacturing shops--
where MDB is throwing a tissy fit at 336am.. and I've got to go in and
compact & repair

using MDB for anything is just goddamn ridiculous

move to Access Data Projects; or your job will go to India

Note that this person is really A a r o n K e m p f and that he is not an employee
of Microsoft.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[IRS Intern]

I have had problems with Access; so I'm probably not the best person
to ask

have you tested it thoroughly? for a long term period?

I find that the best way to test an app is to use Access yourself for
everything that you do.
I use Access for my resume, for balancing my checkbook; for keepnig
track of bugs and for keeping projects on schedule.

After doing this for years and years and years; I got tired of MDB
acting flaky.. So i've been using SQL Server for everything I do..

I mean-- if Access doesn't work well enough for me to keep track of a
couple dozen bugs-- why would I use it in a multi-user environment?

 

[Susie DBA [MSFT]]

correction!

this is a group that is CENSORED by Microsoft because MICROSOFT CAN'T
HANDLE THE TRUTH

the truth is that MDB sucks and anyone using it for anything should be
fired and then spit upon.
Every DB vendor has a freeware product.

Move to a real database