MS Access through Internet VPNs?

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

I have created an Access 2000 (all office patches are setup) application
(MDE + MDB file)
which is run through an Internet VPN.

The application uses SQL wherever possible, to eliminate the full data
download
from the server. So the forms/reports and link tables are on the client and
just the
prefered data is only accessed each time. Also, most of the forms, are
opened
empty, and are filled only through user actions.

The client start icon is:
"c:\MSACCESS_PATH\msaccess.exe "c:\APP_PATH\app.mde" /user user_name /wrkgrp
\\SERVER_NAME\usr.mdw

The link tables use the same path on the server
\\SERVER_NAME\data.mdb...tablename

The problem is that, although the server is accessed through 1Mbit ADSL and
gives 256K on updload,
The app is still slow, especially during the first runs. Too much time is
spend on getting the form to open
graphically. I noticed, that the more I use the app (without terminating it
of course) the faster the data comes in,
but when I close a form and the need to reopen it, it starts very slowly
again (and I mean 1 minute or more
to reopen it).

Is there anything that I could configure on the client or server (win2003
server) to make it faster (server cache or something else)?
TIA

 

[Van T. Dinh]

JET is a file-sharing database so even if you use Select Query, the index
data got to come down the wire for the client to process the SQL.

My recommendation is to use Citrix or Windows Terminal Service and all the
processing is done on the server.

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

Woud this be faster?
Aren't graphical screens slower to move back and forth the wire?

The problem is that there 2 - 5 users on it every time.
This would let many executions of the app, on the same server PC.

What program is Citrix (is it free on the internet?). Is it better than
Windows Terminal Service?

TIA

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Much faster than using Access via VPN.

Citrix lineage came from the time peple were using 14.4kB (?) modems. I
think at it generally refreshes only parts of the screen that need
refreshing.

I spoke to Citrix people previously and they advised that if you get an
average of 20 kB bandwidth per user, the application should run fine. This
is consistent with the systems I have deployed.

Citrix is not free. I think you have to pay for the server license
(MetaFrame) as well as client access licenses. See http://www.citrix.com
for more info.

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

And another thing.

With the kind of programs you suggest, the remote users
would have access to the remote desktop of the server
machine which is unacceptable. What can be done about it?

 

[Rick Brandt]

And another thing.

With the kind of programs you suggest, the remote users
would have access to the remote desktop of the server
machine which is unacceptable. What can be done about it?

You can use a "published application". This is a program that a user can run
over Citrix and the user is only allowed access to that one program, not to any
other resources or to the desktop.

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

Also, how could each remote user know which of the remotely opened
application, is his, since he just sees the remote desktop, with all the
other application occurences opened?

 

[Van T. Dinh]

* As per Rick's advice, you can use Citrix' "Published Applications" which
means that the user can only open the permitted applications but not the
Remote (server) Desktop.

* Even if you allow the Desktop, Citrix/TS creates separate/virtual
"Desktop" for each user so each user only see his / her "Desktop" /
applications only and not other users' Desktops / applications.

Check Citrix Web site whose link I posted previously.

 

[Savvoulidis Iordanis]

Thanks, I'll do that, and come back later.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I explain the performance problem here, and also give some solutions when
using a VPN

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal//Wan/Wans.html