• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

hack admin needs advice...

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Joe Camel

Senior Camel Kicker
Joined
Aug 6, 2003
Location
---> NEW HOUSE 7/17/09 !! <---
ok, so im the HACK admin (NO formal training) here @ the family business...

ive got 24 PCs all networked together, all running win2k pro. anyone with any training would probably die laughing at my setup but, it works for what we need(ED). the problem im having now that we have started a new database program (excel) (EDIT:Access) and i need more than 10 people to be able to access it @ 1 time.

what do i need to do?

my guess: upgrade to a "server OS"
my questions: do i need to upgrade ALL the PCs or just the one with the DB on it? what is the easiest "server OS" to work with?

any/all help/advice is welcome but remember, i hve NO formal training so...KEEP IT SIMPLE!

THANKS
 
Last edited:
If multiple access is required to a large database I would think something like MySQL would do the job: www.mysql.org. It would run on 2k pro.

Two quick things: I thought only one person could edit an excel/access spreadsheet/database at a time?

Excel is a spreadsheet, Access is the database.
 
well there you go, see how lost i am?

ill do a little more research...needless to say i wasnt the one who setup the program...

yep, its an Access program. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
I believe the 10 person limit is hardcoded to Access.

If your going to do any real databasing you should use Oracle or SQL.. Access is too limited and slow.
 
from win2k HELP:

"To limit the number of users who can connect to the shared folder or drive at one time, under User limit, click Allow, then enter a number of users.

In Windows 2000 Professional, the maximum user limit is 10 regardless of the number you type in Allow."
 
I suggest you:
1) pick a better database server. e.g. Oracle, MySQL
2) put a server OS on the PC the server is running on. e.g. Windows2003 or 2k server.

I used Access a lot, and a friend of mine (whos job is database software programmer) and we both think that M$ Access is VERY poor and slow.
 
well, unfortunately, the program was made and has been running for more than a 4 months now and the people who need to use it are (finally) getting used to it. if i try and change the program now, they'll through a hissy fit.

so if i put win2k server OS on the box with the database, i can get more than 10 (how many?) people (still using win2k pro) working on the database @ one time?

THANKS for helping :beer:
 
There are a number of ways to do this.

You can do is set up the access mdb (IE the database) server file on one networked machine and set up client access files use table linking to connect to it. You might be able to link over the network but you might also have to set up odbc. In your tables view if you right click there is the linking option. This will let you connect to remote table on and access. So basically on the client file you wipe out the database and set up links to all of the tables that are on the server file.

Option two would be drop the access file on one machine and let everyone network to that machine and open up the file that way.

If this doesnt work and they are relying on an access based application then Microsoft's SQL Server is probably the next logical step even though its a bit pricey. About $1500 for a license plus you need either windows 2000 or 2003 server. With SQL Server its pretty easy to integrate with Access though ODBC. I assume you've never worked with SQL so you might want to consider it a last option because you will probably need someone to help you set it up and train you in.

I mean if you are looking for a complete overhaul and only have 20 PCs then your company might be in the ballpark for microsoft's small business server. It's very nice for maintaining small networks and there is a version with exchange and SQL built in.
 
Back