How to use Microsoft access database from two computers at the same time?

Rhythm: How to use Microsoft access database from two computers at the same time?
i have made an application on microsoft access, but i need to access it from two computers over a network at the same time. how do i do that? is it possible?

Answers and Views:

Answer by AgronCAS
Microsoft Access is for kids to fool around on one computer, one session, one user. That’s it. It’s, not for professional work.
If you are serious, look at Linux servers and MySQL database. And get one book about Client/Server architecture and one about MySQL on Linux.

Answer by Techwing
You need to put the database on a server, along with the server side of your applications, and then write a client side of the applications that runs on multiple client machines that talks to the server. That’s how products like Microsoft Exchange do it (and Exchange uses a database format similar to that of Access).

Answer by T S
Techwing: don’t speculate!!! Did you try this yourself? Access is not a multi-user, multi-client, application. It’s not a server.

Microsoft is terrible with databases. They had FoxPro, it failed, they have Access, it sucks. They have MS SQL, which is actually an old version of Sybase.
They’re trying so hard to keep up with competition that has matured in this field like Oracle, IBM, MySQL, Sybase, etc. But weak security and no integration with other platforms is costing them a lot.

Dude, MS Access won’t work like that. You need a database server to do that. PERIOD. You might have better luck with Personal MS SQL Server (free with Visual Studio). But, that has some limitations too.

Answer by Robert
With all deference to Agron, Techwing and TS, I’ve been using developing in Access for over a decade and it can be a very good tool for providing data management solutions with robust user interfaces on a ‘small’ scale, providing you don’t listen to what Microsoft dictates in regards to development practices. I’ve created everything from a production tracking enterprise solution that managed data for over 2000 each day in a North american auto plant to a Monopoly game. Everything will have it’s inherent limitation depending on your environment.

If you’re simply asking users to input their favorite recipes, you probably don’t want the expense of servers or additional SQL licensing, and typically corporate environment require a signature from God to install extra software/hardware or to grant access to what they may already have. However, if it’s business critical data you are dealing with, you’re going to want to go down that road, but to an extent, you can still use Access as a front-end, but probably won’t want to.

If it’s Access, you can simply put the application on a network or shared drive, providing the users accessing it don’t go over, say 8 consecutive log-ons. Simply give the network location as a shortcut to the users and you should be good.

Caveat: I would agree with Techwing in that you should always create a ‘Front-End / Back-End’ solution with Access as it’s much easier for development purposes. Also, make sure you’re database is set to ‘Compact On Close’.