I have the BCM database running on a SQL 2000 server with Terminal Services.
In general, it works. Below are considerations I have found. Perhaps others
have solutions to these:
1) You need to run an "instance" on the server where the database is
located. This is because the BCM program is looking for the instance in
order to access the database. Consequently, you will need to run the SQL
Server Service for that database on each workstation. However, you will be
able to access the full database via SQL, run queries, and do whatever you
want. It's a fairly straightforward db.
2) The key issues are that it is still a young product with functional
limitations. Probably the biggest limitation is caused by the MSDE
contraints, followed by some programmatic issues at the front-end.
Microsoft probably did not anticipate that larger firms were interested in
this product, so the development was centered towards single-person
businesses or very very small businesses. Not every firm though wants the
complexity of CRM (nor the cost), and they do not want to spend the time in
development of that product. BCM is a start, but it needs a lot more. Most
firms want a product that is already developed/designed, but has flexibility
so that it can be customized for each business. My guess is that BCM is
about 2 to 3 versions aways from becoming that product.
Larry