Access™ 2007 Bible

Chapter 39. Client/Server Concepts

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Looking at a client/server setup

• Identifying the difference between application and back office (server)

• Understanding multitiered computer systems

• Understanding what an OLTP database is

• Looking at what a data warehouse is

• Knowing where Access 2007 fits

• Seeing where Access 2007 excels and shines

Historically, the term client/server has been applied to two-tier, localized computer systems. A client/server environment is typically used to service a single company, using a local area network (LAN), or sometimes a wide area network (WAN), where a multitude of client computers are connected to a single server computer. The server computer quite literally serves up information. The client computer consumes information provided by the server computer. Of course, there is a two-way interaction between the client computer and server computer, such that client computers can also send information back to server computers.

In an Access environment, client/server architecture is not applied only as a historical term; it includes environments where an Access database communicates with a server database engine running on the same computer, as well as server databases running on other computers.

Note

This chapter uses the database named Chapter39.accdb. If you have not already copied it onto your machine from the CD, you'll need to do so now.

The Parts of Client/Server Architecture

A client/server setup is essentially one or more client computers (workstations) ...