He discusses the dynamics of IT departments in large organizations and their natural conflict with the needs and budgets of information worker. He also shows how organizations that understand the strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Access can leverage its power for competitive advantage, and how to structure service levels to do so.
Microsoft Access Queries are among the most powerful features of MS Access. We have created a new resource center to make it easy to review all our papers related to Microsoft Access Queries. These original works offer tips and techniques aren’t found anywhere else. They will help you maximize your use of Microsoft Access queries to better analyze and understand your data.
What’s the Maximum Number of Microsoft Access Users?
There is a persistent myth that Microsoft Access Jet databases can only support 20 or so users. Here’s my response to a recent inquiry:
I flatly refute any suggestions that Microsoft Access users are limited to around 30. We’ve run many tests and have never seen that kind of degradation in performance. It is a myth from Access 2.0 days that was eliminated with Access 97 almost two decades ago.
A poorly designed Access database won’t support two users, but a well designed Access solution can support hundreds of users. Of course, what matters is the number of simultaneous users, and what they’re doing.
At Least 200 Simultaneous Microsoft Access Users on an Access/Jet Database
If everyone is just viewing data or entering data into a table, that takes very little work and a large number of people (well over 200) can be supported. People cannot type faster than what Access can handle. If users are all running massive reports and queries with data updates, that can still be done but performance would be an issue which applies to any technology, so testing and optimization would be necessary.
Migrate Back-End Access Database to Microsoft SQL Server for More Users
If the back-end database is in SQL Server rather than an Access/Jet database, the number of users can be practically unlimited if each user has their own front-end copy of the Access application. Performance issues still apply based on what they are doing. In some cases SQL Server is slower than Access, so it is important to understand the situation before thinking SQL Server is the answer.
All that said, any Access application that is distributed to others with shared data should be a split database design. Here are a few resources we’ve written:
Simplify Support for All the Users of Your Access Databases
Total Access Startup helps with the distribution of databases to each user’s desktop, and launching it with the right version of Microsoft Access.
This allows you to centrally support a large number of Access users across your network and ensure everyone is using the latest version of your application. It also simplifies the migration from one version of Access to another.
Total Access Emailer is the most popular Microsoft Access email program. Running as an add-in, it lets you easily send personalized emails using the information in your database. From using fields in the subject and body of the message, to attaching PDF reports filtered for each recipient, you’ll find that Total Access Emailer revolutionizes the way you communicate with your contacts. Any table or query can be the data source for your emails which can be in text or HTML format. We can even automatically include graphics in your HTML emails or let them reference a public site.
We are very pleased to announce Total Access Emailer for Access 2010. Enhancements include support for Access 2010, 32 and 64-bit, compressing all your attached files into one zip file with optional password, international extended character support, a new Code Generator, additional programmatic interfaces, and many more new features. An X.6 upgrade version for Access 2007 and earlier versions also available. Download the Free Trial today!
One of the features of Microsoft Windows Server that is increasingly popular over the last few years is the Terminal Server and more recently RemoteApp. With few exceptions, most Windows applications work within a Terminal Server environment. By doing so, your investment in existing applications, and the power of Windows desktop features and interoperability, can be exposed over the Internet.
This is particularly powerful for database applications such as Microsoft Access since it eliminates the need to send large amounts of data over the Internet for Access to process and users do not need to install Access on their machine. With RemoteApp, you can set up a terminal server experience where your users can only run your application without running other applications or browsing your network. Easily web enable all your desktop applications.
Congratulations to our friends and Microsoft MVPs, Arvin Meyer and Douglas Steele who recently published Microsoft Access Solutions: Tip, Tricks and Secrets from Microsoft Access MVPs. Filled with quick ways to improve your productivity, it’s available at bookstores and Amazon.com.
Even better, we are pleased to offer a limited quantity of this book for FREE (a $50 value). Thanks to a special arrangement with the authors and their publisher, Wiley, purchasers of any of our Access product suites can receive a complimentary copy of this book.
FMS President Luke Chung will be attending and speaking at the three day Microsoft Access conference sponsored by the Portland Oregon Access User Group. Join him and other guest speakers including Alison Balter from InfoTech Services Group Inc., Armen Stein from J Street Technology, and Kevin Bell from Microsoft.
Luke will be speaking on the following topics:
FMS Products for Microsoft Access Developers and How they Make You Money
FMS President Luke Chung will be the guest presenter at the April 5th meeting of the Denver Access User Group. He'll be discussing Microsoft Access 2010, FMS products for Microsoft Access, and all things Access. See you there!
DAAUG Meeting April 5, 2011 from 6 to 9PM
Microsoft USA – Rocky Mountain District
7595 Technology Way
Suite 400 (4th Floor)
Denver, CO 80237
File server databases like Access/JET MDB and ACCDB files need to be periodically compacted and repaired for optimal performance and to minimize database corruption. This also eliminates database bloat that can occur as data is added and deleted in the database.
Microsoft Access/Jet databases require routine maintenance to ensure reliability, integrity, and efficiency. You can manually compact and repair a database. However, you can save yourself some time and effort by configuring your database to automatically do this every time it closes. Read the issues and limitations around this Microsoft Access feature Automatically Compact and Repair Microsoft Access Databases with Compact On Close.
The Enterprise Features web site highlight’s FMS President Luke Chung’s discussion about why Microsoft Access is underrated and hated in large enterprise organizations. “Haters Gonna Hate”.
He also shows how organizations that understand the strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Access can leverage its power for competitive advantage, and how to structure service levels to do so.
years is the Terminal Server and more recently RemoteApp. With few exceptions, most Windows applications work within a Terminal Server environment. By doing so, your investment in existing applications, and the power of Windows desktop features and interoperability, can be exposed over the Internet.
