Connecting to the Server

[Guest]

Hi All,
First at all please forgive my ignorance.
I need to install MSDE on a Server (Microsoft Small Business Server 2003
Standard) and my .adp project on several computers which I'll be connecting
via ODBC.

The Server is running a backup program using their own SQL server files. I
guess I need to create a named instance to recognize my files.
Do I need an instance of MSDE on each computer I'm installing my project or
the ODBC connection would be enough?
Is this the best way to connect to the server or there are any other
(better) ways?

Thanks in advance

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

You don't need to install MSDE everywhere and, in fact, don't need to
install it (as a named instance) on the SBS if SQL-Server is already there:
you just have to create a new database on it.

Finally, your ADP won't work with an ODBC connection; you need to set up an
OLEDB connection. For the proper connection parameters, contact the SBS'
administrator.

 

[Guest]

Sylvain,
Thanks so much for you answer. I'm not sure that there is a complete SQL
version on the server, I think the files are part of a backup software and
somebody created few named instances. If the SQL server is in place, what do
I need to do to create a new database? I'll research on the OLEDB
connection... The server administrator is not being any help at all: when I
asked about the SQL server, he didn't have a clue about it.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Guest]

Hi Sylvain,
I have few more questions. Hopefully you or somebody else can help me to
understand or guide me on the right track.

I'm still debating between MSDE 2000 and the full version of SQL Server 2003.
Managing Security and Group Permissions being one issue:
Do I need to get 3rd Party software to manage MSDE or using Transact-Sql
will allow me to set permissions, create groups, etc?

The other issue is about licenses. Here is where I get confused. With the
MSDE 2000, can multiple users access the database at the same time (at least
5 for now) and there is a way to let the others know when somebody is already
working on a record? I know with the full version I’ll get the Server manager
with the option of 5 licenses.

Thanks in advance for your patience. I’ve been reading and searching all
over the Web and there are no two similar answers to my questions.

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Transact-SQL is fine for everything but you can buy the Developer version of
SQL-Server if you want to use the Enterprise Manager or use something else:
http://www.aspfaq.com/2442 . The Lite version of MS SQL Manager
(http://sqlmanager.net/products/mssql/manager/purchase.phtml) is good and
free and there is also SqlExecMS at
http://www.laplas-soft.com/index.htm .

However, with the forthcoming of SQL-Express 2005, I wouldn't buy anything
at this moment (SQL-Express 2005 will have its own manager tools but
actually the file must be downloaded separately; don't ask me where as I
don't follow this topic).

Excerpt for some advanced replication stuff and some other things, there is
no difference between MSDE and SQL-Server for the number of multiple
(simultaneous) users access or things like Security, Permissions or Locking.
However, the performance with MSDE will drop significantly (in comparaison
to SQL-Server) when more than 5 connections will be doing something else
than just waiting.

 

[Guest]

Thanks a million. As usual you answered with useful/helpful information. I
was just reading about of SQL-Express 2005... lots of information to keep
up-to-date.

Have a great day