Storing BE Tables on a Cloud Drive (1 Viewer)

[Wayne]

I was just wondering if anyone has tried (and found a way to make it work) storing the BE tables on a cloud drive. I tried it with one of my databases, however, my OneDrive seems to have a permanent "read-only" attribute. When you open the database (the FE is on my hard drive), it opens as read-only. If you remove the attribute, then everything works - for a while. As soon as you switch forms, it reverts back to read-only. I can remove the attribute, but it is not permanently removed. If you close it out, and go back into the properties of the OneDrive, it is read-only again.

My thought process was, if I can get it to work, the I can access the database from home, the cottage or on the road. Like I said, just a thought.

Has anyone else tried this? Has anyone gotten it to work? I would welcome any input here.

Wayne

 

[Lightwave]

Have you considered SQL Azure?

Its more involved to get set up and it involves learning SQL Server but its a true cloud based managed database where initial hassle is learning the configuration but after that offers true true scope for limitless expansion.

This may be more than you need it depends on the importance of your project.

A single database with 5DTUs will give you 2GB capacity and will cost in the region of £4 a month - with free provision for a period if you haven't already registered.

Azure SQL Database

I know its not quite what you are asking about but I haven't heard of anyone making a success of your present configuration

 

[Pat Hartman]

Access is client/server technology. It is tightly integrated with Windows and is intended to run on your PC or on a LAN. It WILL NOT WORK if you connect to a BE in the cloud somewhere even if you can actually accomplish the link.

You can try Lightwave's suggestion to convert to Azure but be aware that if you have not used good client/server techniques when building the app, you will be very disappointed in the performance. The app might even be so slow as to be unusable. I build all my apps to be upsized. Most are either immediately or eventually but some never are. The point is that there are techniques you use to enable Access to achieve good performance when linked to a RDBMS. If your forms are bound to tables or to queries with no criteria, that is where you will need to start. To get the most out of SQL Server, you need to dramatically reduce the number of rows you return from the server. It is much more efficient if a user wants to look at 100 records to retrieve them one at a time than to bring down the entire table and filter it locally. Then of course, you have to ensure that your queries are not using VBA or UDF functions because those cannot be processed by the server, and a few other major points.

Even if your application is currently working well with SQL Server on your LAN doesn't mean that it will work well with Azure in the cloud. I've tried several times with no success. The people who do report success are running their own "cloud" and so have a lot of control over performance settings and can tune to make Access work. using the $5 per month plans, you get what you pay for.

The best solution for an existing Access application is to use Citrix or Remote Desktop (Terminal Services). Either will require no changes to the Access app. If you run Citrix on your LAN, both the local and remote users can connect to the same Access BE or SQL Server BE. However, if you host the Citrix server in the cloud, ALL users must connect via Citrix. Since the App has to run in the cloud, there is no way your current LAN users can connect to it except via Citrix so that may dramatically increase your license cost.

 

[Wayne]

Thanks guys for the input. I was hoping for a cheap, and easy solution, but it doesn't seem possible. I did try the BE on my OneDrive, however, the database becomes read-only very quickly. I'm not sure I want to migrate to SQL or Azure yet.

Anyway, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter.

Wayne

 

[CJ_London]

I did try the BE on my OneDrive, however, the database becomes read-only very quickly.

it will - it is designed for file storage and retrieval, not interactive 'editing' of the file in situ which is what you are doing with a database.

'Cheap' and 'web' are not compatible with regards databases of any sort

 

[Wayne]

Thanks CJ. I just moved everything back to the hard drive, and all is well in the universe again.

Wayne

 

[Wayne]

Hey Lightwave. Just looking at your user title. Are you former RAF?

Wayne

 

[Lightwave]

Hi Wayne not RAF afraid its actually the old name of a windsurfing manufacturer its was a random choice when I firsts signed up - little did I know I would still be hear 14 years later

Here's something you may find interesting - I and many others are trying to find the same solution.
Web Development of Database Driven Applications

 

[Wayne]

My father was an RCAF officer, and like the RAF, their motto is Per Ardua ad Astra, Latin for "Through adversity to the stars" . That's why I asked.

Thanks for the tip. I will check it out.

Wayne

 

[Mark_]

@ Wayne,

What is the end goal you are looking for? "In the cloud" should be a means to an end, not and end in itself. Depending on what you are trying to achieve we may be able to give you better advice.

 

[Wayne]

Hi Mark,

I was just trying to be able to access the BE tables from either my laptop at the cottage, or the computers at home, that's all. It wasn't for multiple users, just an easy way to access my db from anywhere.

My original thought was to put the BE on my OneDrive, and installing individual FE's on my laptop and desktop. I was able to establish the link between the FE's and BE, however, it kept reverting to read-only, so it didn't work out very well. It's all back on my desktop, and working fine. It was an experiment.

I'm not sure if I want to go with Sage or Citrix, but I am looking into it to see if the costs are outweighed by the benefits. Hope this clarifies what I was trying to do. Thanks for your interest.

Wayne

 

[Pat Hartman]

If it is just YOU needing to log in, you can use something like LogMeIn assuming there is a PC at the office for you to connect to. Or you can use Remote desktop. If you have pro versions of Windows installed on both PC's, you already have the licenses you need to do this. Otherwise, they're about $100 each. But, only ONE person at a time can connect to the computer that is running the app but it doesn't affect other LAN users who might also be connected. So, when you are at the office sitting at computerA, you connect by opening the Access app and that connects to the BE over the LAN. When you are remote, you "dial" into compterA via LogMeIn (probaby around $300 per year) or Remote Desktop (included in Windows Pro versions or $100 for each perpetual seat license - you need 2) and then ComputerA acts as if you are sitting at it and everything you can get to when you are physically at ComputerA is still available to you. Some software might have printing issues and you might not be able to print remotely (to the office printer) or locally (to your home printer). So, the printing might determine what software you will need to use.

 

[Mark_]

In the past I used VNC for these types of solutions. Exactly what Pat is outlining, but the program was free and very light weight. Worked well for most applications, but does require the remote computer to send a "Picture" of the desk top so quick graphics changes didn't work very well. Great for running data entry apps, not so good for video games.

 

[Pat Hartman]

VNC does not work well for Access. Too much data gets dragged though the pipe. Citrix and RD both operate on the host computer and only send pictures to the remote computer and accept keyboard and mouse movements from the remote. When I have both Citrix and LAN users connected to the same BE on my server, usually the Citrix users have better performance than the local LAN users.

VNC is typically configured to have Access running locally and getting data via the pipe. It is only usable for very small amounts of data or a SQL Server BE where the FE is optimized to work with client/server BE's.

 

[Mark_]

@ PAT,

Did they change how VNC works? Used to be that it ONLY sent the video output so no data was actually sent. The version I am familiar with has all processing on the host computer. I has been over a decade since I last used it.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I may have gotten my letters confused. I was thinking of VPN (Virtual Private Network). That's what doesn't work well with Access. I guess I don't know what VNC is.

 

[Mark_]

Virtual Network Computing.

Pretty much uses the internet as a giant keyboard/mouse/video extender.

Last time I had to deal with it we had rack mounted boxes running VNC. One computer could switch between the different units in the racks to make sure they were doing what they needed. Worked much better than the physical version since we were not limited in the number of servers we could connect to.

I will completely agree that VPNs are not the way to go for database applications UNLESS you can get the server to do ALL the work, even then they are not what I'd call "User friendly". Takes careful design work for the front end to make then even tolerable.