Visual Basic Programmer

Programming Services

Improving Microsoft Access Database Performance

I have optimised many Access database Applications over the years. Identifying and resolving Access database problems is my speciality. So if you have reliability or performance issues with your Access application, I am sure that I can help.

The number of simultaneous users that can use an MS Access database system varies from 5 to 30. The big difference in the number of users that can be supported relates to how well the MS Access database have been optimised.

Increasing the number of users that can get reasonable performance involves increasing Client and Server efficiency, as well as reducing Network traffic. The problems may be caused by a complex application, Visual Basic coding, the database structure or Access database limitations.

If your database application is constrained by the limitations of Microsoft Access, I may recommend a migration to Microsoft SQL Server. But before this option is chosen, there is usually much that can be done to improve performance and reduce the bottlenecks.

Here is a list of some of the optimisations that I carry out to extend the life span of Microsoft Access systems:

Optimising the Network

Performance problems related to the Network are the result of Client and Server database inefficiencies. Attempting to speed up traffic caused by Microsoft Access with Gigabit Ethernet devices seldom works – Client and Server activity should be minimised first.

Optimising the Client

There are literally thousands of optimisations that can improve the performance of the Client. I use a Software package that does a detailed analysis of all aspects of Access databases. The software identifies many issues that would normally go undetected in a database application. This is the ideal starting point. The software allows the systematic elimination of problems – and the successive improvements to be quantified.

Optimising the Server

There are many issues that will impact performance on the Server – these need to be identified and eliminated. Performance problem can arise from Table structure, Indexes, Unicode fields, Object fields, Primary Keys, etc.