(How) Can Terminal Services / Remote Desktop be used to share an Access Database?

Question

The only type of 'remote desktop' application I've used previously is VNC viewer. My understanding of this kind of application is that when multiple users log in to the same VNC server, they share the keyboard, mouse and desktop, so only one person can actually use the computer, whilst the other users can watch what is happening. This obviously has its own uses.

What I want to do is have an MS Access application available on a remote server. I want 2 or 3 users to be able to simultaneously log in to this application, all working on a shared data source.

Is this possible? My Google-fu is unfortunately weak today. Is it Terminal Services I want? Remote Desktop Connection? Something else?

Answer 1

"Remote Desktop" (terminal services / MSTSC) does have separate desktops per user - contrast to "Remote Assistance" which shares. However, I have to say that is not necessarily the best way to provide access to the database - you're making the server provide [n] user sessions in addition to the multiple people accessing the database.

For a database app, options to consider:

• hosting the database file (in the case of access) on a central file server; each client uses the app on their machine
• having a proper database server; not snobbery, but simply that Access doesn't scale very well; SQL Server Express Edition is free... the app might run as a standard exe on each user's (local) desktop
• have the app as a web application hosted by the/another server; then you just have a thin web-server application serving content (rather than a full session per user) to each user's browser

Answer 2

This article might help. I am also pretty sure it will work with Terminal Server/Remote Desktop, but you need to set your Access app in Shared Mode

Answer 3

I currently am using Windows 2003 Server with Terminal Services Server with licenses for 35 users. I have two access databases that the users share and have been doing so for almost a year now. It works great! solid and reliable. Access databases are both split (front-end is separate from back-end). Remote users are throughout the Southeastern United States. Excellent performance.

Ben Swenning