Distributing an App Using a SQL BackEnd

[gemma-the-husky]

if you build a split app, with an access front and back end - its easy - just distribute both to databases fiels, and away you go.

if you build a split app using a SQL back end - how do you go about installing the back end - do you HAVE to do it personally - what if they don't HAVE SQL - does it which version of SQL they have make a differenece?

 

[Galaxiom]

The MSSQL Server installation command supports an extensive range of arguments that control every aspect of the installation.

http://www.bigresource.com/Tracker/Track-ms_sql-RM6FYjn2/

If the user site doesn't have SQL Server then you would no doubt be choosing the free Express version unless they have a lot of users and a very big database. MSSQL Server 2008 Express supports 8GB databases while 2005 Express does 4GB. They both restrict to one processor and limited (1 GB?) RAM.

They will also need a substantial budget for the full version. In Australia, the full server is just over $1,000 but what really kills are the Client Access Licences. Per User CALs are about $250 each while a Per Processor CAL (which allows unlimited users) is about $10,000. If you need the capacity you can buy one for each processor in the server.

The SQL Server version doesn't really matter because you will be connecting through a provider string. You can only use the features supported by the provider.

If you want to use the NativeClient provider you need to install this on the clients (for XP at least, don't know about the later OSs) so unless you really need these features it is probably best to stick to the ordinary client. The NC installer can be extracted from the SQL Server installation.

 

[boblarson]

mssql server 2008 express supports 8gb databases

10 gb.....

 

[gemma-the-husky]

It all sounds like you need to know exactly what you are doing though.

I am sure it's one thing doing it all personally on site, and another trying to do it all with an installation script.

 

[NigelShaw]

if you build a split app, with an access front and back end - its easy - just distribute both to databases fiels, and away you go.

if you build a split app using a SQL back end - how do you go about installing the back end - do you HAVE to do it personally - what if they don't HAVE SQL - does it which version of SQL they have make a differenece?

Hi,

i use a shopfitting program that installs the SQL back end. I recall when i installed my program, there was a specific section in the installer that said
"installing SQL Server". I had looked for something for a while but didnt find anything. I was hoping there would be an option to install enough to create the SQL database as a backend with the whole Server bumpfh.....

if it was a case of using the 'Express edition', how would that integrate with the installer i would make for distribution?

Cheers


Nigel

 

[NigelShaw]

Hi

Is this any help?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb264562(v=sql.90).aspx

Cheers

Nigel

 

[gemma-the-husky]

probably. I think it was more the concept I was trying to understand.

As I said, if you supply an Access based solution, it's (realtively) easy. give them a front and and a back end. Let them put them wherever they want. And provide them with an easy way to link the front end to the back end, and voila.

I was recently trying to convert one of my databases to SQL. I had problems setting up SQL in the first place, then many of the indexes didn't transfer to the new SQL database upsize correctly. So as I was struggling to achieve this, I wondered how much harder it would be to produce an installation mechanism to do this - without actually knowing for certain which version of SQL the user has - I mean - do you have to produce a different installer for each flavour of SQL?

 

[NigelShaw]

Hi mate

I don't honestly know about the different installers. Do you mean for the likes of- msSql , MySql or the engines inside msSql? I would have thought that a different installer for MySql. I haven't searched for one but i'd bet there are a few mini installers available for it.

Wouldn't have thought that data transfer would have been a problem tho.


Cheers

Nigel