Large desktop databases

[rpk2006]

I am developing a desktop application using VB6 as front-end for some clients where the a large number of regular entries are done but there is a rare need to delete old customers. Since some of the customers are regular customers since years.

I am deciding which database to you.

If I use Access XP, people say that it uses Flat File system and whole Table is loaded into memory when the Table is accessed. If the size of the Table is very large, the performance may become sluggish.
Secondly, I have not found anything special in Access XP security.

If I use SQL Server 2000 or higher, then I want to know what features, other then client/server, will I get as compared to Access XP. Will I be able to use "Replication" at run-time so that multiple copies are
synchronized simultaneously, for database security.
Which edition of SQL Server 2000 to use for desktop applications?
I also want to schedule SQL Server Backup on client's machine, so that it can regularly take backups. Is it possible with VB or I need to install any other SQL Server utility on client's machine.

I used Personal Oracle 8, but it cries on systems with 128 MB of RAM. Oracle 9i just can't work on these machines, and my clients are having these machines.
I did not notice any sluggish performance with SQL Server 2000. What's the reason?

Help me out.

 

[chiph]

Tell your clients to add RAM. 128mb is barely enough memory to boot Windows XP, much less do anything productive. I just bought 1gb on a single DIMM for $225 from Crucial, and they're not the absolute cheapest vendor (but their stuff always works!).

For a database, MS gives away a desktop version of SQL Server called MSDE. You get most of the power of the full database, but with a few limitations:
1. Limited to 2gb of data
2. Only 5 active connections
3. No more than 2 CPUs supported (I think it only uses one, to be honest).

I don't know if it supports replication, but I think it might.

Chip H.


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