My enquiry was not meant to start a religious war....I also agree that
using a robust database on a server (preferably UNIX) is the better
way to go, but one has to work within the limitations imposed by the
environment.
In this case, the requirement is partially driven by accomodating
groups without the funding to spend on importing their data into the
Oracle environment as well as those groups with the type of
applications that Glenn mentioned. It is hoped that seeing what can be
done within the Oracle environment will encourage them to seek funding
for this....
As an aside, I doubt that your reply will encourage others new to
Oracle to post questions to the group for fear of being lambasted.
This forum is quite valuable as a learning tool, and while I agree
that pointing out the "ideal way" of doing things is useful, the
manner of your reply may be discouraging. You make the assumption that
the poster has the authority to correct the mistakes of the
organization and that is not a valid assumption in many cases. "User
and management education" is probably a better way to address this,
but in my experience, this does not happen overnight.
(Although new to Oracle, I have over 13 years systems and network
administration experience - and have slowly educated users,
developers, and management on various issues.)
Daniel Morgan <da******@x.washington.edu> wrote in message news:<1069883054.13946@yasure>...
Glen A Stromquist wrote:
Daniel Morgan wrote:
Andrea M. Segovia wrote:
Hello,
I am a newbie to Oracle databases....
We have a visualization front-end tool connected to an Oracle back-end
database on a Tru64 UNIX server. We also have clients with MS access
databases who would like to share their data using this visualization
tool but do not want to import their data into the Oracle server
back-end.
Is there any way we could use the Oracle backend to query the MS
Access databases and merge this data with other data in the Oracle
back-end for presentation by the visualization tool? Perhaps through
ODBC or some other standard?
The Oracle back-end is a a Tru64 UNIX server running Oracle 8i.
Any input would be appreciated.
Andrea Segovia
A/Project Manager
Your management needs to stop playing games with those that have the
MS Access databases and put all of the data into Oracle.
If you didn't have Oracle ... fine so you use MS Access. But once you
have Oracle there is no excuse for business data sitting on PCs where
there is no security, no guarantee of data integrity, and almost
undoubtedly no nightly backup.
All that money for Oracle and they are letting a some whiners make the
business decisions. Management ... needs to manage.
Move the d... data.
I agree thats the best solution overall Daniel, but in some cases (like
mine) it may not be practical or even doable. Many of our areas purchase
these little MSaccess back end "niche" programs that do only one thing
and the vendor's eyes start to glaze over when you ask them if they have
an Oracle or SQL server version. I can rant all I want about the lack of
security, no restore to point of failure etc.. but in the end the
business unit will purchase what fits their needs best and I have to
deal with it.
Fortunatly I only have one set of tables in MsAccess that I have to have
accesible from an Oracle based app, but once it was set up it runs along
quite nicely. I'd still sooner have the tables sitting in their own
little Oracle schema, but if the product doesn't support it then I have
to make do...
The vendors may not be able to do Oracle. Thats understandable. But
there is nothing that stops these systems from being backed up every
night to the Oracle database and then using the Oracle database as per
your original inquiry.
And I'd give you the same advice if the back-end was SQL Server or
Informix or any other industrial strength RDBMS. MS Access on a personal
PC just isn't a serious database for business applications.
