Networking a database

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dennis
  • Start date Start date
D

Dennis

I have a database that has become very useful. Thats is a
good thing! The problem I am having is people are waiting
in line to get the information they need. Giving everyone
there own copy means that the information must be updated
in everyone machine and the most effective way to do that
is to network and have only one source for the data. My
question is, do I have to do anything to the database to
network it or can I just put it in one peer to peer and
have all others use the same database? I have heard of
splitting the database but I really do not know what that
is all about. I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks,

Dennis
 
Dennis,

While I have not deployed a multi-user Access application over a
peer-to-peer network, the following steps should be applicable:

1. If you have not already done so, split the application into a Front-End
and a Back-End. The Database Splitter utility found at Tools|Database
Utilities|Database Splitter is one way to do this. The Front-End (FE) will
contain all Queries, Forms, Reports, Modules, Macros and local-use tables.
The Back-End (BE) will contain all tables to be shared among users.

2. The BE will reside in a folder on your server, where full permissions
for each user will be granted (Read, Write, Create, Delete, Execute).

3. In the FE, Link to the tables in the BE. To avoid problems with
changing drive mappings, link to the BE tables using the full UNC, starting
with My Network Places and drilling down through folders until the actual
database name of the BE is found.

4. An individual copy of each FE will reside on each user's computer. For
ease of distributing updates to FEs, see:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm which describes an AutoUpdater
for front-ends, developed by Access MVP Tony Toews.

5. Additionally, a copy of the most current FE in use by users should be
kept on the server. You will do your maintenance/update programming on your
own copy of the FE on your own computer. When updates are ready to be
distributed, you'll copy your modified FE to replace the one on the server.

Those are pretty much the high points.
 
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