Forum Discussion
Migrating Access back end to the cloud
- Do you want to run this relational database application as a web - browser based application, or as a desktop application?
I don't know which "guys in India" you mean, or what they recommend, but you really don't need a lot of other software packages if you are going to continue to use this as a desktop application. However, if you want to replace the Access interface with one that will operate in a web browser, you WILL have to invest in and learn to use the appropriate tools for that.
So, start by explaining who will actually use it, where they are physically located (in a single facility or dispersed among several) and how you anticipate using this relational database application. From there, we can examine some options.
Other options, such as a VPS are also just fine.
At some point, cost has to be considered as well. It's all well and good to recommend an approach, but if the implementation cost is high enough, it's totally impractical for many situations. One has to consider the entire picture.
One reason we see people trying to get by with SharePoint lists, or OneDrive or DropBox, is that the costs of other implementations are outside their budget.
A company that cannot afford this is, in my opinion, doomed to failure.
The alternative cost of using the Access solution via terminal server/cloud VPS would be to redevelop a PHP front end as a replacement. We all know what that costs.
- "A company that cannot afford this is, in my opinion, doomed to failure."
I wonder how many thousands of small businesses would agree they are doomed to failure on that basis. Or maybe the count is in the millions....- The cheapest VPS with 4 cores, 8 GB RAM, 200 GB SSD storage and AMD EPYC™ cost just 180 EUR net per year.
And what exactly is the viable alternative to bringing Access to virtually any mobile device?At the risk of starting another whole new tangent, you might want to look into PowerApps.
They do require an MS 365 subscription, and the interface design can be challenging for Access developers who've not explored other software development tools. But if you are willing to add the cost of a VPS to the solution, then the cost of licensing for a PowerApps alternative might also be considered affordable.
To be honest, I'm more interested in exploring alternatives than staking out territory and defending it against alternatives. Therefore, I'd always suggest that people who need to move away from a traditional Access desktop configuration take a broad look at whatever seems feasible. OneDrive and DropBox, and similar services, can and should be considered, but as soon as their limitations become apparent, they can be put to the side and reserved for that rare niche where a single user is involved.
All other options need to go into the matrix of features, functionality and cost for consideration. We do our best service to clients when we make a serious attempt to evaluate their needs against ALL available options.