Deployment Planning

Split Database Architecture

For best performance, multiuser support, and easily updating an application without worrying about the data, your Access application should have two Access databases:

• A back-end database containing just the tables
• A front-end application database with tables linked to the back-end database. This database contains all the other objects for your application (queries, forms, reports, macros, code, etc.). It may also contain tables that are private to each user.

Total Access Startup makes it very easy to distribute front-end databases to each user and update it when your master database changes.

How Should Your Application Be Deployed?

You have two choices:

• Launch the database directly from the network
• Deploy the master database to each user's PC

Launch the Database Directly from the Network

If there's only one user, your network is relatively fast, and performance is adequate, running the database directly from the network may be acceptable. In this case, you can use Total Access Startup to ensure the right version of Access is used to open your database.

Deploy Master Database to Each User’s PC

For best performance, each user should have their own copy of the front-end database on their local hard drive. Total Access Startup copies the master database to a location and name you specify on each user’s PC. The local copy can be replaced each time the user clicks on your shortcut or replaced when you update a version setting on the master database. You can even run other programs when the initial version and/or update is installed.