Sql Server (2000 or 7 or 6.5) is an rdbms (relational database
management system). As such, the usage is primarily for data
processing, crunching numbers. The difference between Access and Sql
Server is something like this:
If you are going to work on a swiss watch, you use real fine jewel
instruments, Access remains unmatched in ultra refined data processing
for byte size pieces of data (50,000 recs and less). For big jobs like
Pile driving the foundation of a sky scraper building you use a 10 story
tall pile driver. For big data, more than a few gigs (Access limit is
one gig - theoretically) to terabytes, you have Microsoft Sql Server,
Oracle, Sybase, Mainframes. Can process large chunks of data in seconds
compared to Access, but it is much more difficult to get a very refined
data result from a large chunk of data using Sql Server. So the idea is
to crunch big data down to byte size with Sql Server and then feed that
to Access for more refined processing.
Pictures are just viewing files. All you need for pictures is a file
Server. To view a pic file on the web you use Internet Information
server to feed the pic file from the file server to a calling browser.
You can think of sql server (and IIS) more as services than a database,
database system.
For an enterprise system, (2-3 tier business application) over the web,
this would require a lot of horse power to handle multiple users and
multiple simultaneous data processing. Some people argue than Access
can handle several people simultaneously over the web. This has not
been my experience. For more than 10 people at one time, I recommend
sql Server.
As for using vba with sql server, you can manipulate com based ADO with
vba with is one of the primary platforms for exchanging data between Sql
Server and Access or other MS Products, or Oracle, even Lotus Notes.
These all support ADO. Although, the more ideal platform for Sql Server
(and Oracle) is ADO.Net.
AS for licensing, I believe this is based on how many processors you
have on your server computer. I think you get something like 25 seats
per processor. I just write code at my place so I don't get into this
end much. All I know, is that the more processors you have on the
machine, the more the Licenses will cost.
And lastly, migration difficulty - if you want to do this yourself - the
difficulty will be based on your programming proficiency. If you
subcontract programmers, the migration difficulty will be based on
project management proficiency.
Rich
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