I have developed a db that is currently split into a fe and be. My
co-worker and I share the db in our office over a LAN (fe installed on our
desktops, be on server). However, we would like to share the db with other
offices throughout the state (we work for the state gov.)
I would like someone to explain where the backend would reside and on what,
and how users would access it if the db was shared throughout the state.
How do we use the internet to share this db? What are data access pages?
Are they just web-based forms? Can someone point me to some good basic
articles? Please keep in mind when recommending articles that I am NOT a
professional developer and have limited experience with networking and need
some very basic layman's instruction, not only for myself, but to pass this
information along to my supervisor in order to explain what we need to do in
order to implement a state-wide db, if possible.
TIA
S. Jackson
It is not feasible to use over the Internet an Access/Jet multiuser
application, that is Front End on the user's machine, Back End on the
Server, tables linked to the Back End. Multiuser is only suitable for a LAN
environment, and works best on a fast LAN (100 MBPS).
If you can set up a very simple interface for the users, probably the
simplest web approach is to create your website using Microsoft Front Page
and use the Database Interaction Wizard to implement your database access.
Data Access Pages provide a way for users to interact with a database which
can be on an Internet server, using only browser software (they don't have
to have Access). You can use them for relatively simple tasks... provided
you have close control over the user's software configuration -- must use
Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, and must have the Office Web Extensions
installed.
ASP pages, or the more recent ASP.NET applications, do run on the server.
But you need a qualified web developer to create them.
A more complex, but more flexible, web implementation is called "Smart
Client" -- the client application, which can be quite complex, runs on the
user's machine and communicates to the database and other services, running
on the Internet server. You need a qualified .NET developer to create these,
as well.
Another approach, requiring less development, is to use Windows Terminal
Server (perhaps in combination with Citrix metaframe, depending on the
environment) to allow the remote users to execute on the host server system.
Each user will still need their own disk space on the host server, and their
own copy of the Front End code, and your server needs the horsepower to
handle multiple concurrent users' executions.
Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
>I have developed a db that is currently split into a fe and be. My
> co-worker and I share the db in our office over a LAN (fe installed on our
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> TIA
> S. Jackson