Fe, Be database, WAN Access

[Guest]

I currently have a database set up for a few users to share at our office.
However, it's been requested that a few users at another office (200 miles
away, also on our domain) be able to have read access to the database.
Linking the distant office back to our servers is really bad, and slows the
database to a crawl. So what I have setup now is a copy of the database on
the distant office's server that has it's backend updated each night by a
batch file. So essentially the distant office can view the data, but they
are a day behind. I know there has to be a better way to do this, and have
the distant office with live access that isn't slow as all heck. Is SQL the
solution here? I have relatively no knowledge of SQL outside of writing
access queries.

Can someone help, or point me in the right direction?

Thanks

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Terminal services may be a good solution.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/evaluation/business/termsrv.asp

You might also read what Albert Kallal says about Access and Wans at
http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Wan/Wans.html

He's got some solutions posted at the end of the article.

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Yes, it is.

You can also think about replicating your database over the Internet; this
will give you a much better performance and the possibility to have
read/write access to the database; however I cannot tell you more about that
because I don't use it. (Not because it's bad but because I more accustomed
with SQL-Server).

In you case, MSDE, the free lightweight version of SQL-Server, maybe well
sufficient in terms of capacity.

S. L.

 

[M Skabialka]

This sounds like something I could have used last year for a database that
was used from several dispersed locations - it was as slow as dirt over the
WAN. Unfortunately the project was terminated for budget reasons, but I
will need to do something similar soon.

What do you do in order to make a fe/be database available over Termainal
Services?
We have a server - do you have to buy Terminal Services for it or does
Server 2000 come with it? Is Access 2000 installed on the server or do the
users have it on their PCs?

Can someone give a brief intro on what software goes where (I watched the
Microsoft demo but am not sure exactly what was happening in the
background.)

Also, how does one convert a database from JET to MSDE (Microsoft Data
Engine), since that sounds much more efficient.

Thanks,
Mich

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Tony Toews has some information at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/terminalserver.htm

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

What do you do in order to make a fe/be database available over Termainal
Services?

It does take some time and skill to setup TS. However, it might help you in
that TS is actually based on much the same concepts and technology as
"remote desktop". So, if you ever used the built in remote desktop ability
of windows XP, then you are in effect using the same technology that TS
users.

We have a server - do you have to buy Terminal Services for it or does
Server 2000 come with it?

Actually, windows 2000 server includes terminal services. You can enable
this, (you do have to re-boot your server), ....and in a just a few minutes
of time start testing and playing with TS. And, you can actually run two
remote users at the same time in "remote adim" mode for free.. This works
quite well. If you do need more then two users remote at the SAME time, then
you have to start purchasing additional licenses to use TS..and it is has a
good price tag.

Is Access 2000 installed on the server or do the users have it on their
PCs?

Since TS is just like remote desktop..then, no, all software is installed on
the server (aka "thin client" has to be installed on the client side....but
this is built into windows xp..and earlier versions of windows can
download/install the client).

Can someone give a brief intro on what software goes where (I watched the

Microsoft demo but am not sure exactly what was happening in the
background.)

As mentioned, TS is remote desktop...so, everything stays on the
server...the client machines don't even need ms-access to be installed.

Also, how does one convert a database from JET to MSDE (Microsoft Data
Engine), since that sounds much more efficient.

That is complete different question then using TS. If you don't want to go
through the expense of setting up TS, then often you can install the access
software on each pc..and then in place of a "file share", you use a database
engine. This however means that some of your software needs to be
re-written. Further, extra skill and caution is needed to ensure you get
good performance. You can't just change your back end data file to sql
server, and expect your application to run fast..and especially in a low
bandwidth type environments...you need experience here.

There are some good notes on using sql server and access here:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/sqlserverupsizing.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks to all for your help and recommendations.

I will probably pursue Terminal Services since it seems to be the easiest
one to use!!