ADP Limitations

MDB · October 2nd, 2011, 10:06 AM

Hi,

I have recently started working at a place that heavily utilize ADP Access projects. The programmers reference book suggests that SQL Server shopuld be used for systems greater than 2 GB and with more than 20 users. It also suggests that ADP's may be used as a solution.

At my current work they have a system written usinmg ADP which is 4gb in size with maybe 30 users. They are concerned that Access cannot handle large amounts of data and are concerned that this critical application may die (even though this is written using ADP and unbound forms). Are the concerns valid?

What are the limitations of ADP projects (e.g. number of users and soize of databas).

Is there anything I should check in the system to see if things are done properly to cater for larger systems (the vook says to utilize record sets).

Thanks.

gjgriffith · October 11th, 2011, 02:27 PM

Hello MDB,

Thank you so much for reading the Access 2010 programmer's reference and for posting your questions about ADPs! I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you about this, I'm just seeing it now, but hopefully I can help out here!

In general, limitations for ADP data connections and users are specific to SQL Server (because the ADP is just using ADO under the covers to access the data on the SQL Server) and what you are saying here is correct. The Microsoft Access team provides a bunch of information about ADPs and their limitations at:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ac...005186808.aspx
Under the section about half way down on the page, titled "Microsoft Access project specifications", but this doesn't really talk about the number of users, again, because this is dependent upon SQL server.

In general, the recommendation is that every user use a separate copy of the ADP to connect to the SQL server (i.e. not 50 users accessing the same ADP file simultaneously...each user should have a separate copy of the same, or different, ADP file to run the application) and in theory, you should be able to have thousands of users working with the data simultaneously. Does this make sense?

Anyway, I hope this helps answer your questions about ADPs in the multi-user environment, but if you have other questions about this, please let me know and I'll do what I can to help!

Thanks,