Use of Virtual Machine

[Jennifer]

History - we had a server in Kansas with network workstations that the
telecommuter staff would virtually connect to to run our access databases.

Data was moved to a server in Minneapolis, but instead of individual
workstations they created Virtual Machines on the data server. The small
independant Access databases run very well and the SQL queries we run through
SQL Query analyzer run weill. The databases that use an odbc connection to
compare local data to data in the SQL database are dying on the vine-
non-responsive, or giving us various space issue errors or invalid operation
errors.

Can anyone explain the difference between the use of independant
workstations and the use of the virtual machines on the server. I assume it
has something to do with sharing the system resources.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Jennifer

Perhaps a bit more information would help...

I can imagine a scenario like you described ... if there were a hundred
folks all hitting their own Virtual PCs, all aforesaid VPCs all occupying
the SAME physical machine.

More info, please!

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Jennifer]

There are 5 of us running processes, but even over the weekend when I was the
only person online my larger processes were having problems.

My one access database is 1.6 gig and consolidates information from 6
sources - 5 access databases and one SQL database.

The only success I had with the large process was to break my queries down
into multiple individual steps. Running a query - save to a table - compact
and repair - run the next step.

 

[Jennifer]

Could this be related to the space they allotted for each virtual machine -
If I look at the C drive in My Computer the total space is 11.9 GB, Free
Space 1.26 GB.

The virtual machines don't have any documents on them - just programs and
shortcuts to the network drives

Jennifer

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Jennifer

I'm still having a bit of difficulty visualizing the setup you're using.

Are you saying that you have one virtual machine per user, with each virtual
machine located on a server somewhere?

How are you connecting to the virtual PC?

What size are the back-ends (5 in Access plus one in SQL Server?)?

What is "slow"? Anything and everything? If you are connecting over a WAN
to a virtual machine, perhaps it is the network speed (or lack) that you are
dealing with?

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP