sharing bcm database in xp home

  • Thread starter Thread starter UriSchneider
  • Start date Start date
U

UriSchneider

1. is there ANY way to share BCM database for syncing between me and
my assistant ... without upgrading to xp pro?

2. if not, what do i do once i have xp pro?

3. do i need xp pro on both computers?
 
Hi Uri,

You do not describe what is happening, but I take it your assistant cannot
connect to your BCM installation.

It is the SQL Server Express database that needs to be accessable. To the
best of my knowledge, when you are sharing the database, it will look for
domain users. Upgrading to XP Pro will not help you, unless you install a
domain, the professional edition only supports domains, it will not create
one.

What you can try, without upgrading to pro, is to create a workgroup, and
make sure both computers use this workgroup. Enable file sharing. Than add
your assistant as a local user on your machine, and ensure that this account
really can access the database files. Then share you BCM database with your
assistant.

I have not tried to share BCM in a workgroup environment, but if you post
back with more details I can try helping you further.

There is a also a document produced by Microsoft that may help you in regard
to accessing a shared databse, you can find it on link below. This will guide
you through some steps in opening ports on firewalls, file/printer shareing
etc:

http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm/archive/2...a-business-contact-manager-2007-database.aspx

DO NOTE: Having local accounts be able to access SQL Server will be against
a heapload of "best practice" documents, seriosly comprimising security and
administrative routines. This can be ok if you work in a very small company
without a domain, but I would never professionally recommend it to any of my
customers, I here merely try to help you out with your problem. Installing
either a small business server or regular Windows 2003 Server and installing
Active Directory would be my first suggestion.

-Vidar C.
 
The problem seems to be that xp home doesn't support database sharing.
Is there any way of using export file? I tried but there was no information
on where the file went.
Uri, to question 3: No, according to the manuals, your assistant can run on
xp home. Only the main computer needs xp professional.
 
Using export would not be the best solution. You can easily export all data
into a BCM file, copy that to the XP Home workstation and import it, but this
will then have do be done every time updated data needs to be imported, and
would also mess up the ownership on items. (Ownership/linked to user/created
by will all be set to the importing user.)

A workaround for the manual routing could be making scripts to do both
export, copy and import automatically, but will hardly be less cost-effective
or convinient that upgrading to the professional edition.

-Vidar
 
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