| Databases evolve over time. Access cannot and was never designed to solve every database problem. What it does offer is a great, cost-effective, and quick solution for a wide range of common database challenges in Windows. Anticipate and welcome the natural evolution of databases, and you’ll find an important role for Access in the overall database strategy of your organization. Compared to alternatives, Access offers tremendous ROI opportunities and competitive advantages to those who use it properly. Going back to our military analogy, think of Access as the tactical part of your IT team. It's designed to take care of small problems that don't need the resources of the main strategic force. Tactical teams are expected to do things quick, dirty and cheap, and is often the BEST solution for the challenges they face. That said, there will be situations that grow beyond the capabilities of the tactical team. When an infantry calls for air support, good leaders don't complain why they need it. They just deliver overwhelming power to solve the problem. Good planners have the planes in the air awaiting the inevitable calls for help. Plan, anticipate, and optimize all your resources to address your constantly changing battlefield. |
| Splashsoft.net |
| Your Expert Resource for MS Access Software Development |
| Houston, TX Call: 713-688-4541 |
| There are Many Database Needs |
| Database Challenges in an Organization |
| Access Fills an Important Segment |
| Advantages of Access |
| Why Access is Important |
| Conclusions |
| Summary |
| Database Evolution: MS Access within an Organization's Database Strategy |
Over the past few years, there has been lots of confusion over the role of Access within an organization. Sitting between the power of Excel and client server databases, Access extends
from simple end-user tasks to mission critical operations. The database needs of an organization are unpredictable and change over time. Microsoft Access solves many database
problems but not all and neither do other tools. What Access offers is the best solution for its range of capabilities. As the most popular database product in the world, Access clearly
dominates one of the most important segments of the database ecosystem. When formulating the database strategy of an organization, it’s helpful to think of individual databases evolving
over time. Healthy database applications are not just created once but change and grow. Bad ones go extinct, and sometimes even good ones die because their environment (market)
changes. Meanwhile mission critical applications sometimes appear from unexpected sources. Millions of databases are created in Excel spreadsheets each year, but only a tiny
percentage “graduate” to the next level: Access. Similarly, only a tiny percentage of Access applications graduate to a more sophisticated solution. In the interim, a huge number of
database needs are solved completely by Access. Access is simply the best at what it does. An IT manager needs to understand and use Access tactically, and anticipate that some
Access applications will migrate over time. This is not an indictment on Access, but rather the natural process of database evolution as the organization's needs change. Sure, it would
have been better to build that Access application with a more sophisticated platform from the beginning, but it was impossible to predict it would be that important when it was first created.
One could also argue that the original designer -- even under torture -- could not envision the design needs today. Time and the process is what brought us to where we are today, not the
original idea. Similarly, is it possible to predict which 2% of databases created this year need to migrate three years from now? Most will run perfectly fine in Access forever or go extinct.
Making a big investment today makes no sense when a simpler, less risky Access solution is possible. Let time determine which databases evolve and require additional investment to
take them to the next level. The key is to anticipate this and not be surprised when it happens. Even when Access applications evolve to another platform, Access scales by supporting the
migration of Jet to SQL Server while preserving the application development investment. The features developed for Access can be rolled into the new platform guaranteeing the success
of the new system (or at least minimizing end-user objections). In that case, Access proved to be a great prototype. The savvy IT manager learns when Access is effective and when it’s
not. If it can be done in Access, the ROI is superior to alternate technologies. Taking advantage of the strengths of Access gives your organization a significant competitive advantage both
financially and in response to user, market, and customer conditions.
from simple end-user tasks to mission critical operations. The database needs of an organization are unpredictable and change over time. Microsoft Access solves many database
problems but not all and neither do other tools. What Access offers is the best solution for its range of capabilities. As the most popular database product in the world, Access clearly
dominates one of the most important segments of the database ecosystem. When formulating the database strategy of an organization, it’s helpful to think of individual databases evolving
over time. Healthy database applications are not just created once but change and grow. Bad ones go extinct, and sometimes even good ones die because their environment (market)
changes. Meanwhile mission critical applications sometimes appear from unexpected sources. Millions of databases are created in Excel spreadsheets each year, but only a tiny
percentage “graduate” to the next level: Access. Similarly, only a tiny percentage of Access applications graduate to a more sophisticated solution. In the interim, a huge number of
database needs are solved completely by Access. Access is simply the best at what it does. An IT manager needs to understand and use Access tactically, and anticipate that some
Access applications will migrate over time. This is not an indictment on Access, but rather the natural process of database evolution as the organization's needs change. Sure, it would
have been better to build that Access application with a more sophisticated platform from the beginning, but it was impossible to predict it would be that important when it was first created.
One could also argue that the original designer -- even under torture -- could not envision the design needs today. Time and the process is what brought us to where we are today, not the
original idea. Similarly, is it possible to predict which 2% of databases created this year need to migrate three years from now? Most will run perfectly fine in Access forever or go extinct.
Making a big investment today makes no sense when a simpler, less risky Access solution is possible. Let time determine which databases evolve and require additional investment to
take them to the next level. The key is to anticipate this and not be surprised when it happens. Even when Access applications evolve to another platform, Access scales by supporting the
migration of Jet to SQL Server while preserving the application development investment. The features developed for Access can be rolled into the new platform guaranteeing the success
of the new system (or at least minimizing end-user objections). In that case, Access proved to be a great prototype. The savvy IT manager learns when Access is effective and when it’s
not. If it can be done in Access, the ROI is superior to alternate technologies. Taking advantage of the strengths of Access gives your organization a significant competitive advantage both
financially and in response to user, market, and customer conditions.
Some databases are critical to the survival of an organization while others are simply quick and dirty systems for ad-hoc analysis. No matter how large or small the organization,
databases are used at a variety of levels for a variety of reasons:
Enterprise Level
These are mission critical applications that the entire organization requires for its survival. Examples include accounting systems, customer transaction tracking, high volume data
processing, or other critical systems vital to the organization’s ability to complete its mission. In large organizations, this is often considered the function of the data center. Critical issues
here include processing large amounts of data, maintaining historical data and legacy systems, accuracy, security, and administrative depth (backups, disaster recovery, etc.)
Department Level
Applications built for departments are less critical for the survival of the entire organization. Although these may still include important data center applications, other applications may be
managed in the department itself. Department level applications are usually created by professional developers and maintained by dedicated personnel. They often tap into or pass data
into the data center repositories.
Workgroup/Team Level
Work group applications focus on the needs of a smaller group of people working together. These applications can often change rapidly to meet the needs and challenges the workgroup
faces either internally or from external market forces. Work group applications tend to be PC based (not mainframe) and are often controlled by the line of business using it. These
applications often involve professional developers, although many instances of applications created by power users and non-developers exist. These applications often retrieve data from
data center systems, but do not commonly send data back. Data analysis, report generation, and managing the needs of the work group to perform its functions are common examples.
Individual and Small Groups
On individual PCs, many people create their own databases in Excel and Access. These tend to be single user applications that have relatively short life spans. Their purpose is to simplify
the work of the individual or small group of people who created it. Most of these applications are created by people whose primary job function is not programming.
databases are used at a variety of levels for a variety of reasons:
Enterprise Level
These are mission critical applications that the entire organization requires for its survival. Examples include accounting systems, customer transaction tracking, high volume data
processing, or other critical systems vital to the organization’s ability to complete its mission. In large organizations, this is often considered the function of the data center. Critical issues
here include processing large amounts of data, maintaining historical data and legacy systems, accuracy, security, and administrative depth (backups, disaster recovery, etc.)
Department Level
Applications built for departments are less critical for the survival of the entire organization. Although these may still include important data center applications, other applications may be
managed in the department itself. Department level applications are usually created by professional developers and maintained by dedicated personnel. They often tap into or pass data
into the data center repositories.
Workgroup/Team Level
Work group applications focus on the needs of a smaller group of people working together. These applications can often change rapidly to meet the needs and challenges the workgroup
faces either internally or from external market forces. Work group applications tend to be PC based (not mainframe) and are often controlled by the line of business using it. These
applications often involve professional developers, although many instances of applications created by power users and non-developers exist. These applications often retrieve data from
data center systems, but do not commonly send data back. Data analysis, report generation, and managing the needs of the work group to perform its functions are common examples.
Individual and Small Groups
On individual PCs, many people create their own databases in Excel and Access. These tend to be single user applications that have relatively short life spans. Their purpose is to simplify
the work of the individual or small group of people who created it. Most of these applications are created by people whose primary job function is not programming.
Every organization faces a myriad of database challenges to fulfill their mission. These include: Maximizing ROI is more critical than ever. Management demands tangible results for the
expensive investments in database application development. And many database development efforts fail to yield the results they promise. Choosing the right technology and approach for
each level in an organization is critical to maximizing ROI. This means choosing the best total return, which does not mean choosing the cheapest initial solution. This is often the most
important decision a CIO/CTO makes.
Managing Human Resources
Managing people to customize technology is very challenging. The more complex the technology or application, the fewer people are qualified to handle it and the more expensive they
are to hire. Turnover is always an issue, and having the right standards in place is critical to successfully supporting legacy applications. Training and keeping up with technology is also
very challenging.
Rapid Deployment is Critical
Being able to create database applications quickly is important not only for reducing costs, but responding to internal or customer demands. The ability to create applications quickly
provides a significant competitive advantage. The IT manager is responsible for offering alternatives and making trade offs to support the business needs of the organization. By using
different technologies, you may be able to give the business decision makers choices such as a 60% solution in three months, a 90% solution in 12 months, or a 99% solution in 24
months (instead of months, it could be dollars). Sometimes time to market is most critical, other times it may be cost, and other times the features or security most important. Business
changes quickly and is unpredictable. We live in a “good enough” rather than perfect world, so knowing how to deliver “good enough” solutions quickly gives you and your organization a
competitive edge.
Flexibility and Maintainability is Important
Even with the best system design, by the time multi-month development efforts are completed, needs change. Versions follow versions, and a system that’s designed to be flexible and
able to accommodate change can mean the difference between success and failure for the users’ careers. Scale ability is Necessary, but Often Secondary Systems should be designed
to manage the expected data and more. But many systems never get completed, get thrown away soon after use, or change so much over time that the initial assessments are often
wrong. It’s all about evolution. is nice, but this is often less important than having a solution quicker. If the application successfully supports growth, Scale ability can be added later when it’s
financially justified.
Matching the Correct Technology to the Solution Maximizes Returns
We’ve already seen how different levels of an organization have different database needs. Choosing the right technology and approach for each level impacts the ability of that level to
perform long-term, and the returns it generates.
Using Multiple Tools is Critical to Success
An organization faces a variety of database challenges. No tool solves every issue. Many tools and approaches are available each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some
manage large amounts of data in a very structured and secure manner. Other tools mange a relatively small amount of data in an unstructured, minimally secure, yet highly flexible
manner. Depending on the objectives, one tool may be superior to the other.
Military Analogy
Like a CIO/CTO, a commanding general has many types of battles to fight and multiple weapons to use. The general wants the most powerful weapons but would be handicapped
without tanks, artillery, and rifles. That’s because all battles are not the same. Some require massive resources while others require infantry. Choosing the right weapon for a particular
challenge is critical to meeting objectives, managing budgets and resources, and responding to the unique requirements of each sit
expensive investments in database application development. And many database development efforts fail to yield the results they promise. Choosing the right technology and approach for
each level in an organization is critical to maximizing ROI. This means choosing the best total return, which does not mean choosing the cheapest initial solution. This is often the most
important decision a CIO/CTO makes.
Managing Human Resources
Managing people to customize technology is very challenging. The more complex the technology or application, the fewer people are qualified to handle it and the more expensive they
are to hire. Turnover is always an issue, and having the right standards in place is critical to successfully supporting legacy applications. Training and keeping up with technology is also
very challenging.
Rapid Deployment is Critical
Being able to create database applications quickly is important not only for reducing costs, but responding to internal or customer demands. The ability to create applications quickly
provides a significant competitive advantage. The IT manager is responsible for offering alternatives and making trade offs to support the business needs of the organization. By using
different technologies, you may be able to give the business decision makers choices such as a 60% solution in three months, a 90% solution in 12 months, or a 99% solution in 24
months (instead of months, it could be dollars). Sometimes time to market is most critical, other times it may be cost, and other times the features or security most important. Business
changes quickly and is unpredictable. We live in a “good enough” rather than perfect world, so knowing how to deliver “good enough” solutions quickly gives you and your organization a
competitive edge.
Flexibility and Maintainability is Important
Even with the best system design, by the time multi-month development efforts are completed, needs change. Versions follow versions, and a system that’s designed to be flexible and
able to accommodate change can mean the difference between success and failure for the users’ careers. Scale ability is Necessary, but Often Secondary Systems should be designed
to manage the expected data and more. But many systems never get completed, get thrown away soon after use, or change so much over time that the initial assessments are often
wrong. It’s all about evolution. is nice, but this is often less important than having a solution quicker. If the application successfully supports growth, Scale ability can be added later when it’s
financially justified.
Matching the Correct Technology to the Solution Maximizes Returns
We’ve already seen how different levels of an organization have different database needs. Choosing the right technology and approach for each level impacts the ability of that level to
perform long-term, and the returns it generates.
Using Multiple Tools is Critical to Success
An organization faces a variety of database challenges. No tool solves every issue. Many tools and approaches are available each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some
manage large amounts of data in a very structured and secure manner. Other tools mange a relatively small amount of data in an unstructured, minimally secure, yet highly flexible
manner. Depending on the objectives, one tool may be superior to the other.
Military Analogy
Like a CIO/CTO, a commanding general has many types of battles to fight and multiple weapons to use. The general wants the most powerful weapons but would be handicapped
without tanks, artillery, and rifles. That’s because all battles are not the same. Some require massive resources while others require infantry. Choosing the right weapon for a particular
challenge is critical to meeting objectives, managing budgets and resources, and responding to the unique requirements of each sit
Lots of Data is Stored in Excel
Even though Excel is not a database, in many organizations, people store more data in spreadsheets than any other platform. This drives IT professionals crazy, but works. Decision
makers need to analyze data and they know Excel. This is one of the greatest benefits of desktop computing. Although Excel is not a relational database, it solves many simple database
problems completely. That’s because many database problems can be solved with simple database solutions. Only a tiny percentage of Excel spreadsheets ever reach the limits of Excel,
but when they do, many should migrate to Access.
Microsoft Access Fills a Large and Important Segment
The success of Access as the most popular database in the world is a testament to its capabilities and the pervasive need for database solutions by productivity workers. Access is the first
weapon of choice when it comes to relational databases because of its ability to quickly create useful database solutions. It may not have all the features Scale ability, performance,
reliability, and security of more sophisticated solutions, but for many situations, those features are irrelevant or secondary to what Access offers. Access offers an excellent solution for
database challenges facing individuals, small teams, and work groups across a network. The number of database challenges within an organization that can be solved by Access is much
larger than solutions solved by more complex and expensive solutions. And over time, with the drop in hardware prices and increases in performance, more and more database
situations are solved by Access.Different database problems require different solutions. If an organization’s only database response is a $200K+ solution, it cannot profitably manage
opportunities worth less than that. That may or may not be a problem today, but it gives competitors an opportunity if they have less expensive solutions. Over time, some of those small
opportunities grow into big ones. The cost of solutions and the solutions themselves vary significantly by the platform selected. Here are some ballpark numbers:We can argue over the
fact that there are million dollar Access applications and $20,000 .NET applications, but that misses the point. These numbers show order of magnitude for a large organization, and what
they generally spend for solutions on those platforms. It is worthy to note that solutions created for the first three platforms (Excel and simple Access applications) are often created by non-
IT professionals. Managers, analysts, and administrators create these solutions without IT budgets or guidance. It’s simply part of their job. Most of these solutions would rarely make
economic sense if IT staff fulfilled them, nor would they be able to create them in a timely manner. That said, many applications created by non-IT professionals are not maintainable and
suffer from poor design. Once you get into work group applications, defined budgets, design processes and more structured development efforts occur, and people specializing in
application development get involved. But even at this point, costs vary widely based on the platform selected.
Even though Excel is not a database, in many organizations, people store more data in spreadsheets than any other platform. This drives IT professionals crazy, but works. Decision
makers need to analyze data and they know Excel. This is one of the greatest benefits of desktop computing. Although Excel is not a relational database, it solves many simple database
problems completely. That’s because many database problems can be solved with simple database solutions. Only a tiny percentage of Excel spreadsheets ever reach the limits of Excel,
but when they do, many should migrate to Access.
Microsoft Access Fills a Large and Important Segment
The success of Access as the most popular database in the world is a testament to its capabilities and the pervasive need for database solutions by productivity workers. Access is the first
weapon of choice when it comes to relational databases because of its ability to quickly create useful database solutions. It may not have all the features Scale ability, performance,
reliability, and security of more sophisticated solutions, but for many situations, those features are irrelevant or secondary to what Access offers. Access offers an excellent solution for
database challenges facing individuals, small teams, and work groups across a network. The number of database challenges within an organization that can be solved by Access is much
larger than solutions solved by more complex and expensive solutions. And over time, with the drop in hardware prices and increases in performance, more and more database
situations are solved by Access.Different database problems require different solutions. If an organization’s only database response is a $200K+ solution, it cannot profitably manage
opportunities worth less than that. That may or may not be a problem today, but it gives competitors an opportunity if they have less expensive solutions. Over time, some of those small
opportunities grow into big ones. The cost of solutions and the solutions themselves vary significantly by the platform selected. Here are some ballpark numbers:We can argue over the
fact that there are million dollar Access applications and $20,000 .NET applications, but that misses the point. These numbers show order of magnitude for a large organization, and what
they generally spend for solutions on those platforms. It is worthy to note that solutions created for the first three platforms (Excel and simple Access applications) are often created by non-
IT professionals. Managers, analysts, and administrators create these solutions without IT budgets or guidance. It’s simply part of their job. Most of these solutions would rarely make
economic sense if IT staff fulfilled them, nor would they be able to create them in a timely manner. That said, many applications created by non-IT professionals are not maintainable and
suffer from poor design. Once you get into work group applications, defined budgets, design processes and more structured development efforts occur, and people specializing in
application development get involved. But even at this point, costs vary widely based on the platform selected.
Rapid Application Development
The Access development environment lets you create results fast. Access solutions often require significantly less code than alternatives. It’s a great platform for prototyping.
Integrates with Microsoft Office
Access is part of Office and integrates with the most popular interface users use: Office. Enabling users to view data and exporting it into Excel or Word (or users simply pasting it
themselves) is extremely powerful to knowledge workers.
Great for Data Entry – Windows Still Beats Web
Somehow web users are trained to accept behavior that would cause howls in Windows applications. For instance, changing the quantity and pressing [Update] to refresh total sales.
Access easily (cheaply) supports this, copying and pasting records, displaying multiple one to many relationships, and other basic features (e.g. spell checking) that provide a much
friendlier and richer data entry experience than Web solutions.
Interfaces with Lots of Database Formats
Access links to all sorts of data sources.
Excellent Report Generator
The Access report generator is second to none. Sub-reports are extremely useful for showing multi-table relationships. Combine this with Access’ ability to link to many data sources and
you have a great report generator. Many desktop database applications have significant report generation features. Web reports still don’t compare or print on paper properly, even with a
lot more effort.
Approachable Development Environment
The VBA IDE is the same as VB and offers a very productive development environment. Unlike .NET or Java, you can edit code while debugging which is a real time saver. Access
Solves Many Solutions with Less Code than Alternatives The less code required for a solution, the better. It’s easier to create and easier to maintain. N-tier solutions are definitely not
RAD, and not beneficial if you never need to share your data.
Ideal for Network Solutions
Access is designed for file server solutions on local area networks.
Handles Non-Connected Situations
Access supports laptops and disconnected solutions that can’t be handled by web applications. Access databases can also be easily emailed to others. In limited low data collision
situations, Access replication is appropriate for addresses remote database sharing.
The Access development environment lets you create results fast. Access solutions often require significantly less code than alternatives. It’s a great platform for prototyping.
Integrates with Microsoft Office
Access is part of Office and integrates with the most popular interface users use: Office. Enabling users to view data and exporting it into Excel or Word (or users simply pasting it
themselves) is extremely powerful to knowledge workers.
Great for Data Entry – Windows Still Beats Web
Somehow web users are trained to accept behavior that would cause howls in Windows applications. For instance, changing the quantity and pressing [Update] to refresh total sales.
Access easily (cheaply) supports this, copying and pasting records, displaying multiple one to many relationships, and other basic features (e.g. spell checking) that provide a much
friendlier and richer data entry experience than Web solutions.
Interfaces with Lots of Database Formats
Access links to all sorts of data sources.
Excellent Report Generator
The Access report generator is second to none. Sub-reports are extremely useful for showing multi-table relationships. Combine this with Access’ ability to link to many data sources and
you have a great report generator. Many desktop database applications have significant report generation features. Web reports still don’t compare or print on paper properly, even with a
lot more effort.
Approachable Development Environment
The VBA IDE is the same as VB and offers a very productive development environment. Unlike .NET or Java, you can edit code while debugging which is a real time saver. Access
Solves Many Solutions with Less Code than Alternatives The less code required for a solution, the better. It’s easier to create and easier to maintain. N-tier solutions are definitely not
RAD, and not beneficial if you never need to share your data.
Ideal for Network Solutions
Access is designed for file server solutions on local area networks.
Handles Non-Connected Situations
Access supports laptops and disconnected solutions that can’t be handled by web applications. Access databases can also be easily emailed to others. In limited low data collision
situations, Access replication is appropriate for addresses remote database sharing.
Access is the best solution for the segment between Excel spreadsheet and more sophisticated database solutions. In the pyramid, this is the area of individual to work group solutions.
Access is the most popular database in the world by servicing this segment extremely well. Many Database Problems are Completely Solved by Access .Access simply does its job well
and for many situations, a more sophisticated solution would offer very little beyond what Access delivers. ROI: Access Solutions Cannot be Cost Justified on Other Platforms Access is a
RAD tool. Solutions created in Access often require much less code than other platforms, and can be created by people who cost a lot less. Some databases are simply not worth a lot. A
$40K business opportunity may support a $10K Access solution. But if the IT shop can only offer $50K solutions, the choice is simple: it can’t be done. Access Provides Tremendous
Competitive Advantage By being low cost, Access offers the opportunity to go after business that would otherwise be left to competitors. A tiny fraction of those seemingly “small”
opportunities may become significant in the future. Being able to profitably participate in such engagements is strategically important for an organization. Many baseball players built their
careers by hitting lots of singles. Every now and then one of them goes over the fence. You just don’t expect it or know when it will happen, but you know the more at bats you have, the
more likely it will occur.
Access is often criticized for its scale ability and migration limitations, but this is not so. Here’s why: Most Database Problems are Small Most database problems manage relatively small
amounts of data and usually well under 100 MB. This is well within Access’ strength and using a product like SQL Server would be overkill for such small amounts of data (SQL Server
does offer features that might be important beyond database size).Few Database Problems Exceed Access’ Capabilities Access/Jet databases can support up to 2 GB of data. Access
applications can link to multiple databases, so even using Jet databases, Access applications can manage lots of data. Very few database problems involve this much data. SQL Server
Eliminates the Scale ability Issue
Microsoft has designed Access to be scalable. Access applications can eliminate Jet and use SQL Server as its data repository. Access databases (M D B s) can link to SQL Server data,
and ADPs work directly against SQL Server. SQL Server eliminates the Scale ability issue for data size and number of users. When people focus on the limitations of Access Scale ability,
it’s important to note that the issue is really about the Jet Database Engine, and not Access as the front-end to SQL Server SQL Server. Of course it takes extra work to migrate to SQL
Server or convert an MDB to ADP, but a significant portion of the development investment is preserved .Hybrid Solutions Work If an application exceeds Access’ capabilities, a hybrid
solution with Access and other interfaces against SQL Server is often appropriate. We’ve created VS. NET applications for web solutions against SQL Server, with Access still playing a
role inside the organization for administrative functions and reports. Using Access where it’s appropriate maximizes ROI.
Access is the most popular database in the world by servicing this segment extremely well. Many Database Problems are Completely Solved by Access .Access simply does its job well
and for many situations, a more sophisticated solution would offer very little beyond what Access delivers. ROI: Access Solutions Cannot be Cost Justified on Other Platforms Access is a
RAD tool. Solutions created in Access often require much less code than other platforms, and can be created by people who cost a lot less. Some databases are simply not worth a lot. A
$40K business opportunity may support a $10K Access solution. But if the IT shop can only offer $50K solutions, the choice is simple: it can’t be done. Access Provides Tremendous
Competitive Advantage By being low cost, Access offers the opportunity to go after business that would otherwise be left to competitors. A tiny fraction of those seemingly “small”
opportunities may become significant in the future. Being able to profitably participate in such engagements is strategically important for an organization. Many baseball players built their
careers by hitting lots of singles. Every now and then one of them goes over the fence. You just don’t expect it or know when it will happen, but you know the more at bats you have, the
more likely it will occur.
Access is often criticized for its scale ability and migration limitations, but this is not so. Here’s why: Most Database Problems are Small Most database problems manage relatively small
amounts of data and usually well under 100 MB. This is well within Access’ strength and using a product like SQL Server would be overkill for such small amounts of data (SQL Server
does offer features that might be important beyond database size).Few Database Problems Exceed Access’ Capabilities Access/Jet databases can support up to 2 GB of data. Access
applications can link to multiple databases, so even using Jet databases, Access applications can manage lots of data. Very few database problems involve this much data. SQL Server
Eliminates the Scale ability Issue
Microsoft has designed Access to be scalable. Access applications can eliminate Jet and use SQL Server as its data repository. Access databases (M D B s) can link to SQL Server data,
and ADPs work directly against SQL Server. SQL Server eliminates the Scale ability issue for data size and number of users. When people focus on the limitations of Access Scale ability,
it’s important to note that the issue is really about the Jet Database Engine, and not Access as the front-end to SQL Server SQL Server. Of course it takes extra work to migrate to SQL
Server or convert an MDB to ADP, but a significant portion of the development investment is preserved .Hybrid Solutions Work If an application exceeds Access’ capabilities, a hybrid
solution with Access and other interfaces against SQL Server is often appropriate. We’ve created VS. NET applications for web solutions against SQL Server, with Access still playing a
role inside the organization for administrative functions and reports. Using Access where it’s appropriate maximizes ROI.
