Off site host server (1 Viewer)

[Dick7Access]

I just spent a week at the home office in TN for introduction to the Master db in access.
At this point I only need to make calls and verify information and enter it via the host server while I am here in FL or wherever I am on the road that I have WiFi. Eventually they will want me to work on the app also. They loaded a file on my computer and it goes right to the server. My question?? When I open the file I don't get a place to enter a pass word or a link, which means it has to be built in. Where would that information be stored. would it be in a macro, or form VBA or someplace else?

 

[Mr. B]

The process that is making the connection can be being called from an AutoExec macro or it can be in VBA code that is being executed from an event of some form that has been defined as the startup form.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dick7Access]

Hypercritical situation:
If I wanted to put a database on a server right now what would be the first, second and third things I would have to do?

 

[Mr. B]

First, assuming you do not have and manage your own server, you will first need to contact a host. There are plenty of host available but you should check their pricing for hosting your database. If you have a third party already hosting a website for you it would make sense to check with that host first.

Second, the host will need to create the empty database for you and provide you with the Username and password needed to access the database. Assuming that the database will be an SQL server database, you will also need the port number . If you have an existing database you (backend file) you may want to have your host import your existing database and data.

Next, you will need to create an ODBC connection to actually link to the tables in your database. Later you can create code that will create DNSless connections to your tables but for just getting started you can use the ODBC connection created on your machine.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dick7Access]

First, assuming you do not have and manage your

Hope this helps.

Helps a lot.

Do I understand correctly that the host will do the SQL?

What can I expect to pay for hosting?

 

[Mr. B]

How much your host will do depends on the host. The host can setup and create the empty database. That host may or may not have the ability to help you with importing any existing table structure and/or data. This would depend on the host.

When I first started trying to use an SQL Server database as the backend for my Access applications, I had to learn to use SQL Server Management Studio. There is a learning curve but you should be able to tap your best friend Google for any help you need. I was fortunate that I had a friend that is an SQL guru and he was willing to show me a few things.

As to what you can expect to pay for hosting, it all depends on the size of the database and the expected usage. I just visited with my host provider and he indicated that it could range from $20 - $500 a month. You will just need to shop around until you find a host that you feel comfortable working with. And believe me, you will be working with your host.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

As to your original question, if you have a remotely accessed server, there are two scenarios in which you don't have to enter a password.

#1 is that the remote server has absolutely no security at all. I consider this to be so highly unlikely as to have zero probability. Even if the server has nothing else of value on it; even if the database in question is considered to be a throw-away product; even if all the data in the database is synthetically generated for test purposes - that server is still behind your company's firewalls, routers, etc. and is therefore a point of attack for hackers.

#2 is that you have some type of PKI connection set up in which a file on your computer acts like a key and your server accepts whoever has a valid key. Whoever loaded you up set up your file like a batch job, perhaps VBScript, perhaps Power Shell - who knows? (And in any case, not important.) It will act like a macro to establish the secure connection, run commands to access files on the server, and do whatever it has to do to launch whatever it is that you have to run.

Definition: PKI - public key infrastructure - and you can Google PKI to find out more than you ever wanted to know about it. If you don't need a smart-card to log in, I would guess that the key is probably RSA, RSS, DSA, or DSS format. But that's at best an educated guess.

Whatever the file would be, I suspect you connect by just clicking some icon. The icon launches the file, be it a script or an executable image. Could be anything because icons can launch anything that is launchable. The launched item would then find the files it needed either in a folder on your system - or for keys, it would be in the Windows keystore (an extensible part of the registry.)

 

[Dick7Access]

As to your original question, if you have a remotely accessed server, there are two scenarios in which you don't have to enter a password.

#1 is that the remote server has absolutely no security at all. I consider this to be so highly unlikely as to have zero probability. Even if the server has nothing else of value on it; even if the database in question is considered to be a throw-away product; even if all the data in the database is synthetically generated for test purposes - that server is still behind your company's firewalls, routers, etc. and is therefore a point of attack for hackers.

#2 is that you have some type of PKI connection set up in which a file on your computer acts like a key and your server accepts whoever has a valid key. Whoever loaded you up set up your file like a batch job, perhaps VBScript, perhaps Power Shell - who knows? (And in any case, not important.) It will act like a macro to establish the secure connection, run commands to access files on the server, and do whatever it has to do to launch whatever it is that you have to run.

Definition: PKI - public key infrastructure - and you can Google PKI to find out more than you ever wanted to know about it. If you don't need a smart-card to log in, I would guess that the key is probably RSA, RSS, DSA, or DSS format. But that's at best an educated guess.

Whatever the file would be, I suspect you connect by just clicking some icon. The icon launches the file, be it a script or an executable image. Could be anything because icons can launch anything that is launchable. The launched item would then find the files it needed either in a folder on your system - or for keys, it would be in the Windows keystore (an extensible part of the registry.)

I do have the pass word to do data entry. It is built in, when they gave me the front end. To get into the server (back end) is a different matter. The president of our origination has it, and will give it to me, but I told him that I don't want it t this time. Until I know what I am doing, there will be no chance I can get blamed if the whole system crashed and I have a feeling it will, as it is doing some strange things now. You all have been very helpful. What do you suggest that I start studying first.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

If you use passwords, don't bother to study that part of security FIRST. It is suitable for later study after you have designs and connection details worked out.

Normally, if your back-end database doesn't prompt you for a password but wants one, that password is part of a linked table's "Connect" property, which is generally described as a multi-part string with "clauses" separated by semi-colons. Each clause offers some part of what is needed to connect to the server selected by the links for each linked table. It is perfectly legal and permissible (but probably INCREDIBLY complicated) for each linked table to be linked to a different database back-end file. That simply means that each table would have different content in the Connect property.