Accessing an access database using remote desktop connection

[John Baker]

I have an access database used by about 15 users on a server. Some users
want to have remote access to the database. I have used WindowsXP Remote
desktop Connection to do some development of the database remotely. It is
not always stable (eg if I have a runtime error it has in the past thrown me
out of the database and I am not able to close it or enter it remotely
without shutting down the server to end the process).

I am not sure on the limitations of Remote desktop Connections with a number
of pople accessing the database remotely. How many users could enter the
database at one time using this type of connection? Are there issues to be
aware of? Where can I get info on this type of situation? Are there other
better ways of having users access the database remotely?

Any help greatly appreciated.

John B.

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi John,

By remote access, do you mean wireless? If so, I strongly encourage you to
not allow remote connections to a JET database. One of the most frequent
causes of JET database corruption is due to interrupted write operations.
Your chances of suffering corruption are going to be much much greater with
unstable network connections.

Preventing Corruption (Allen Browne)
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-25.html

Corrupt Microsoft Access MDBs FAQ
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm


Tom

http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

:

I have an access database used by about 15 users on a server. Some users
want to have remote access to the database. I have used WindowsXP Remote
desktop Connection to do some development of the database remotely. It is
not always stable (eg if I have a runtime error it has in the past thrown me
out of the database and I am not able to close it or enter it remotely
without shutting down the server to end the process).

I am not sure on the limitations of Remote desktop Connections with a number
of pople accessing the database remotely. How many users could enter the
database at one time using this type of connection? Are there issues to be
aware of? Where can I get info on this type of situation? Are there other
better ways of having users access the database remotely?

Any help greatly appreciated.

John B.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I have used WindowsXP Remote desktop Connection to do some development of

the database remotely. It is not always stable (eg if I have a runtime
error it has in the past thrown me out of the database and I am not able
to close it or enter it remotely without shutting down the server to end
the process).

Well, the fact if you are using the database local, or remotely does NOT
change the stability. If there is a stability problem using a remote, then
it is not the remote connection that is causing this (remember, the remote
connection sends keystrokes and mouse clicks down the wire...nothing else is
involved).

So, instability of a application is not related to remote connection when
using this particular setup. If you got a stability problem, you need to fix
it on that remote machine.

I am not sure on the limitations of Remote desktop Connections with a
number of pople accessing the database remotely. How many users could
enter the database at one time using this type of connection?

I don't see why there is be a problem with 5, or 15 users. TS is a very got
setup for this number of users. Do remember that you STILL must run a split
database, and still must give EACH user a copy of the application in their
"remote" shared folder. So, while using remote means you never have to
install the software on each client, each user that logs onto the system
STILL MUST get their own copy of the application in their own directory.

Are there issues to be aware of?

Take note of the split issue, and the fact that each user still must get a
copy of the application. So, if you don't split, then read the following as
to why you should:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

Where can I get info on this type of situation?

For remote desktop, you can read about what is called terminal services
here:

Home page

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/evaluation/business/termsrv.asp

Are there other better ways of having users access the database remotely?

I think TS is the best by a huge margin, but it is costly. You can also use
sql server. I explain about using ms-access over remote connections here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal//Wan/Wans.html

 

[david epsom dot com dot au]

It is still a good idea to give each user a separate
copy of a FrontEnd/BackEnd database: you can put
the Front End in the user profile (for example, under
my documents) so that each user has a separate copy.

You will eventually run out of memory if you have a
lot of Remote Desktop connections: I would ask in
a RD newsgroup to see how many they think is realistic:
if each user is using 50MB then it would seem that
you might max out at about 20 users.

There is no better way to have remote users: in some
situations you might be better off with a Web front
end, or with a replicated database.


I don't know about the stability problem: it is not
a problem I've had or heard about.

(david)