Replicating an access DB

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gary.
  • Start date Start date
Why would you need to replicate an Access Db?
I don't understand why it is used
Click to expand...

Say you have a desktop computer.

And you have a user who has a laptop.

When both are in the office, they would edit the MDB on the desktop
computer, each with their own front end, linked to the back end on
the desktop computer.

When the user takes the laptop out of the office, she won't be able
to edit.

But if she has a replica on the laptop, she can continue to make
edits, and when she returns to the office, synch with the office
replica, at which points her changes and the changes of the person
working in the office will be in both replicas.

In short:

Replication is useful when you need to edit the same data in two
different locations but are unable to use a single database from
both locations (such as using Windows Terminal Server from the
remote location).

It's quite a useful capability.

Indeed, in 1998, I was in the process of implementing a new Access
app for a client who one month after the app went live in their new
offices in NYC decided to open a branch office in London. In 1998,
Windows Terminal Server cost a bundle (we figured it would be
$500/seat just in software costs), not to mention the
telecommunications costs (this was back when a 64K fractional T1
cost $500/month).

Fortunately, I was experienced with Jet Replication, so I told them
we would use replication to open the London office and then synch
between the two locations. One month later, they flew me to London
to set up their computers and they were live, with data being
synched between their two offices twice a day:

1. at 9am NYC time, New York would synch to get London's mid-day
edits.

2. at 6pm NYC time, New York would synch again, which would give
London NYC's edits for that day, as well as bringing in the late-day
edits from London.

London would start its business day with data that was identical to
what New York had at that point.

Once we worked out the kinks and got indirect replication working,
it worked just great.

And there was at that time no other database or development platform
in which it could have been done with so little effort.

Nowadays, I don't do replication for fixed locations. Since the time
that Win2K firs introduced Windows Terminal Server as part of the
basic Windows Server package, I would always support fixed locations
with one location as main site running a terminal server, and the
other location running the application remotely.

But in May 1998, that was not a practical option in terms of cost.

Jet Replication saved their bacon and allowed them to open their new
office on *their* schedule, with virtually no additional cost in
terms of database development.
 
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