Moving On From An Access Database

**SueEllen** · 14 December 2015, 11:21

Access isn't a database.

MySQL has free tutorials on the web. You should also be able to find them for python and linking to a database. It is a case of being able to Google.

**VectraMan** · 14 December 2015, 11:31

Originally posted by SueEllen View Post

Access isn't a database.

Unhelpful post du jour.

Lots of examples around on how to do this with MySQL and PHP. Probably Python too if you absolutely must.

**SimonMac** · 14 December 2015, 11:32

Originally posted by VectraMan View Post

Unhelpful post du jour.

Lots of examples around on how to do this with MySQL and PHP. Probably Python too if you absolutely must.

I only mentioned Python as I seem to remember its the easiest of languages to learn

**SueEllen** · 14 December 2015, 11:34

Originally posted by VectraMan View Post

Unhelpful post du jour.

If you are going to start playing around with databases you need to know what is and isn't one.

**SueEllen** · 14 December 2015, 11:37

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

I only mentioned Python as I seem to remember its the easiest of languages to learn

Php is easy.

And even easier in this respect because there are examples for you to follow.

Just use the language you can get the most productive in quickly.

**LondonManc** · 14 December 2015, 11:39

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

OK, I am by no means a techie, I can handle a tiny bit of command line scripting but that's about it.

I have an Access database, storing various records etc and then pull of reports based on the underlying data.

I want to take it to the next step, ideally have some sort of dashboard that gets updated when ever the data is changed, it will not be very complex, its basically a list of hostnames and various release data associated with it. I would like it to be hostable so it can be viewed from a browser, I assume something so basic can be done with Python and MySQL.

Obviously being self hosted I would need to factor in security, but given a limited amount of experience in this how possible is it to pick up?

You'd be able to easily have a page within a website that can make the appropriate SQL call to query a table. You could then build the logic into the query, build a view and query the view or populate a table to allow a straight select at the web page level. There are probably script examples already out there to get you started.

**DimPrawn** · 14 December 2015, 12:05

Access back end JET/MDB is a database:

"A database is an organized collection of data.[1] It is the collection of schemas, tables, queries, reports, views and other objects."

However, from a practical perspective, it is a slow, archaic, single user, embedded, unreliable, database.

**SlipTheJab** · 14 December 2015, 15:13

Sounds like you need a MapReduce based architecture providing a highly available, scalable, distributed environment. Have a look at Hadoop and associated databases (Cassandra, HBase etc), which you should be able to wire together quite nicely using Java. Deploy options include a local virtual cluster or something like AWS/EWS for a cloud based offering (ps. It does mean you'll have to unfortunately ditch the Access back end) HTH

**SimonMac** · 14 December 2015, 15:15

Originally posted by SlipTheJab View Post

Sounds like you need a MapReduce based architecture providing a highly available, scalable, distributed environment. Have a look at Hadoop and associated databases (Cassandra, HBase etc), which you should be able to wire together quite nicely using Java. Deploy options include a local virtual cluster or something like AWS/EWS for a cloud based offering (ps. It does mean you'll have to unfortunately ditch the Access back end) HTH

Ooooh that reminds me, I have an Azure platform I am getting for free but not using, might go full blown SQL and .Net then

Moving On From An Access Database