Run from web site

[George]

Is it possible to run my access database from a company
intranet? If so what would I have to do to get it to work?
Do the computers accessing the database thru our web site
need to have access installed?

Thanks - George

 

[Scott M.]

Yes, it's possible. You just need to place the database somewhere that is
accessible to the web server running the intranet. Having said that, if you
expect any serious traffic using the database, I'd recommend against Access
and go with SQL Server.

 

[Larry Linson]

Yes, it's possible. You just need to place
the database somewhere that is accessible
to the web server running the intranet. Having
said that, if you expect any serious traffic
using the database, I'd recommend against
Access and go with SQL Server.

In fact, there is much more to accessing a _Jet_ database via an Intranet
than "just need to place...". There must be an appropriate means of
addressing it. You can't just put it there, and automatically run Access
itself from the intranet website.

And "any serious traffic" means different things to different people --
perhaps you should define that, and be prepared to defend the position,
because however you define it, I suspect you'll find some who will disagree.
Clearly a _Jet_ database with an appropriate interface will work fine for
one, two, or five users; clearly, if you expect the kind of use that major
websites (Amazon, eBay, etc.) have, it won't work fine at all. But there is
a very, very wide range between the two in which it is virtually impossible
to predefine a clear dividing line.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Larry Linson]

Is it possible to run my access data-
base from a company intranet?

It is possible to execute an Access application, using either the default
Jet or a linked server database, via a LAN. Typical Internet connections are
not sufficiently fast for an Access multiuser environment (that is Access
front-end, linked tables in a Jet "Access" database). But access to an
intranet does not necessarily give you the direct folder access that you'd
need to run the Access application in that manner.

For an introductory overview presentation of Access multiuser and of Access
client applications to server databases, visit
http://appdevissues.tripod.com and download the presentations on these
subjects that I did for my user group.

But, with an appropriate application on the intranet server, perhaps Access'
Data Access Pages (if you have close control of the user's environment, they
all have Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, and all have the Office Web
Extensions installed -- if you do not have the most recent version of
Access, they may need Microsoft Office installed, too), or the Database
Interaction Wizard of Microsoft Front Page 2002 or later, or
ActiveServerPages on the intranet site, or ASP.NET pages...

If so what would I have to do to get it to work?

Do the computers accessing the database thru our web site
need to have access installed?

They would for Access multiuser if that were the environment. With ASP, or
the DIW of Front Page, or ASP.NET, they would only need an appropriate
browser. With DAP, they'd need the OWE (or with older versions, full Office
with OWE).

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Scott M.]

Ok Larry, calm down a bit. The OP asked if it was possible. The answer is
yes. The OP wanted to know what would have to be done and if Access needs
to be installed locally on the client machine, the answer is to put the db
in a place accessible to the web server and no, the clients don't need
Access.

Of course there is more to it than that (your "appropriate means of
addressing it"). I never said that merely placing the db on the server
would somehow cause an ADO connection to it. I was answering the OP.

My response was intended to give the OP something to think about and to
answer the questions posed. I noticed that you didn't give us a definition
of "serious traffic" either, rather you just restated, in different terms,
what I said.

I hope you are done venting for today and that you don't take it out on some
other unsuspecting user.

 

[Scott M.]

It is possible to execute an Access application, using either the default

Jet or a linked server database, via a LAN. Typical Internet connections are
not sufficiently fast for an Access multiuser environment (that is Access
front-end, linked tables in a Jet "Access" database). But access to an
intranet does not necessarily give you the direct folder access that you'd
need to run the Access application in that manner.

I have had very good success running an ASP.NET front-end against an MS
Access 2000 db on the back end that drives a monthly calandar of events on a
page that gets anywhere from 5 - 25 people accessing the page at any given
time. I would not characterize my results as "not sufficiently fast" at
all. During most of these time periods, there is no noticable delay. By
the way, this is an Internet application.

But, with an appropriate application on the intranet server, perhaps Access'
Data Access Pages (if you have close control of the user's environment, they
all have Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, and all have the Office Web
Extensions installed -- if you do not have the most recent version of
Access, they may need Microsoft Office installed, too), or the Database
Interaction Wizard of Microsoft Front Page 2002 or later, or
ActiveServerPages on the intranet site, or ASP.NET pages...

IMHO, this is just asking for trouble. Now, you have to deal with ensuring
that the clients have the MSOE installed and updated (which kind of defeats
the server centricity of the web). The FrontPage wizards will get you up
and running, but the code they generate is difficult to edit and bloated.

The best approach (for best results that is) is to create ASP or ASP.NET
pages that use ADO or ADO.NET (respectively). This approach also requires
no special software on the client.