is possible for remote access to database data?

I'm a software developer, have a client and am trying to find a quality .NET4 / MVC3 / SL4 provider - Winhost looks good so far.

Question - client will have a database, with lots of activity (we hope!). We are building a web-based front end for them, BUT is it possible to use MS-Access on a desktop system in their office and remote ODBC or VPN or anything elsewise connect and have access to their data?

The only alternative I see is to backup regularly and restore at their office location, which is less than great.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly ! appreciated.
Thx in advance,
riix

 

No this is not possible. Remember MS-Access was never designed for this. I suggest you migrate to a SQL server. You can use MS-Access but you have to upload it to the server directly just like any other website file. And if you want to make changes to the Access database, you will need to download it to your personal computer, make the changes, and upload it again to the web server.

 

Thanks for reply Ray but I guess I wasn't clear enough on my issue. What I wanted to know is if there was a way for client to access their data through any kind of direct remote means. The most traditional way would have been through an ODBC connection, which we know is that we set it up on their desktop computer and it 'points' to the remote database. but this is assuming of course that Winhost allows a "remote odbc" style of connection through their firewall - do they?

And as for Access, you are quite mistaken, this is *exactly* what MS-Access was designed for (among other things). It's odbc support is excellent, and easily allows a Microsoft Office user to have access to their Sql Server databases (assuming we of course secure it all appropriately). Sure we could allow these folks to use Sql Mgmt Studio on their desktop to access their data, but now talk about misusing a tool (Mgmt Studio was certainly not designed for this!).

So anyhow, long-winded post (sorry about that), just wanted to know what I could do for my client ..

Thx, Riix

 

Rix I'm not quite sure I understand you. You want to use MS-Access to connect to a SQL server? Or you want to use MS Access on your personal computer to pull up a MS Access database that you uploaded to a web server? If you want to pull up a MS Access that you uploaded to a Winhost Web Server, you cannot use a MS Access on your personal computer to remotely connect to a MS Access database. What you will need to have is a direct remote connect to the web server such as a VPN.

 

zakly. I want to use MS-Access, on my desktop, to connect to a SQL Server, hosted at Winhost. Why? to easily do maintenance. to easily access the "shopping cart" and order records created by website customers. to remove the constant hassle of having to backup the database and download it onto the office server. to do in-office training. to have a more useful 'front-end' for data management than using SQL Mgmt Studio. I could go on but I hope you see the benefit. sure there's a security issue, but let's assume we're all smart enough to set up a secure solution and enforce best practices. What do you think? Cheers, Rick.

 

In this case you should be able to do it. The same information you would use in SSMS to connect to a SQL 2008 server should be the same information you use for your MS Access on your desktop.

 

thanks, but typically the issue is ports are blocked, from what I know, OCBC uses different ports than SSMS.. Can you verify this? If its true that we can get ODBC to work then I sign up right now !! but it would be worth asking your network techies first instead of me spending the many hours needed to set up a test (that might fail due to port blocking and I'll never know why). Thx

 

Even via ODBC, calls to the SQL server has to go through 1433 or our alternative sql port 14330. If you're using your local ODBC it should automatically use that if you specify the SQL drivers.

 

OK Ray, .. I'm still a bit skeptical but I'll sign up over the weekend and give it a try; thanks for the help on this!