Microsoft SQL Server
Why Use Microsoft SQL Server? Microsoft estimate that one in fifty Access databases are ‘upscaled’ to use SQL Server. This process allows the user to keep their familiar Access desktop interface while moving their data on to the much more powerful SQL Server platform.
The most common reasons for moving to SQL Server are to take advantage of its much improved security features or allow Internet access to the data. SQL Server also has many other features found in large database systems, allows many more users and is a more robust data storage platform. Unlike Microsoft Access its capacity is only limited by the hardware it runs on and it can be used to support huge databases.
Is my investment in Microsoft Access wasted? It is possible to use SQL Server instead of Access’s own Jet database engine with a minimum of changes to an existing Access application. Access continues to be the user application and appears unchanged. Behind the scenes the data is processed by the SQL Server and returned to Access.
To make best use of the additional features some code re-writing is necessary. As the requirements are different for every system, Unique Databases are happy to quote for your particular application.
SQL Server 2008 Express is available as a free download from Microsoft.
SQL Server is also available on Internet Hosts to provide a Database service
accessible from any location.
How expensive is SQL Server? The entry level SQL Server Express is available as a free download from Microsoft, and it provides database engine features which are suitable for the smaller user. Usually it is run on a dedicated system such as Microsoft Small Business Server, but it can also run on Windows 7.
There are a range of SQL Server products for different applications, for more information follow the link to the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 website on the right of this page. Larger systems are usually maintained by IT Professionals.