Brad Marks
BradM at blackforestltd.com
Fri Mar 28 14:17:37 CDT 2014
Bill, About half the people who know me call me Mark instead of Brad. Doesn't bother me a bit. Thanks for your ideas and insights. I started working with computers way back in 1975 and I am currently semi-retired, working only 20 hours per week. The experimenting that I am doing with Azure has been mostly at home, on my time and just a little bit on company time so far. I feel like I need to better understand Azure and experiment with it before making a recommendation at work. Microsoft offers a free 30 day trial, so the only investment that I have made so far, is a little time. I plan to post any significant findings here on AccessD, as I would guess that others might also be interested in the Microsoft Cloud. Brad Marks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- From: Bill Benson [mailto:bensonforums at gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2014 5:21 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] To the Cloud or Not to the Cloud. that is the Question Errr "Brad"... sorry. Half my acquaintances call me Ben at one time or other, so I have felt your frustration I am sure. On Mar 27, 2014 6:17 PM, "Bill Benson" <bensonforums at gmail.com> wrote: > I have no experience with the cloud and perhaps in less open minded > circles this negates the value of my opinion. But never this group, > for which I am grateful. I would weigh the possibility of a web > service outage which you are unlikely to have any control over, > against the very much more expensive redundant hardware bases you will > have to cover to even touch the reliability of the web. > > The option to have the data available and accessible where and when > you need it seems to be a no - brainer in favor of a web platform from > a reliable cloud operation. And unless you are running heaps of > insertions with huge datasets, I have little doubt you will be that > unhappy with the performance. This is, if you are satisfied with MS as > a development platform. > > I do have to ask, have you looked into portability / migration if the > tool proves unsatisfactory in the long term? Can you ask MS for a data > pump version of your database or would you just have to turn it off > and walk away, subject to a few exports of tables, but leave all your > development behind? (Not that things would be all that different > necessarily with an Oracle or SQL Server application either but I do > think with those you can export the schema, no?) > > I am sure if you don't get your feet wet trying a web service database > it will be a mark against you career wise so why not use the current > need to be able to say been there done that on someone else's dime. It > comes well supported and at least fairly well recommended, do you have > that much to lose? > > I wish the future was nit web development because I am so uninitiated > in it, wish I had an employer asking me to test out the platform Mark, > I would say go for it. > On Mar 27, 2014 5:54 PM, "Gustav Brock" <gustav at cactus.dk> wrote: > >> Hi Brad >> >> Your observation is correct. The Azure setup and the speed at which >> it evolves is impressive and proves to me the old saying "don't ever >> underestimate Microsoft". >> Because Microsoft didn't invent this, the "cloud". Amazon did that. >> But having seen the light, there's no doubt that massive resources >> have been allocated this infrastructure and the support it needs >> beyond establishing the large and reliable data centers: Easy >> administration targeted admins at enterprises, scalability not >> possible with in-house hardware, programming interfaces, and - perhaps the most important part - the integration to ... >> well, everything you can think of. >> >> One of our clients has asked for a customized document store and flow >> control. Problem is that this is a TV production company were all >> except accounting use Macs, and the network setup is handled by >> various Mac "techies" (you guessed it, it's a mess) so setting up a >> server in this environment is perhaps not then at least the last option. >> >> So, seriously, I consider storing all data at Azure. JC is right, >> that internet connection reliabilty and speed is a valid concern, but >> clients like these have fiber connections at 100+ Mb/s. It will work. >> Deciding to do so will, first, take very little to create the >> development environment and, second, deployment will be close to just >> "flip a switch". Add to this the establishing cost of zero money and >> ongoing costs that without in-house techies are impossible to match. >> >> Still, I believe, we will arrange for an off-line backup of all data >> - just in case. >> >> /gustav >> >> ________________________________________ >> Fra: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com < >> accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> på vegne af Brad Marks < >> BradM at blackforestltd.com> >> Sendt: 27. marts 2014 21:37 >> Til: Access Developers discussion and problem solving >> Emne: [AccessD] To the Cloud or Not to the Cloud. that is the >> Question >> >> All, >> >> A few days ago, I posted a question regarding a new database that >> will be needed for a new small application (perhaps using Access >> 2007, MySQL, or Microsoft SQL Server). I received a number of >> replies to my question and I appreciate the insights that were shared. >> >> In the mean time, I have also been doing some R&D work with Microsoft >> Azure SQL Database. >> So far, I have been impressed. >> >> Yesterday in less than one hour, I was able accomplish the following >> - Set up a new Microsoft Azure Account Set up a new SQL Database Then >> with a small Access 2007 application using ODBC and Pass-through >> Queries I was able to Add a new table to the new test database Insert >> rows into the new table Retrieve this data. >> >> >> My background is in mainframe databases (Primarily IBM's DB2 and >> Cincom's Supra). I can remember how much work it was to accomplish >> these same simple steps with these databases. Sometimes we would >> spend days, just wrestling with DB2's security. >> >> It is my understanding that other Access users are using Azure with >> some success. It also sounds like the costs for our use of Azure >> will be very small ($5.00 - $10.00 per month). >> >> >> At this point in time, it seems like this is a good option for our >> little project. (We don't have Microsoft SQL Server installed >> "in-house"). >> >> I am curious if others have looked closely at Azure and decided to >> not go down this path. Perhaps there are downsides that I have not >> yet read about. Perhaps I am missing some important considerations. >> >> Thanks, >> Brad >> >> -- >> AccessD mailing list >> AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >> > -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com