Number of Users on a split Access2000 database published via Citrix

[JonM]

Hello,

I have successfully created a split database, usual tables and queries
in the back-end, Forms and reports in the front end.

Both front and back end live on a server and users access the front
end via citrix.

The database has around 70 users who have the front end published to
them via Citrix. Im starting to worry about the number of users
slightly. It is unlikely that there would ever be more than a maximum
of 10 users logged on at the same time. Basically a user logs on
creates an order and emails it off, the process only takes 2 to 3
minutes, once they are finished, they log off.

So, my question is, even though there would never be more than 10
users (at most) logged on simultaneously, could the database become
unstable with 70 users published to it via citrix?

Im hoping that the answer is "No" reason being that it is 70 instances
of Citrix and as far as the database is concerned it never has more
than 10 users accessing it.

Any advice would be greatfully received.

Many thanks
Jon

 

[Rick Brandt]

Hello,

I have successfully created a split database, usual tables and queries
in the back-end, Forms and reports in the front end.

Both front and back end live on a server and users access the front
end via citrix.

Each user should have their own copy of the front end file. This does not change when
using Citrix. Other than that I would say you are at the higher end of "potential"
users. If it stays true that rarely are more than a dozen or so in the app at once
you should be ok. You are also helped by the fact that users appear to be doing
inserts which is less of a concurrency problem than edits.

 

[Larry Linson]

As Rick said, each user should have their own copy of the front end in a
folder at the server. That said, I believe he is somewhat pessimistic about
the number of users that can be supported on a multiuser database.

There are a number of factors involved in multiuser performance, but you
eliminate some by running everything on the server. Without this advantage,
it is common for developers to report supporting 30 - 70 users, even if not
all factors are optimum. If everything _is_ optimal, then we have seen
reliable reports of 100+ concurrent users.

For an overview of topics on the subject, download my presentation from
http://appdevissues.tripod.com/downloads.htm -- subjects I thought
worthwhile discussing with my user group. The best collection of information
and links on multiuser, including Terminal Server/Citrix, that I have found
is at MVP Tony Toews' site, http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm. It's
certainly worth a visit.

If you have fewer than 20 concurrent users, and the data is on the same
server machine where the users are running the front end (as it sounds from
your description), Access should be able to handle it easily.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP