Access Criticism

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Guest

Before I post my database to a new server due to a server relocation, our IT
team has explained to me that Access is unstable and unsecured. I use user
level security and am currently supporting up to 41 users in a replicated
database with no problems to report. Once in production I do not change the
design of the database and leave the Master alone (to prevent corruption).

How is Access unstable and does it pose any security threats (in comparison
to other dbs)?
 
Yes, it is sometimes unusefull specially when you have thousands of users
registered at the database or thousands of records. I prefer you to transfer
your database to a MsSQL like SQL server. Another problem about the access
is that, can be downloaded. (I sometimes find large database files while
searching sth at the search engines). And what if a script base macro virus
infect your server? Your database will be damaged again!
Try SQL Server if you are doing it in proffessional way.
 
Hi.
How is Access unstable
Click to expand...

Access database applications are often built by inexperienced developers who
place the database file on a shared network server, expecting multiple users
to access the file simultaneously. The Microsoft Access developer team has
identified this as the number one cause of corrupted Access databases. The
Access database should be split into a front end (queries, forms, modules,
links to the tables, et cetera) and back end (tables and relationships
only), with the back end residing on the shared network server and a copy of
the front end placed on each user's hard drive.

Other very common causes of corruption are a flakey network and users who
hit the power switch while Access is open and writing data to disk.

Replicated Access databases tend to corrupt often, too, but that's mostly
because database developers don't follow the strict rules for building and
using a replicated database.

With a competent Access database developer, a stable network, and a split
multiuser database application, the problems should be few. Always ensure
that regular backups are made, regardless.
does it pose any security threats (in comparison
to other dbs)?
Click to expand...

No file-based database is secure. Access is a file-based database, just
like many of the other popular desktop databases. If you require security
for your data, then store the data in a client/server database, such as
Oracle or SQL Server, and then link to the tables from the Access front end.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.
 
Hi,
Yes, it is sometimes unusefull specially when you have thousands of users
registered at the database or thousands of records.
Click to expand...

41 users is hardly thousands of users. And Access (Jet, really) can handle
millions of rows. Thousands of rows is no sweat for Jet.
Another problem about the access is that, can be downloaded. (I sometimes
find large database files while searching sth at the search engines).
Click to expand...

A Jet database file can be downloaded. However, to download one after
finding it on an Internet search engine requires that the database be placed
on a Web server in an unprotected directory. This is not something that
most desktop database developers have to worry about, because the files are
stored on an internal network not accessible from the Internet, due to
secure firewalls.
And what if a script base macro virus infect your server?
Click to expand...

There aren't any script-based macro viruses for Access database files. Feel
free to build one, and you'll see why there aren't any.
Your database will be damaged again!
Click to expand...

Damaged _again_? Who says it was damaged a first time? It sounds as if
you're alarmed about unsubstantiated rumors.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.
 
Replicated Access databases tend to corrupt often, too, but that's
mostly because database developers don't follow the strict rules
for building and using a replicated database.
Click to expand...

Huh?

Replicated databases don't corrupt any more often than regular ones.

The problem, though, is that when a replica is flagged as suspect
(even when there's no real corruption) and you repair/compact,
replicas are very prone to lose replicability. The solution to this
is to synchronize with the suspect database before any compact, so
that all the data from it will have been synched into your other
replica. If it then loses replicability, you haven't lost any data.

This is one reason why it's not advisable to routinely compact
replicated database (unless the compact is rigorously preceeded by a
synch in all cases).
 
Hi.
No file-based database is secure. Access is a file-based database, just
like many of the other popular desktop databases. If you require security
for your data, then store the data in a client/server database, such as
Oracle or SQL Server, and then link to the tables from the Access front
end.
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact, the major database vendors offer free versions of their
secure database engines, such as Oracle 10g Express or SQL Server 2005
Express, that you can use as a back end for your database to store the data.
Please see the following Web page for links to and descriptions of each of
these free database engines:

http://www.Backends.QBuilt.com/

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.
 
On Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:18:07 +0300, Sinan ??LEKDEM?R

What did your IT team answer when you asked them that question?
-Tom.
 
meyerryang said:
Before I post my database to a new server due to a server relocation, our
IT
team has explained to me that Access is unstable and unsecured. I use
user
level security and am currently supporting up to 41 users in a replicated
database with no problems to report. Once in production I do not change
the
design of the database and leave the Master alone (to prevent corruption).

How is Access unstable and does it pose any security threats (in
comparison
to other dbs)?
Click to expand...

This myth is often propagated by Oracle die-hards who base their opinion on
hear-say and on badly developed Access applications. If you have set up
your app correctly (split with a FE copy for each user) then you have
nothing to worry about. Yes, Access security can be broken by a hacker with
the right tools but you need to asses if there's anyone in your organisation
like to be a risk.

Keith.
www.keithwilby.com
 
Sinan ??LEKDEM?R said:
Yes, it is sometimes unusefull specially when you have thousands of users
registered at the database or thousands of records. I prefer you to transfer
your database to a MsSQL like SQL server. Another problem about the access
is that, can be downloaded. (I sometimes find large database files while
searching sth at the search engines). And what if a script base macro virus
infect your server? Your database will be damaged again!
Try SQL Server if you are doing it in proffessional way.
Click to expand...

Absolute rubbish.

A single Access MDB doesn't support thousands of users. It has a
maximum of 255.

Try hundreds of thousands of records or millions of records. I have
one client with 400K and 800K in four tables with another 155 tables
in the same database.

Yes, the Access MDB can be downloaded. SQL Server is better for
security purposes.

Script base macro virus? What in the heck are you talking about here?
If it's running on the server how is SQL Server going to stop such
damage.

Unprofessional to use Access? I don't think so. That is an utterly
meaningless comment.

And you misspelled the word professional.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
 
As a matter of fact, the major database vendors offer free
versions of their secure database engines, such as Oracle 10g
Express or SQL Server 2005 Express, that you can use as a back end
for your database to store the data.
Click to expand...

And none of them are nearly as easy to use and administer as a Jet
MDB.
 
Thanks for the feedback, this is more than enough information. Actually they
do use Oracle and Cold Fusion. I would agree that this is probably brought
 
True, but one must pay at least some price for security,
robustness, and speed.
Click to expand...

When it's necessary.

It often is not necessary in the many environments that MS is trying
to insert SQL Server Express.
 
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