Kalmar Software Development

Database Audits

The problem

Large organisation can have hundreds of end-user development Microsoft Access databases. As the organisation changes to different software platforms or operating environments these databases may need to be converted. These conversions could be as simple as updating the Microsoft Access Database to work with the latest version of Microsoft office. Or it could be to update the back-end data file to client-server application like SQL Server. Or even re-write the whole application.

Our Database Audit Process

We can make an assessment of each of your Microsoft Access Databases and report back to you with a road map of what can be done with the database, including some idea of the costs. This assessment costs $600 per database. This amount is fully refunded if Greenleigh is commissioned in any of the upgrade work on that database.

The assessment is made on a number of dimensions:

What are the conversion paths?

There are four main scenarios as list in the following table.

Scenario Front-End Back-End
1 Microsoft Access JET Engine (Database Engine that is included with Microsoft Access)
2 Microsoft Access Microsoft SQL Server
3 VB.NET Microsoft SQL Server
4 SharePoint SharePoint Server

1: Microsoft Access Front End - Jet Engine Back End

This scenario has Microsoft Access as the front end and the Jet Engine as the back end. The Jet Engine is what comes with Microsoft Access out of the box. Sometimes people call his a Microsoft Access back end.

This conversion would normally mean updating the Microsoft Access Database to a new version of Microsoft Office.

2: Microsoft Access Front End - Microsoft SQL Server Back End

This scenario has Microsoft Access as the front end and Microsoft SQL Server as the back end. The front end may need to be update to a later version of Microsoft Office and have its tables links updated. The back end would be upsized from the Jet Engine (File Server) to Microsoft SQL Server (File Server).

3: VB.NET Front End - Microsoft SQL Server Back End

In this scenario the Microsoft Access front end is converted to a VB.Net and Microsoft SQL Server as the back end. The front end will need to be completely re-developed. The back end may need to be upsized to Microsoft SQL Server (File Server) if it is currently the Jet Engine.

4: SharePoint Front End - Microsoft SharePoint Server Back End

In this scenario the Microsoft Access front end is converted to SharePoint and back end converted to SharePoint Server. The front end will need to be completely re-developed. If the back end is currently the Jet Engine or Microsoft SQL Server it will be needed to be converted.