Could options for the back end

[randika100100]

Hi all,



My head is spinning with this issue and I was so glad that I found this forum. I will briefly explain my situation


- I have an access database with 35 users spread across three locations. Database has about 100,000 records collectively.
- The back end is placed in a network drive in the server and all front ends are connected to it. Users from remote locations connect to the network drive with VPN.
- However, due to various limitations with the network bandwidth, when all users access the back-end, it slows down performances immensely. It has got to a point where it's really hard to use.


Here is what I would like to know

1) Is there a way to place a local copy of the backend in each users computer and make it sync with a master backend in the could or internal exchange server? I saw something like this mentioned in a forum saying it could be done with office 365 and sharepoint.


If this is the case ---> Can some one please tell me what Sharepoint version should I buy? and is there a good guide out there explaining how to do this?

2) If having a local copy of the back end in each computer and sync with a master is not possible, then what are my options to host the back end in a could ? Would this increase the speed?


Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks!
Cheers!

[Micron]

Hopefully, you will get a better answer than this since I'm not an IT guy by any stretch of the imagination. All that I've ever read suggests you should not attempt to use Access over a WAN (VPN). What I can say that has worked for me as a user is having the db split (for all the usual good reasons) but both parts are on a network server. Then each user logs into their own FE (front end) via a terminal service (in my case, it was Citrix) since this doesn't involve the transfer of data across the WAN, but only keyboard and mouse inputs.

An alternative seems to be a SQL type of back end where Access provides the FE tool, but I believe this still can involve large movements of data over the WAN. In absence of a better answer, try Googling something like ms access shared database vpn

[CJ_London]

personally I would suggest sql azure rather than sharepoint. SharePoint is more about sharing objects - in sharepoint a table is a list object. See this link about comparing using sharepoint lists v database https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff647105.aspx. Take a look at the comparison table. Which is right for you depends on what your app is doing and possibly budget - I believe sharepoint comes free with office 365.

If you go the sql azure route, the primary firewall is the users IP address, which means each user needs a fixed IP. For most businesses this is not a problem, they will probably already have a fixed IP, but home users may not. Having said that the users ISP should be able to provide a fixed IP for a small charge.