Does anyone know how to setup a MS Access database on a dedicated server?

Currently, I have a large database in ACCESS format and I want to make it available on the web. How easy is it to get it so that folks can access it through the web? i.e what has to happen?

Any input greatly appreciated!

You upload it to your web server, then use a an ODBC connection for your code to access it.

wouldn't Access with ODBC be unstable under heavy usage?

I've a hardcore Linux addict, but I've been asked to help develop a site using ASP and a .mdb database.

Here's my question -- *WHERE* is Access? I installed Office 2000, but didn't get Access. I installed Microsoft Visual Studio (Enterprise Edition)... and still don't have Access. Is this some random fluke, or am I doing something wrong? (BTW, I can use ASP to execute SQL normally, right? I'd assume so, but I've just done PHP/MySQL, so I wanted to make sure... :) )

Access only comes with the "Pro" versions of Office. Howerver, you don't need to install Access to interact with the database on the web server - you just need the latest and greatest MDAC / OLEDB drivers available from Microsoft. WIth those, you'll be able to manulate the database using SQL code.

Must be a fluke. Access is included with Office.

Yes, there are different methods of accessing it (DSN, DSN-less etc.) so he should pick the best one for him.

Hello

If Access database is going to be used on your web pages then you do not need to have access software on your dedicated server.

Just upload your access mdb file to your directory.

Now goto ProgramFiles > Administration Tools > Data Source (ODBC)

Now Choose SYSTEM (not user) DSN and Use Microsoft Access (*.mdb) . In newly appeared window give a name to your DSN connection and then choose the mdb file by navigating to file location (With Select Button).

Now your DSN connection is ready for use in ASP and other programs.

Mac

Originally posted by Wazeh
wouldn't Access with ODBC be unstable under heavy usage?

Wouldn't matter what connection type you use, Access as a DB platform will be unstable under heavy usage.

Have a look at ASPEmporium (http://www.aspemporium.com/aspEmporium/tutorials/dontUseMSAccess.asp)

Thanks a bunch. Not sure if I had Office Pro or not, I'll have to take a look. I guess I'll have to look into what you said, Jay Suds, too -- I'd like to be able to use SQL instead of Access.

You might want to look at MySQL as well - it is free.

It doesn't support FK_Constraints, Stored Procedures, Views, Triggers etc etc so can't really be called a true RDBMS, but if you have been developing with Access then writing SQL for MySQL shouldn't be too difficult (I guess) and will probably be familiar. From what I can gather, it's performance is pretty good and would be a much better choice than Access.

PJamie -- I'm not sure if you're replying to me or arjun, but I guess my comments apply either way:

I was sorta whipped and beaten into maintaining a site with ASP and MS SQL. I've used PHP for MySQL, and can definitely vouch for the quality of MySQL. I haven't done anything massive with it, but I'm yet to find a query that takes more than 0.01 seconds. (I suppose I could try harder...) So yes, MySQL is a good choice. (Unless evil people force you into using MS SQL... :D )

Originally posted by fog
PJamie -- I'm not sure if you're replying to me or arjun, but I guess my comments apply either way:

I was sorta whipped and beaten into maintaining a site with ASP and MS SQL. I've used PHP for MySQL, and can definitely vouch for the quality of MySQL. I haven't done anything massive with it, but I'm yet to find a query that takes more than 0.01 seconds. (I suppose I could try harder...) So yes, MySQL is a good choice. (Unless evil people force you into using MS SQL... :D )

I wasn't really directing it at anyone. It was more of an afterthought for a better solution than using Access for a web-based DB Server that also wouldn't cause you to starve the kids to pay for the licence.

I have heard nothing but good reports about the performance of MySQL, and since it is free, I thought that it might be a viable alternative.

I've never used it since I am one of these evil people :dgrin: that use MS SQL (and sometimes Oracle) as a DB server. All of our work makes use of stored procedures and triggers so we can't use MySQL. However, the licensing costs continue to depress me no end. As soon as MySQL supports some of these other features I'll be one of the first people in line to give it a shot.

If you need any help with the ASP side of things, you can PM or email me. I work with it all of the time.

Hehe, you might want to try PostgreSQL -- it's apparently OpenSource like MySQL, but it implements the things that MySQL doesn't have. (My understanding is that MySQL deliberately leaves these things out, considering them something that superflous.) Plus, there's apparentely some strange licensing issues if you use MySQL commercially.

Hehe, I didn't mean that all people who use Microsoft products were evil, I just meant the people making me use it. :D

Thanks for the offer for help, I'm sure I'll have to take you up on it soon. :)

the license issue with MySQL if you use it commercially is as follows:

MySQL is FREE to distribute commercially iff (if and only if):
1) You distribute another DB (postgre) with it
2) You write code that can be proven to work backwards with both DBs

If you write exclusively MySQL code for a commercial software and want to bundle MySQL on the installation CD, I believe there's a ~ $200 license fee.