Which db to go with Access or SQL or another? 1

[beachcomber]

Hi,

My organization is in the process of setting up a web based order entry/scheduling system. We're looking to save some pennies but also do things right. We're going to have a web hosting site host our asp pages and database. We're not database gurus by any means and we're trying to decide what the performance, security, reliability differences would be between an Access and SQL database.

In the short term, we'll most likely have probably only 3 or 4 concurrent users. Six months down the road, we may have more.

Can anyone point out any advantages,disadvantages of these two databases (or recommend another reliable, less expensive solution)?

Thanks for any help,
Beachcomber

 

[dickiebird]

Hi
thread669-212670 ( just a few lines down from here ) goes into some depth re the arguments for and against MS access
HTH ;-) Dickie Bird
db@dickiebird.freeserve.co.uk

 

[Kjonnnn]

For more unbias advicee...

http://databases.about.com/gi/dynam...tp://www.blueclaw-db.com/microsoft_access.htm

http://searchdatabase.techtarget.com/featuredTopic/0,290042,sid13_gci823869,00.html

go down to the advice section where they compared.


ALSO:

http://database.ittoolbox.com/

 

[beachcomber]

Hi DickieBird and Kjonnnn,

There was plenty of information in the thread and that site. In the thread someone mentioned that Access is not a great client server database and is better for desktop applications. Has anyone else come to this conclusion?

Thanks,
Beachcomber

 

[svanels]

Kjonnnn, very good link, the one from about.com!! Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[Kjonnnn]

I have about 15 databases being use as client/server with no problem.

 

[svanels]

Well I am sure you got your systems tuned up, I did some digging in the link and found more interesting stuff related to Access databases. In most cases the problems with access are related to poor design practices and/or sloppy systems.

http://databases.about.com/gi/dynam...tp://www.blueclaw-db.com/microsoft_access.htm

Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[beachcomber]

Hi,

Thanks, svanels and Kjonnnn for the feedback. Mainly for cost reasons, our organization would like to use Access, however, until we are able to find a web hosting service that supports crystal reports, we may need to go with SQL. We are going to have a series of weekly reports that we are going to want to run off of the data on the web server. Our understanding is that if we want to use an ODBC to connect to the remote web database, we'll need to put the data on a sql server (otherwise, the speed will just be incredibly slow).

Thanks,
Beachcomber

 

[oharab]

Just another option to throw at you:
If your reports are static, once a week update pages, then you could get Access to write the reports as html files and upload them to the server. I do this a lot with our monthly MIS reports. I create a query that holds the data I want to report, then use vba to write the html to a text file, filling in the blanks.
I could give you an example of this in action if you would like.
Of course it's no good for dynamic reporting, but if all you want to do is get your info online, then there could be nothing simpler.

Just my 2p worth

B ----------------------------------
Ben O'Hara
Home: bpo@RobotParade.co.uk
Work: bo104@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
Web:

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

----------------------------------

 

[beachcomber]

Hi Ben,

Thanks, you've giving me a lot of helpful advice in this forum. That sounds like an idea that we might be able to use at some point.

Best Regards,
Beachcomber