I need expert advice please. (1 Viewer)

[racdata]

Good day all.
I have created an access database for the Railway industry to do the following.
1. Register assets. (on Track, Off Track and Structures)
2. Capture and manage Safety inspections. (On 23 Asset types)
3. Capture and manage Condition Inspections (On 14 asset types)
4. Capture and manage Emergency call outs.
5. Plan and manage job cards. (Plan work, Material, teams)
6. Reports (about 68 standard reports)
This is only the main purpose of the database. The Access database is currently 13008KB in size (empty).
Because Access is limited to the size of the database I am now forced to redo or convert to another application. On average our clients will need about 10gig annually.
I do not know what to do and our IT guy suggest that I think of a web based application done in Java. I do not have any knowledge and do not know how this will work, and I would like to know what you guys think and suggest. What will be the best way to go?

 

[plog]

I do not know what to do and our IT guy suggest that I think of a web based application done in Java.

Sounds like your IT guy is familiar with Java. That's not bad if he knows what he is doing. But usually Java isn't the first web technology people turn to. For the web its usually PHP/MySQL or whatever Microsoft Server works with this days (ASP.net, Visual Studio?). Again, if he knows how to do it in Java that may be the best solution for him to do it in.

As for your database, it doesn't sound like that data should take up 10 gigs annually. Are you storing images or other files in it? Also, an empty database should never be that big--try compacting and repairing. However if you truly do receive 10 gigs annualy that's only going to buy you a week or two.

 

[PaulO]

13GB is really not a big database ... I have databases running 200GB+ incorporating 10's of thousands of data records in multiple tables.

In what way is your 13GB database underperforming?

For now, stick with Access unless you have a budget to burn!

 

[spikepl]

Your IT-guy should perhaps advise on things that are relevant to the issue? The technology to access a database can be Access OR a win interface OR a web interface using php/java/.net but this is an issue unrelated to the question you posed, which is size of your db.

I once worked on a system for management of railway assets and their maintenance, and that was definitely not a job for Access - becasue so many facilites would have to be built, but could be obtained more effectively from commercial asset management systemes. But all depends on what exactly you are doing with this db, what its purpose is and who and how many actors there are involved in this. You have not stated requirements that would allow the readers to pontificate on best tools for the job.

For recording of the state of track, the Europeans had put together an Access db, for storing the measurements, and for predicting need for tamping and sleeper & track replacement. That thing was in use about 10 years ago. There is a railway association in Paris or Burssels, as far as I recall, that managed this.

@PaulO

13008KB is not 13 GB in my book