Microsoft Access user needing information

Question

Hi all, I am an Microsoft Access user. Our company has migrated to some cloud based applications that use SQL Server. I would occasionally like to download my cloud data to my onsite storage. I would like the ability to review, report and query the data at times, but mostly archive it annually. I'm sure "Access" cannot handle the job, but I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a software package that I would only occasionally use. What options are out there? Thanks in advance. 

Answer 1

Your cheapest option, if it works for your particular needs, is to use SQL Server 2012 Express.  The Express SKUs are free to download here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062

My suggestion would be to install the version named "SQLEXPRADV_x86_ENU.exe" or "SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe" (where x86 is the 32-bit version and x64 is the 64-bit version).  The Express Advanced SKU includes the SQL Server engine and the client tools, SSMS. 

Here's a recent thread where another forum user was making a similar decision and provided a bit more info.  Scroll down to the reply from "ryguy72".
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlexpress/thread/3fde09d7-b25b-4eba-b66d-a11371611882

Once you install Express Advanced, you can sync/copy/export your data from your cloud solution to your onsite copy of SQL Server.  Express has some limitations that the paid SKUs of SQL Server do not include, such as DB size limit of 10 GB, no Agent service, no SSIS/SSRS/SSAS, and a couple others.  If you currently are running Access for your DB needs, there's a good chance you could make Express work for your needs. 

Thanks,
Sam Lester (MSFT)

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Answer 2

Hi, Thanks for the information, I appreciate the help. I came across another product called "MySQL". It is open source. Is it an option as well?

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Troon1976

Answer 3

Of course! MySQL and PostgreSQL are popular open source DBMS. You need to see which of these (or others like Firebird etc.) seem most user-friendly to you in terms of installation, usage and maintenance. Other consideration would be how you plan to "download" the data from the cloud and what kind of steps would be needed to load it into one of these open-source DBMS products.

I guess because you asked this question in a SQL Server forum and mentioned MS-Access too, so there were suggestions about Microsoft offerings only.

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Thanks!
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