I'm not sure if this is the best forum to ask this question but here goes...
We have a VB application which talks to a SQL database and is normally installed in a 'traditional' stand-alone environment. However, we have a customer who wants a multi-user solution and the ability to access the application from different locations.
We have bought some remote SQL database hosting from an ISP and we have proved that we can connect to that database with an inevitable but 'acceptable' deterioration in performance. However, what we also need is a location where we can centrally store files (e.g. mail-merge templates) and where we can create files (e.g. copies of invoices) that can be accessed by all users.
In a LAN environment, we would have installed the database on a server connected to the network and, more than likely, created folders on that server to hold the files. However, how could we go about doing the equivalent over the internet? Could we rent such space from an ISP or could we designate one of the client's machines as a file server and make it available via the internet?
If at all possible, I'd like to do this with minimum changes to the application which simply knows the names of the folders in which such files are contained and opens them on demand.
Thanks in advance.
We have a VB application which talks to a SQL database and is normally installed in a 'traditional' stand-alone environment. However, we have a customer who wants a multi-user solution and the ability to access the application from different locations.
We have bought some remote SQL database hosting from an ISP and we have proved that we can connect to that database with an inevitable but 'acceptable' deterioration in performance. However, what we also need is a location where we can centrally store files (e.g. mail-merge templates) and where we can create files (e.g. copies of invoices) that can be accessed by all users.
In a LAN environment, we would have installed the database on a server connected to the network and, more than likely, created folders on that server to hold the files. However, how could we go about doing the equivalent over the internet? Could we rent such space from an ISP or could we designate one of the client's machines as a file server and make it available via the internet?
If at all possible, I'd like to do this with minimum changes to the application which simply knows the names of the folders in which such files are contained and opens them on demand.
Thanks in advance.