Re: ASP - converting to SQL server

At 01:56 PM 10/25/2001 +0200, you wrote:
>Hiya ASP-heads,
>
>
>Fact... been working ASP last year, mostly medium size projects for some
>apps where Access always did fine for what we needed.

Medium size projects with Access? How do you define medium?

>   Currently having a bit of a larger website project with some ecommerce 
> for a rather large
>company.  Possibility of loads of customers approaching the database at the
>same time.

Could you be more specific with "loads". For example, how many customers do 
you realistically
expect, maximum, on a given day?

>For demo purposes we've just built everything on a fantastic (?)
>Access database - well at least all is now running on our Personal Webserver
>Laptop.

A fantastic Access database does not a fantastic SQL Server database make.
Stated differently, many client/server issues need to be considered in database
design. What works on the desktop will change dramatically when several clients
are conecting to your database simultaneously. As such, you need to test 
your application
on the server platform on which it will be deployed.


>So... need to use SQL server (company is already running its own products
>database on there and need to be able to synchronise easily).  Any thoughts
>or even practical guidelines how to convert?  Just swap out ourfile.mdb with
>whatever.sql and change the pointers?  All is welcome.

Sure. Unless your database design is *very* simple, avoid the up-sizing wizard.
Instead, use the Data Transformation Services in SQL Server. Basically, 
this will
import your Access data into your SQL Server database. Very easy.

It bears mentioning that coming from an Access background, one needs to adopt
a new way of thinking about databases. First, with Access, your database 
was contained
within a single file (ourfile.mdb for example). With SQL Server, your 
database is tied
to your server in many files. In other words, you are unable to merely copy 
your database to another file and
install it on another computer as you would with an .mdb file. Second, you 
have a security
context with SQL Server that is not available in Access. And third, you 
have many issues
such as data types, stored procedures, relationships, triggers, etc. that 
are separate issues in
themselves.

A good book on SQL Server is always a wise investment.

If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Have a great day!
Jeff

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