Remote use of MS Access

[iansdigby]

Dear forum users,

We have 10 home workers who wish to share a Microsoft Access 2003database. We have Small Business Server 2003, which is configured as both a file server and a terminal server. Could anyone please kindly tell me if the steps below would achieve it.

1. Split the Access database into an Access front end, and a SQL server back end.
2. Install the SQL server backend once on the file server.
3. Install a separate copy of the MS Access Runtime (for which we have licenses) in each user profile on the terminal server.
4. Issue server CALs and TS CALs to the users.
5. The users can now share the database without concurrency conflicts.

Questions nagging at me are:
1. I have heard of people auto-installing the Access runtime on the TS every time a person logs in. Is this necessary?
2. Is it OK within MS licensing to install the runtime copies on a terminal server?
3. Would it be better to install the runtime on each user's home desktop?
4. Am I living in cloud-cuckoo land to think that the Access runtime license, once paid for, lets you install as many users as you wish?

Many, many thanks to the generous ones who respond to this.
Ian Digby, Systems Analyst, Meggitt Avionics.

[NeoPa]

I'm not sure I can answer everything Ian, but I'll give some a go.

• Q0 (steps below...) - I believe it should work ok.
  NB. It could probably work also with an Access BE (which can be achieved with the help of the wizard, or with reference to Front-End / Back-End (FE/BE)).
  Some code in your database may not be written to support multi-user access.
• Q1 - No idea.
• Q2 - It is possible I think. How the licensing is handled (how many required etc) is another matter.
• Q3 - Access running over a slow network is not fun. I suggest linking to the server will probably work many times more efficiently.
• Q4 - Almost certainly.

[iansdigby]

NeoPa,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply in depth to my queries.

Regards

Ian

[NeoPa]

You're very welcome Ian.

Welcome to Bytes!