Manage project databases on SQL Server

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You can save the data from the selected projects on a database that is located on an SQL Server which is suitable for multi-user projects and remote access (VPN).

In a traditional Access project structure, drawings and other project files, such as the project database EDBProject.mdb, are all located in the same directory on the file server. With SQL databases, you save the database information on the SQL Server, which can be in a different location on the network. Drawings and other project files are still stored on a shared drive on the file server.

While the EDBProject.mdb file is project-specific in the traditional project structure, an SQL Server database usually contains data for various different projects. On SQL Server, all project data are in the same tables and they are separated with their own project number. For instance, all devices in the project are in a table called Devices, and you can fetch information from the table using the project number. The project number is internal to Electrical and cannot be changed.

If you use an Access database that is located on a server or it is accessed simultaneously by multiple users, using the database slows down. The advantage of SQL Server databases over Access databases is that reading them and saving onto them is fast and steady. The pros and cons of both databases are listed in the following table:

	Pros	Cons
SQL Server	Suitable for remote access (only solution for this purpose) Suitable for information management on large projects Suitable for multi-user projects Centralized backups Better suited for information system integration Free at the baseline level (SQL Server Express)	Subject to a fee after the baseline level Requires implementation and database administration Requires a server (one’s own or as an outsourced service) Always requires connection to server
Access	Free Does not require implementation Does not necessarily require a server Database can be moved	Not suitable for remote access Slows down with large projects Not optimally suitable for multi-user projects

Check the system requirements before installation. Also note that taking SQL Server into use requires understanding of database server configuration and the creation of databases, tables and users. Furthermore, the company must adapt their work practices to suit the server environment. For this reason, taking SQL Server into use should be done in cooperation with Cadmatic and the company’s own ICT support.