Access Backend requirements

[BrianMH]

Hi all,

We currently run a few access back ends on our corporate shared drives. Unfortunately the network drives are often very slow and I'm constantly getting emails asking if I can do anything about it.

Instead of hosting the file on the network shared drives (the hardware for this is located off site) I'm thinking of hosting the back ends on a PC that is local to our site. The computer that would be running this is an I3 processor with 4 gig of RAM running windows xp. I'm wondering if this would speed things up at all (since it's on the local network) and if the machine would be able to handle approximately 40 concurrent connections.

Anyone have any experience of this? Any suggestions or issues you've encountered?

Thanks

 

[BrianMH]

I'm guessing the xp 10 connection limit is going to stop me using a PC as a server for both SQL and an access back end?

 

[xenou]

I'm guessing the xp 10 connection limit is going to stop me using a PC as a server for both SQL and an access back end?

Never heard of this. What limit?

 

[BrianMH]

There is a limit to incoming connections on windows (5 for home, 10 for pro). It's a limit for services such as File Services, Print Services, IIS, Internet Connection Sharing, and Telephony. So actually SQL server should be ok since I assume that will be different. It's basically there to force people to upgrade to windows server (although I think MS said it's for security).

 

[xenou]

I think it would be the same for Access. I've never heard anyone ever mention a problem with over 10 users being impossible.

I've never converted an Access db to SQL Server but if the code is referencing linked tables by name I think it would not need to change (I mean, there would probably be some hiccups but just updating tables and so on should work the same).

 

[BrianMH]

Just tested it. Can't have more than 10 connections to a share due to xp limitations

 

[xenou]

Strange that that problem never comes up. Either it's something about the code you are using for your connections, or nobody really uses Access for concurrent applications (which by the way would include me - I never go above two or three users with Access on a Jet or Ace engine -- albeit I think it a darn smart little bit of software for single use or a small number of users). Do you know if Win7 or Win8 has the same limitation. It's time to dump XP anyway.

The latest version of Access does have a "cloud" version that uses a SQL server engine by default. That could be a solution as well (with your database in the cloud on Azure).

 

[BrianMH]

Hmm that would be a very nice thing to have (Office 2013). Win7 also has the limitation but not sure about 8. I'm guessing most people that share their backends with any more than a few users won't be sharing them off of a shared drive on their workstation, I doubt this issue comes up often. It's just because I'm trying to avoid the **** slow network shares.