Beginning InfoPath™ 2003

3.2. Working with Various Databases

You've read about flat file and relational databases and now know the differences. There is some additional information you need to know about the available relational databases and their platforms. Before talking about Microsoft Access and SQL Server specifically, there is some terminology you need to get comfortable with.

3.2.1. File Server versus Client Server

File server databases are those where the database is stored in a folder on a file server. When you access the database, all the data is brought over the network and locally processed. Microsoft Access is a file-server-based database system.

Client/server databases are stored on a server, but when it comes time to process the data, the processing is performed on the server, and just the necessary data is brought over the network. Microsoft SQL Server is a client/server product.

With most development environments, how you develop against the two types of database platforms will vary. With InfoPath, you use the same methods for both platforms.

3.2.2. Front and Backends

When working with database applications, you have front- and backends. The database containing the data is the backend. The application created to control the input and output of the data is called the frontend. The application contains forms, reports, and other programming elements. When connecting to a database, the data source, such as Microsoft Access or SQL Server, is the backend and the InfoPath form is the frontend. ...