Using Access on a server

[Guest]

I will be starting to develop a system with about 5 users who will need
access to a database. I assume this will be best set up with the database on
a server and then the client machines accessing this. Is it possible to do
this with Access or would it be better managed with SQL Server?

Best Regards

Chris

 

[Wayne Morgan]

Yes, it is possible to do with Access. You would actually wind up creating 2
files, one for the server (back-end) and one for the workstations
(front-end). The file on the server will just have the tables of data, the
file for the workstations would have all of the forms, reports, queries,
code, and temporary tables. You would set up linked tables in the front-end
file that link to the tables in the back-end file. You may also want to set
up security.

For more information, a good book would be "Microsoft Office Access 2003
Inside Out". You will also find information at these links.

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/bloatfe.htm
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/backendupdate.htm
http://www.mvps.org/access/tables/tbl0009.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;207793
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305542
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;235961

If you want to use SQL Server as the back-end, I would recommend and adp/ade
file instead of an mdb/mde file. For only 5 users, you should be more than
ok just using Access unless you have some special security needs that Access
security won't handle.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

I will be starting to develop a system with about 5 users who will need
access to a database. I assume this will be best set up with the
database on a server and then the client machines accessing this. Is
it possible to do this with Access or would it be better managed with
SQL Server?

Best Regards

Chris

You should be just fine with Access. Two points:

All users will need full access (read write, create, edit and delete)
rights to the directory (folder) where the database file is located.

It is best to split the database so only the tables are located on the
server and each user has their own copy of a "front end" database with all
the queries, reports, forms etc, and is linked to the tables in the "back
end" database file on the LAN. Access has a wizard to help you out.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I talk about how to run ms-access in a multi-user mode.

What you need to do is to split the database. I explain this concept here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

And, if you are going to deploy to a wide area network, then I explain this
here:

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