September 28, 2002 at 10:10 am
History: I work for the IT/MIS in the Public Sector. The company has recently moved from using Oracle on Unix to SQL Server 2000, due to lack of technical support for Unix.
My job is to develop end-user mdbs/adps that will cater for the least experienced user, who will access information through automated forms; and for users (who are experienced Oracle users) who will be either updating the data or writing their own SQL Queries. The information we process comes in a very raw format from outside the company, for eg, csv files, requiring: data cleaning, updating etc.
Problem1: I need to sell the virtues of using an adp file as an end tool, to my Oracle using Information Section, for updating and maintaining their data tables held on the SQL Server.
Problem2: Converting a database which came to me in mdb format with csv data files. I have loaded the data files on the Server, no problem. The mdb also has a phenomenal amount of select queries. Again I need to sell the virtues of putting any standard queries onto the SQL Server side and connect to them using a Pass-Through query. Rather than linking tables to the mdb file. This database has approx. 0.5 million records.
Problem3: I am the only person within the IT section, who has a working knowledge Visual Basic, again because the company has been using Oracle on Unix, the concept of automated forms is an anathema. Again, I need to sell the virtues of a user friendly front-end tool that will enable ease of access to information.
I could go on. The people I need to convince on SQL Server, ADP -v- MDB, aren't particularly technically minded. They've used Oracle on Unix for quite sometime, have little knowledge of Access mdb, nor the time involved to develop a flexible system.
This is a bit of a mixed bag, but any advice would be very helpful.
Emma Smyth
ESmyth
October 2, 2002 at 5:32 pm
Hi Emma,
It's nice to see someone ditching Oracle for SQL Server 2000.
My recommendation is to keep things simple for a start and that means MDB. The following are my reasons:
1. Creating queries in Access is a piece of cake. Since this is a large part of what the user will do, it may be appreciated.
2. Views that you create in SQL Server that have a high probability of being used, can be linked as tables to save on network traffic.
This will get their feet wet and then you can switch them to ADP.
If you work with them to create queries that invovle other queries which in turn involve other queries, this will minimize network traffic to the final record set. My problem is that I never used ADP. You can do the same things using MDB/MDE linked to SQL Server. Whatever I need to do on SQL Server I do with the Enterprise Manager and the Query Analyzer directly. If I have complex query chains, I put all of them on SQL Server. Also since user defined functions came along, you can do virtually anything this way.
Just a thought.
Mike
October 2, 2002 at 6:56 pm
I'd say one advantage that's easy to sell and take advantage of is that it's cheap. You can do some small projects using MSDE, gives you a chance to show what you can do with the platform and point out how you can easily upgrade to the real server edition if/when it becomes necessary.
More than that, isnt your real problem selling them on technical solutions at all? Lots of people like the status quo. Do some small projects to show it works that solve real problems, get them interested and used to the idea.
Andy
October 3, 2002 at 10:28 am
I'd follow some of this advice and start out small and do some proof of concept, even if it's one query. Maybe do a few different ways (web with sql, VB form, Access form/query). You might find one that fits better than others and it might be different from what you think now.
Steve Jones
October 3, 2002 at 11:41 am
Hi Emma,
We have a mixture here of power users that use an mdb with linked tables. It works well for them and in some cases, as the repetitive tasks began to take too long on the 'client' side, requests came for transplanting the queries with stored procedures / views (sql 2000) on the server side. The mdb solution for our power users provides a 'development' area for them that really separates them from the production realm. Most will pull a create table query and work locally until they have the desired results. Depending on the size of the tables you could offer some guidelines for use to help them not hit some unnecessary walls. Good luck, been there!
Jody
October 3, 2002 at 12:02 pm
I am curious as to why you didn't go with Oracle on NT?
I work with both databases and I think you will find the Oracle end users adapting easily. They may not like the performance changes, but the learning curve will be small.
"Keep Your Stick On the Ice" ..Red Green
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