Pro's and Con's in building a DB

melvis

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Hi,

I have been given the task of producing a feasibility study on the benefits of building a separate (secure) database on Access or having the software developers build an add-on to our existing system.

I was wondering if any body could help me with some of the pro's and con's for each option. My brain has gone blank and I'm getting desperate......!!!

Thanks in advance.
 
As your question has been asked, we will not be able to give you direct help. You didn't tell us enough. All I can hope to do is to give you some issues to consider. Issues that make a difference. Among other major factors, these issues depend on the OTHER database engine you would be using vs. Access.

1. Is it a "rapid application development" environment also? (Access IS considered an R.A.D. environment.) The ability of this application to QUICKLY respond to changes will depend on the number of developers allocated to either environment and the nature of that environment.

2. If there is a security requirement for your new app that is radically different from the other app, then the ability of the other app to isolate parts of itself with different security from its other components becomes an issue. With a separate database (Access OR brand-X), unique security becomes easier.

3. The number of potential users can become an issue. With Access, you don't want to get enough users that you run into the issue of having more than, say, 5 to 10 users in the database at the same time. If the other database engine is more robust in a sharing environment, and if this new app represents a LOT of simultaneous users, perhaps you don't want to implement it in Access.

4. Cost of the new app may also depend on licenses for simultaneous number of users, vs. licenses for MS Office Professional or higher. (MSO Standard does not include Access.)

5. The issue of departmental budgets comes into play too. If your regular DBA (on the existing app) needs separate budget to add your new app to the existing system, you will have money out of pocket there. If you try to do this yourself, the budget comes out of your own department directly, so there is money out of pocket there, too. The question is relative costs for your DBA or developers for the older app vs. the cost of developing a new app under Access.
 

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