Database migration 1

[Taslin]

The company I work for are currently using Access 97 as their backend database, but now with the next release of our software we want to either move to Access 2000 or 2002. The next release after that will be the big push to SQL Server.

Would we benefit from moving to Access 2002 as opposed to Access 2000?

If anybody can provide some insight that would be fantastic. Thanks in advance!

Matthew

 

[c0i0nes]

Rather than discuss Access alone, the entire Office package should be reviewed.

In my view, there is no benefit at all in moving to any of the Office2000 applications. Even running the service releases for Office2000 is a painful experience. Like Office95, it was outdated in two years. Avoid it.

Office 2002 is slower than Office97, on the same machine, and has yet to be fully updated by service releases. Although I develop in 2002, I use 97 as my workhorse. Conversion of existing databases to newer versions is generally trouble free.

The benefits of 2002 will be better integration with .NET and web services, but if the migration path to SQL Server will be any easier is an academic question. More than anything else that will depend on a robust database structure, clean data, clear and complete documentation and an intimate familiarity with the issues involved in migrating.