[dba-SQLServer] Access limitations

One problem with Access as a front end is that it is very easy to do things
that are illegal in SQL Server, such as referencing form controls directly
in the SQL, referencing VBA functions (and your own functions) directly in
the SQL etc.  The JET engine handles that but of course it "understands"
Access.  Trying to MOVE one of those kinds of apps to SQL Server can be very
time consuming.

I program "to the metal" and though I never reference controls and forms
directly anymore, my apps do a lot of stuff that doesn't port easily.

Also, using SQL Server efficiently via bound forms and controls using SQL
Server was difficult before Office 2002.

If you are able to start with Access and SQL Server (or express) on a new
project you can take Access much farther than is otherwise possible.  JET
has some rather severe problems including almost useless row level locking,
memos causing corruption, indexes causing page locking and the like.  And
yet it is also fast and easy to use, at least for the first gig of data and
25 users.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com 
-----Original Message-----
From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Paul
Nielsen
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 5:37 PM
To: 'Discussion concerning MS SQL Server'
Subject: [dba-SQLServer] Access limitations

As a SQL Server only guy, I'm unfamiliar with how far you can scale Access
today and still expect it to behave well and be stable. But this group might
know. How large can an Access database become before you begin to feel
nervous? And how many concurrent users? Assume you have great hardware and a
networking infrastructure. 

-Paul 

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