FE/BE question

[Golfinray]

I am ready to split a database. I know the general rule is for the FE to be
loaded on each users computer. However, my question is, if all the users will
be using the exact same forms and reports and not creating their own, could
you put the BE and FE in separate folders on the same network drive and let
them create a shortcut to the FE? If you did that would two users be able to
enter data into the same form at the same time?

 

[Jeff Boyce]

A few reasons NOT to do it that way:

Having multiple folks simultaneously hitting the same FE file could lead
to poor performance

Each person opening the application will have to have the server "send"
all the pieces (forms, ect) over the network -- your network gurus are not
going to be very happy.

If ANYONE accidentally powers off in the middle of an Access operation
(or kicks his/her power cord out), or the power glitches, there's a very
good chance the FE-on-LAN and maybe even the BE-on-LAN could get corrupted.

With all these issues, why risk it?!


Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

I am ready to split a database. I know the general rule is for the FE to be
loaded on each users computer. However, my question is, if all the users will
be using the exact same forms and reports and not creating their own, could
you put the BE and FE in separate folders on the same network drive and let
them create a shortcut to the FE? If you did that would two users be able to
enter data into the same form at the same time?

You could put the FE on the server so long as each user had their own
copy of the FE. However this isn't as efficient as putting a copy on
each users local hard drive.

I specifically created the Auto FE Updater utility so that I could
make changes to the FE MDE as often as I wanted and be quite confident
that the next time someone went to run the app that it would pull in
the latest version. For more info on the errors or the Auto FE
Updater utility see the free Auto FE Updater utility at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm at my website to keep the
FE on each PC up to date.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Uhm, Tony, did you mean "You could put the BE on the server as long as ..."?

Jeff

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

No, I think he did mean FE. You need to do this, for instance, with Citrix.

While you'd still get issues with unnecessary network traffic, at least you
wouldn't have contention issues.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP

(no private e-mails, please)

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Hmmm? I had the impression that a FE on the user's PC obviated the need to
put one on the network... (well, except in "escrow" for the updating part
....)

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Rick Brandt]

No, I think he did mean FE. You need to do this, for instance, with
Citrix.

But with Citrix the "server" is local as far as the Access executable is
concerned so it amounts to the same thing as a traditional local front end
anyway.

While you'd still get issues with unnecessary network traffic, at
least you wouldn't have contention issues.

Again, only if the server where the front end file resides is a different
one than the Citrix server which would not be the normal setup.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

But with Citrix the "server" is local as far as the Access executable is
concerned so it amounts to the same thing as a traditional local front end
anyway.


Again, only if the server where the front end file resides is a different
one than the Citrix server which would not be the normal setup.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to imply network issues with Citrix.

The mention of network traffic was meant for situations where the user's FE
was also on the network (as in my second reply to Jeff).

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Yes, the FE on the user's hard drive should mean you don't need a copy on
the network.

I have seen situations, though, where for whatever reason there will be a
separate FE on the network for each user. In other words, you'd have
FEJeff.MDB, FESkippy.MDB and FEDoug.MDB, potentially all in the same folder
on the network. Why? I have no idea: I suppose they thought it was necessary
to ensure that the FEs were backed up regularly. (And I suppose that should
the users have the ability to add, say, reports to their FE, there may be
some merit in that decision).

And where we work, we're told we shouldn't store anything on our C: drive,
so I know lots of people who put their front-end on the network.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Douglas

Have you noticed any (serious) performance issues with FE-on-LAN (instead of
on user's PC)?

Regards

Jeff

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

To be honest, I've never looked that closely at it.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Uhm, Tony, did you mean "You could put the BE on the server as long as ..."?

Nope. I meant FE.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Have you noticed any (serious) performance issues with FE-on-LAN (instead of
on user's PC)?

We never noticed a problem on the Citrix servers at our client. I
might've been a bit more sluggish but who knows.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

No, I think he did mean FE. You need to do this, for instance, with Citrix.

At the one client the IT department wasn't willing to setup a special
folder for the FE on the servers so we had to use the server. And I
can sorta see their point. Well, maybe.

Performance was acceptable so I didn't push the issue.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/