GoofyGuy (7/17/2014)
The pain goes well beyond these technical difficulties, because Access databases and their accompanying 'apps' are often written by people outside the IT department - meaning the business becomes increasingly reliant upon databases and applications which are not properly maintained, backed-up, or designed.
GoofyGuy (7/17/2014)
In my experience, the shadow IT groups got started the moment someone outside IT bought a copy of Access.
The problem I have with Access isn't Access itself, but the way in which non-IT types use it building their own data stores and 'apps': without any knowledge of good IT practises, nor IT oversight.
I strongly agree with this. I've worked in too many places that have relied upon hokey, home-made little "systems" built on Access which I've then been expected to troubleshoot when they went horribly wrong and the non-IT user has no idea. Sometimes there are several "systems" all linked together, and that can be pretty special :crazy:, especially when linked to a SQL database.
So often there is no proper security either, and the company in question is flouting several data protection laws. But yes, the problem lies with the users, not the application itself.