Access 2007 Front-End to SQL express be solution

[caman74]

Hello.

I'm designing a rather simple calculator, using MS Access 2007.
I've got some tables with various information, and I have a link to two excel 2007 workbooks, located on a network server, containing information used in the database/ calculator.

Since we will be using this db on a local (possible later an internet) network, with as many as 100+ users, I have installed MS SQL Express Server on one of our internal servers.

I was planning to use the free MS Access package/ distribution solution, as most of the workstations dont have Access installed.
This to distribute the Access Runtime.

Here is my question:
How do I connect all of my distributed db solutions to the SQL Express Server?
Is it enough to connect the main db to the SQL server before packagig and distributing it, since all of the users will be on the same local network?
Or is there any better way to do this.
(some of the workstations is on the other part of the country, with little IT support on site)

When splitting the Access db to SQL I connected to SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS. Should I connect to IPADRESS\SQLEXPRESS instead, or does this not matter, as all of the workstations have access to the main server?

Regards

Christian

 

[jontout]

Should I connect to IPADRESS\SQLEXPRESS instead?

Only if you can guarentee that the IP address of the server will never change. Don't laugh, some of ours don't have static addressing!!

 

[caman74]

Thank you Jontout.

We have static IP addresses...

Then the answer is that if I split the Access DB into Access fe and SQL be, and uses IPADDRESS\SQLEXPRESS connection, before packaging and distributing the solution, all of the workstations will be able to connect to the db (as long as they are within the network)after the install, without any problems.

What about Internet access.
Is it the same there?
Just to use the outer IP Address, and do the right setup on the router?

Regards

Christian

 

[jontout]

You should be ok, the FE will (should) only complain if it can't find the BE - assuming the install package contains the necessary files. Have you considered using the FE on a network share and pointing the users to that as a desktop shortcut, that might cut down on issues as you're removing a step to the application.

I'm not sure about access the App over the internet, I've not done that - I'd almost be inclined to have a web FE.
What we do in our place for the remote offices is to set up a Remote Access pc and have users access via Remote Desktop (again, to a network share)
Might be a consideration?

 

[caman74]

Have you considered using the FE on a network share and pointing the users to that as a desktop shortcut"

Yes I have, but I belive that the amount of data that needs to be sent, would be a muche heavier load on the network, than using the fe on each local computer.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but would not every thing be sent through the network, and not only the data, with fe on the server as well?

Christian

 

[jontout]

Christian, you could well be right - I've got 2 reasonibly light apps - data wise, FE 1mb tops - running as a split and I don't notice a problem, I guess it would depend on age of machines and number of users.