MS Access Multiuser - Re: Advice needed: Should we upgrade MS Access 2000? And if so to

Author

Re: Advice needed: Should we upgrade MS Access 2000? And if so to

CCR

2005-05-13, 8:24 pm

Alex,

You seem quite knowledgeable in Access. You said something that caught my
attention and I would like to ask you to elaborate:

"...in a multi-user environment, split the database front-end/back end "

What does this mean and how do I do it?

I have 6 or 8 users working in my A2K3 db over a network and would like to
be sure it is functioning at its best.

Thanks,

CCR

"Alex White MCDBA MCSE" wrote:

> A little more to add,
>
> In nearly all the upgrades that I have done from Access 97 to 2000 (+) have
> been sold on Access 97 being unstable e.g. databases crashing etc, the
> interesting thing that keeps on coming out of these upgrades is there is
> some form of data corruption, of course upgrading did not solve this problem
> and the data had to be cleaned, so there is an argument that the upgrade did
> not make things anymore stable. When I am asked to advise on what version, I
> will always go for 2000 unless there is a compelling reason for going with
> either of the other two versions, why would I choose 2000, well it's simple
> I have had the pain with 2000, I understand all the bugs (all software has
> bugs) that affect me, I know exactly how to structure and 100+ form project
> running on 100+ desktops so why change is my view.
>
> I think before upgrading look at your hardware of your PC's, memory is the
> number 1 issue, processor number 2. The clunky feel to your database could
> be how it is structured, in a multi-user environment, split the database
> front-end/back end (I don't know if you already have).
>
> You have no choice but to purchase Office 2003 (Legitimately), but MS has a
> downgrade rule, allowing you to run a previous version, (how many versions
> back I don't know). I will reinforce my point about OEM, don't buy it you
> are not entitled to it (unless you upgrade your machines at the same time,
> you need to check with MS on the OEM rules), it is as legitimate as stealing
> a copy off the internet.
>
> On the point of how easy is the upgrade, well I never upgrade, I like to
> completely get rid of the previous versions first, there is a tool for doing
> that job on the MS Office website. I never install off CDROM, copy the CDROM
> to a share on the server and install from there a lot less trouble, the
> workstation never has the horible message "Now insert your Office CD in the
> drive".
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Alex White MCDBA MCSE
> http://www.intralan.co.uk
>
> "ship" <shiphen@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1115922642.355722.290920@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>

Alex White MCDBA MCSE

2005-05-13, 8:24 pm

No problem, one of the problems with Access is this, a lot of the projects
start small single tables couple of forms, and as life goes on people start
sticking more tables, forms, queries etc with no real plan just 'we need a
table to do this', this breeds the unmanageable project situation a few
years in.

One of the problems is this the database starts its life as a single user
system, and then other people want to use it at the same time, but things
have not been planned that way. You end up copying the database to the
server so that more than one person can use it at one time, great it works,
but it have become slower because the database is not local any more it's on
the server, you have then creating a lot of network traffic just opening
forms etc, also Access is good at multi-user only at a database level not
forms etc.

So the answer to the problem is the database splitter within Access what
this does is split you Access database into 2 mdb's one with the data (BE =
Back-end)(and only the data, with the database rules for relationships). The
other mdb is all the forms,queries,module
s etc. What you then do is give
every user a local copy (FE= Front-End) you copy this to the local computers
and the users use this mdb to access the data, from a user perspective
nothing has changed, but from a network perspective, the only traffic going
across the network is actual data from the database not forms etc, much
better in terms of performance and reliability in a multi user environment.

Hope that helps.....
--
Regards

Alex White MCDBA MCSE
http://www.intralan.co.uk

"CCR" <CCR@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:590F9F5C-3D2F-4927-B0B4- BF96118DA44F@microso
ft.com...[color=darkred]
> Alex,
>
> You seem quite knowledgeable in Access. You said something that caught my
> attention and I would like to ask you to elaborate:
>
> "...in a multi-user environment, split the database front-end/back end "
>
> What does this mean and how do I do it?
>
> I have 6 or 8 users working in my A2K3 db over a network and would like to
> be sure it is functioning at its best.
>
> Thanks,
>
> CCR
>
> "Alex White MCDBA MCSE" wrote:
>

Larry Linson

2005-05-14, 1:23 pm

"CCR" wrote

> "...in a multi-user environment, split
> the database front-end/back end "
>
> What does this mean and how do
> I do it?

Best collection of info and links about multiuser performance and avoiding
corruption that I know about is MVP Tony Toews' site,
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm. Browse around there and you'll find a
world of information, including advice about splitting.

The "why" is: If you have multiple users logged in to the same front-end or
monolithic database, you significantly increase the probability of database
corruption.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

adsl

2005-05-16, 11:24 am

"Larry Linson" <bouncer@localhost.not> ¼¶¼g©ó¶l¥ó·s»D:eI3jy
ALWFHA.3424@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> "CCR" wrote
>
>
> Best collection of info and links about multiuser performance and avoiding
> corruption that I know about is MVP Tony Toews' site,
> http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm. Browse around there and you'll find
> a
> world of information, including advice about splitting.
>
> The "why" is: If you have multiple users logged in to the same front-end
> or
> monolithic database, you significantly increase the probability of
> database
> corruption.
>
> Larry Linson
> Microsoft Access MVP
>
>

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