experienced in ORACLE but beginner in ACCESS - URGENT

[ljubo lecic via AccessMonster.com]

I am an experienced ORACLE software developer who
met ACCESS few months ago and I must say that ,so far,
I am delighted. I rapidly developed a few aplications
and everything is working extremly good.
Now, I am offered to develop something more complex.
And It must be done in ACCESS.I feel so comfortable in
ACCESS programming that I am about to accept the offer.But before my final
response I URGENTLY need some
advices and opinions from expirienced ACCESS programmers:
My questions are:

1.What are the constraints of ACCESS comparing to
traditional SQL- databases.
2.Why isn't ACCESS regarded as an SQL database(or
I am wrong)
3.Can ACCESS be used as a server database in a multi-user
environment
4.Could someone give me an example( possible situation)
when ACCESS must be replaced with ORACLE or SQL- server
5.Could I use ACCESS as software development tool to
the ORACLE or SQL-server database

Thanks in advance

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

[Tony Toews]

"ljubo lecic via AccessMonster.com" <fo***@AccessMonster.com> wrote:

I am an experienced ORACLE software developer who
met ACCESS few months ago and I must say that ,so far,
I am delighted. I rapidly developed a few aplications
and everything is working extremly good.
So nice to read of someone coming from that side of things over to our side.
1.What are the constraints of ACCESS comparing to
traditional SQL- databases.
It's certainly not as secure as anyone can view the file on the server, copy it to
their PC and take it home for further analysis and cracking. Also Access security
isn't the greatest.
2.Why isn't ACCESS regarded as an SQL database(or
I am wrong)
Because IT manages are usually fairly clueless and beleive all the FUD (Fear,
Uncertainty and Doubt) of the high priced consultants who are pushing their solution.
3.Can ACCESS be used as a server database in a multi-user
environment
It isn't a server product. However you can share the backend quite successfully.
I've got a client with 25 users all day long for the past three or so years with very
few problems.

See the "Splitting your app into a front end and back end Tips" page at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/ for more info. See the Auto FE Updater
downloads page http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm to make this relatively
painless.. It also supports Terminal Server/Citrix quite nicely.
4.Could someone give me an example( possible situation)
when ACCESS must be replaced with ORACLE or SQL- server
The problem is if the backend gets corrupted you could have to go to last nights
backup. Whereas the chance of this happening with Oracle or SQL Server are much,
much less. If you're are in an environment where the data can be rekeyed tomorrow
because all the paper work has been retained then that's fine. Otherwise you'd want
to look at alternatives for the data storage.
5.Could I use ACCESS as software development tool to
the ORACLE or SQL-server database

Yes, quite successfully. Then you can have thousands of people using an Access FE to
hit the SQL Server/Oracle data. Some folks have used this over a dialup connection
even.

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

[Brian]

"ljubo lecic via AccessMonster.com" <fo***@AccessMonster.com> wrote in
message news:49******************************@AccessMonste r.com...

I am an experienced ORACLE software developer who
met ACCESS few months ago and I must say that ,so far,
I am delighted. I rapidly developed a few aplications
and everything is working extremly good.
Now, I am offered to develop something more complex.
And It must be done in ACCESS.I feel so comfortable in
ACCESS programming that I am about to accept the offer.But before my final
response I URGENTLY need some
advices and opinions from expirienced ACCESS programmers:
My questions are:

1.What are the constraints of ACCESS comparing to
traditional SQL- databases.
2.Why isn't ACCESS regarded as an SQL database(or
I am wrong)
3.Can ACCESS be used as a server database in a multi-user
environment
4.Could someone give me an example( possible situation)
when ACCESS must be replaced with ORACLE or SQL- server
5.Could I use ACCESS as software development tool to
the ORACLE or SQL-server database

Thanks in advance

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

1. Maximum database size of 2Gb. Not scalable: depending on what the
database and it's users are doing, it will run out of steam at somewhere
between 5 and 20 users. Lacks resilience (network, client or user stupidity
problems can all corrupt the database). Useless security (as complex as it
is to set up, Access security is very, very easy to break). Strictly
speaking, these are all issues with the default Jet database engine rather
than Access as a whole, and they can all be resolved by using SQL Server or
Oracle or somesuch as the database engine instead.
2. What's an SQL database? Who cares? The question is, is Access
adequate for your job? If so, then use it: there's nothing better. If not,
then look elsewhere. Don't listen to prejudices or meaningless definitions.
3. Access can certainly be used in a multi-user environment, but the
default Jet database engine is NOT a server, which is why it suffers from
the issues described in (1) above. If you use a server database engine
instead (e.g. SQL Server), then it will be, erm, a server!
4. Oracle and SQL Server are NOT potential replacements for Access: they
are potential replacements for the Jet database engine. Access functions
very well as a client to servers such as Oracle and SQL Server.
5. Yes. With SQL Server you could build an Access ADP (newish
technology, very controversial, see many previous discussions, some folks
think they are awful, others think they are fine). With SQL Server or
Oracle, you can use ODBC linked tables (well established technique, works
very well).

[Brian]

"ljubo lecic via AccessMonster.com" <fo***@AccessMonster.com> wrote in
message news:49******************************@AccessMonste r.com...

I am an experienced ORACLE software developer who
met ACCESS few months ago and I must say that ,so far,
I am delighted. I rapidly developed a few aplications
and everything is working extremly good.
Now, I am offered to develop something more complex.
And It must be done in ACCESS.I feel so comfortable in
ACCESS programming that I am about to accept the offer.But before my final
response I URGENTLY need some
advices and opinions from expirienced ACCESS programmers:
My questions are:

1.What are the constraints of ACCESS comparing to
traditional SQL- databases.
2.Why isn't ACCESS regarded as an SQL database(or
I am wrong)
3.Can ACCESS be used as a server database in a multi-user
environment
4.Could someone give me an example( possible situation)
when ACCESS must be replaced with ORACLE or SQL- server
5.Could I use ACCESS as software development tool to
the ORACLE or SQL-server database

Thanks in advance

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

1. Maximum database size of 2Gb. Not scalable: depending on what the
database and it's users are doing, it will run out of steam at somewhere
between 5 and 20 users. Lacks resilience (network, client or user stupidity
problems can all corrupt the database). Useless security (as complex as it
is to set up, Access security is very, very easy to break). Strictly
speaking, these are all issues with the default Jet database engine rather
than Access as a whole, and they can all be resolved by using SQL Server or
Oracle or somesuch as the database engine instead.
2. What's an SQL database? Who cares? The question is, is Access
adequate for your job? If so, then use it: there's nothing better. If not,
then look elsewhere. Don't listen to prejudices or meaningless definitions.
3. Access can certainly be used in a multi-user environment, but the
default Jet database engine is NOT a server, which is why it suffers from
the issues described in (1) above. If you use a server database engine
instead (e.g. SQL Server), then it will be, erm, a server!
4. Oracle and SQL Server are NOT potential replacements for Access: they
are potential replacements for the Jet database engine. Access functions
very well as a client to servers such as Oracle and SQL Server.
5. Yes. With SQL Server you could build an Access ADP (newish
technology, very controversial, see many previous discussions, some folks
think they are awful, others think they are fine). With SQL Server or
Oracle, you can use ODBC linked tables (well established technique, works
very well).

[ljubo lecic via AccessMonster.com]

Tnank you very much Tony and Brian.
I appreciate your time very much!
Best wishes

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com