Microsoft® Access® Small Business Solutions: State-of-the-Art Database Models for Sales, Marketing, Customer Management, and More Key Business Activities

Appendix BD. Database Platforms

In addition to understanding the principles of good database design, you need to consider which platform is the most appropriate for your application and deployment scenario. A platform, in this instance, refers to the software (such as Access) or the combination of hardware and software (such as with SQL Server) that enables your database application to run efficiently. Common database platforms include the following:

• ACCDB/ACE

• SQL

• Oracle

• MySQL

• SharePoint

As we have explained throughout this book, the tenets of proper database design are applicable across multiple platforms. A properly normalized database will make a transactional-type application hum like a well-tuned engine; and regardless of which platform or platforms are used, the design of the front end and data files need to work together to address and implement the business rules. Quite often, the consideration for a platform will not come into play until the design and the business rules have been addressed and answered by both the developer and the business users; but until you have chosen the platform for deployment, you can't put that "Final" stamp on the design.

Access developers are used to working with various platforms, including server databases, and in particular with Microsoft SQL Server. Access has several tools specifically designed for working with SQL Server, such as the Upsizing to SQLwizard. Connecting anAccess front end application to a server database enables you to harness the ...