Question : Connecting MS Access to SQL Server over internet

I have developed locally an MS Access front-end connecting to SQL Server 2007 Express using ODBC and DSN. However, I want to now host the backend on a remote server and distribute the front end to (about 5) staff.

What is the best way of connecting to the remote server over IP?

Ideally I would like to have the connection strings in the Access app. I know how to do this in ASP, but how do you do this in Access? Where do you put it? Or is there an easy way with a distributed DSN file?

The key things is to keep it as simple as possible for the users.

Answer : Connecting MS Access to SQL Server over internet

Is this an Access Data Project (i.e. ADP) or a straight MDB with linked tables?

If it's an ADP, then you should be able to just deploy the database AFTER correctly linking to the remotely hosted database. End users would then automatically be logged in, and they would be able to proceed as always.

If this is a linked table (i.e. mdb) file, then you'll need to include some way for users to build a DSN ... Access would then update the links for you. You could deploy a DSN as well, although I've never done some. Most commercial installers include some way to do this, of course, or you could do this in your application:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184608

There are also utilities that you can use to create these for you, but it's pretty simple to do it yourself.

Also, make sure that your SQL Server is setup to accept remote connections ... by default, it's not: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914277