Do I ever need to buy SQL Server if I use web hosting?

[David Anderson]

I have just started the long process of upsizing an existing Access 2003
database. I've run the Upsizing Wizard and have a 102 page report - mainly
listing things that didn't work! I'm currently using the free Express
version of SQL Server 2005 on my PC but my intention is to sign up for a
Windows web hosting service (with SQL Server 2005) from an ISP. My SQL
Server back end would be hosted by the ISP and my users would connect to it
via the Internet using my Access 2003 ADP front end.

My question concerns the process of transferring the database I created on
SQL Server Express to SQL Server 2005 on the website. I've never done this
sort of thing before and I don't know if the Express version uses the same
file type as the full version. Is it simply a matter of transferring the
database file to the website where it will quite happily be read by the full
version of SQL Server?

My database back end is never going to exceed 4GB in size. Are there any
other circumstances in which I need to purchase a copy of SQL Server 2005?

David

[Alex Dybenko]

Hi,
I do not see any problem to transfer database to hosting server, but not
sure that this is a good idea. To get a good performance client-server
application should have a very good connection to sql server
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

Post by David Anderson
I have just started the long process of upsizing an existing Access 2003
database. I've run the Upsizing Wizard and have a 102 page report - mainly
listing things that didn't work! I'm currently using the free Express
version of SQL Server 2005 on my PC but my intention is to sign up for a
Windows web hosting service (with SQL Server 2005) from an ISP. My SQL
Server back end would be hosted by the ISP and my users would connect to it
via the Internet using my Access 2003 ADP front end.
My question concerns the process of transferring the database I created on
SQL Server Express to SQL Server 2005 on the website. I've never done this
sort of thing before and I don't know if the Express version uses the same
file type as the full version. Is it simply a matter of transferring the
database file to the website where it will quite happily be read by the
full version of SQL Server?
My database back end is never going to exceed 4GB in size. Are there any
other circumstances in which I need to purchase a copy of SQL Server 2005?
David

[David Anderson]

Hi Alex,
I do indeed have serious worries about whether connecting to SQL Server via
the Internet is a viable proposition. It must be technically possible
because I have read a Microsoft article on the subject
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175483.aspx) but I am unsure
whether performance will be acceptable.

On the other hand, another Access MVP (Albert D. Kallal) is telling me that
connection via the Internet is perfectly possible if you take care to limit
dataset sizes with 'where' clauses. I hope that he is correct, but it
certainly appears to be a rather unusual way to do things as I'm getting
very little encouragement from anyone else (most SQL Server installations
seem to be on LAN servers).

I may just have to pay for a Windows web hosting service with SQL Server for
a month or two and find out for myself ....

David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
I do not see any problem to transfer database to hosting server, but not
sure that this is a good idea. To get a good performance client-server
application should have a very good connection to sql server
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

[Alex Dybenko]

Hi,
yes, best would be to test. But keep in mind that in access, when you loose
connection to SQL server - you have to restart access in order to run
application again. So this could be also a problem in your case...
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

Post by David Anderson
Hi Alex,
I do indeed have serious worries about whether connecting to SQL Server
via the Internet is a viable proposition. It must be technically possible
because I have read a Microsoft article on the subject
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175483.aspx) but I am unsure
whether performance will be acceptable.
On the other hand, another Access MVP (Albert D. Kallal) is telling me
that connection via the Internet is perfectly possible if you take care to
limit dataset sizes with 'where' clauses. I hope that he is correct, but
it certainly appears to be a rather unusual way to do things as I'm
getting very little encouragement from anyone else (most SQL Server
installations seem to be on LAN servers).
I may just have to pay for a Windows web hosting service with SQL Server
for a month or two and find out for myself ....
David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
I do not see any problem to transfer database to hosting server, but not
sure that this is a good idea. To get a good performance client-server
application should have a very good connection to sql server
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

[David Anderson]

Alex,
I don't know about my users' experiences but I have never been conscious
that I have ever lost connection to the Internet with my current broadband
provider. Do you think that there might be very brief disconnections that I
cannot see but which are enough to break the link with SQL Server?

Will it be obvious to the user that the link has broken or is it more likely
that he will get some obscure error message? Is it easy to trap
disconnection errors in order to provide a more meaningful message to my
users?

David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
yes, best would be to test. But keep in mind that in access, when you
loose connection to SQL server - you have to restart access in order to
run application again. So this could be also a problem in your case...
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

[Alex Dybenko]

Hi,
Access requires very solid connection, even you never noticed brief
disconnection while browsing internet - it will brake access connection. And
the problem that you can not trap this disconnection, only restart access
(or even PC, see my latest experience:
http://accessblog.net/2008/05/why-sql-server-drops-connection.html)
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

Post by David Anderson
Alex,
I don't know about my users' experiences but I have never been conscious
that I have ever lost connection to the Internet with my current broadband
provider. Do you think that there might be very brief disconnections that
I cannot see but which are enough to break the link with SQL Server?
Will it be obvious to the user that the link has broken or is it more
likely that he will get some obscure error message? Is it easy to trap
disconnection errors in order to provide a more meaningful message to my
users?
David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
yes, best would be to test. But keep in mind that in access, when you
loose connection to SQL server - you have to restart access in order to
run application again. So this could be also a problem in your case...
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

[a***@gmail.com]

In other words-- JET users frequently blame their problems on the
network.
If you really care about your data-- move to SQL Server





On May 23, 5:29 am, "Alex Dybenko"

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
Access requires very solid connection, even you never noticed brief
disconnection while browsing internet - it will brake access connection. And
the problem that you can not trap this disconnection, only restart access
(or even PC, see my latest experience:http://accessblog.net/2008/05/why-sql-server-drops-connection.html)
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)http://accessblog.nethttp://www.PointLtd.com

Post by David Anderson
Alex,
I don't know about my users' experiences but I have never been conscious
that I have ever lost connection to the Internet with my current broadband
provider. Do you think that there might be very brief disconnections that
I cannot see but which are enough to break the link with SQL Server?
Will it be obvious to the user that the link has broken or is it more
likely that he will get some obscure error message? Is it easy to trap
disconnection errors in order to provide a more meaningful message to my
users?
David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
yes, best would be to test. But keep in mind that in access, when you
loose connection to SQL server - you have to restart access in order to
run application again. So this could be also a problem in your case...
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

[a***@gmail.com]

I disagree.

Maybe with your piece of shit Access database; but that doesn't happen
with mind.
Refer to northWindCS.adp

thanks

-Aaron




On May 22, 6:49 am, "Alex Dybenko"

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
yes, best would be to test. But keep in mind that in access, when you loose
connection to SQL server - you have to restart access in order to run
application again. So this could be also a problem in your case...
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)http://accessblog.nethttp://www.PointLtd.com

Post by David Anderson
Hi Alex,
I do indeed have serious worries about whether connecting to SQL Server
via the Internet is a viable proposition. It must be technically possible
because I have read a Microsoft article on the subject
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175483.aspx) but I am unsure
whether performance will be acceptable.
On the other hand, another Access MVP (Albert D. Kallal) is telling me
that connection via the Internet is perfectly possible if you take care to
limit dataset sizes with 'where' clauses. I hope that he is correct, but
it certainly appears to be a rather unusual way to do things as I'm
getting very little encouragement from anyone else (most SQL Server
installations seem to be on LAN servers).
I may just have to pay for a Windows web hosting service with SQL Server
for a month or two and find out for myself ....
David

Post by Alex Dybenko
Hi,
I do not see any problem to transfer database to hosting server, but not
sure that this is a good idea. To get a good performance client-server
application should have a very good connection to sql server
--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com