Overview

Microsoft SQL Server

Stacks21.3K

Followers15.5K

Votes540

Microsoft Access

Stacks83

Followers87

Votes0

Microsoft Access vs Microsoft SQL Server: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server are both database management systems developed by Microsoft Corporation. While they serve the same purpose of managing and storing data, there are several key differences between the two.

Architecture: Microsoft Access is a desktop-based database system, while Microsoft SQL Server is a server-based database system. Access is designed to be used by a single user or a small group of users on a local machine, whereas SQL Server is designed to handle multiple users concurrently on a network.
Scalability: SQL Server is highly scalable and can handle large amounts of data and high user traffic efficiently. On the other hand, Access has limitations in terms of the maximum number of concurrent users and the size of the database it can handle, making it suitable for small to medium-sized applications.
Performance: SQL Server typically outperforms Access in terms of speed and performance. SQL Server utilizes advanced indexing techniques, query optimization, and caching mechanisms to provide faster data retrieval and processing. Access, being a desktop-based system, may be slower when dealing with large datasets and complex queries.
Security: SQL Server offers robust security features, including user authentication, role-based access control, and encrypted data transmission. Access, on the other hand, has more limited security capabilities and relies on user-level security that is tied to the underlying file system.
Administration and Management: SQL Server provides comprehensive administration and management tools, allowing database administrators to have fine-grained control over the database. Access, being a simpler system, does not offer as many advanced management features and is easier to administer.
Integration and Compatibility: SQL Server integrates well with other Microsoft products and technologies, such as .NET Framework, Visual Studio, and Azure cloud services. Access, while providing some integration capabilities, may have limitations when it comes to compatibility with non-Microsoft systems and platforms.

In summary, the key differences between Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server lie in their architecture, scalability, performance, security, administration, and integration capabilities. SQL Server is a more powerful and enterprise-oriented solution, suitable for larger applications, while Access is a simpler and more user-friendly option, ideal for smaller projects or individuals.

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Advice on Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access

Erin

IT Specialist

Mar 10, 2020

Needs adviceon

Microsoft SQL Server

MySQL

PostgreSQL

I am a Microsoft SQL Server programmer who is a bit out of practice. I have been asked to assist on a new project. The overall purpose is to organize a large number of recordings so that they can be searched. I have an enormous music library but my songs are several hours long. I need to include things like time, date and location of the recording. I don't have a problem with the general database design. I have two primary questions:

I need to use either @{MySQL}|tool:1025| or @{PostgreSQL}|tool:1028| on a @{Linux}|tool:10483| based OS. Which would be better for this application?
I have not dealt with a sound based data type before. How do I store that and put it in a table? Thank you.

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Detailed Comparison

Microsoft SQL Server	Microsoft Access
Microsoft® SQL Server is a database management and analysis system for e-commerce, line-of-business, and data warehousing solutions.	It is an easy-to-use tool for creating business applications, from templates or from scratch. With its rich and intuitive design tools, it can help you create appealing and highly functional applications in a minimal amount of time.
-	rich and intuitive design tools; highly functional applications in a minimal amount of time
Statistics
Stacks 21.3K	Stacks 83
Followers 15.5K	Followers 87
Votes 540	Votes 0
Pros & Cons
Pros 139 Reliable and easy to use 101 High performance 95 Great with .net 65 Works well with .net 56 Easy to maintain Cons 4 Expensive Licensing 2 Microsoft 1 Replication can loose the data 1 Allwayon can loose data in asycronious mode 1 The maximum number of connections is only 14000 connect	No community feedback yet
Integrations
No integrations available	Azure SQL Database

What are some alternatives to Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access?

MongoDB

MongoDB stores data in JSON-like documents that can vary in structure, offering a dynamic, flexible schema. MongoDB was also designed for high availability and scalability, with built-in replication and auto-sharding.

MySQL

The MySQL software delivers a very fast, multi-threaded, multi-user, and robust SQL (Structured Query Language) database server. MySQL Server is intended for mission-critical, heavy-load production systems as well as for embedding into mass-deployed software.

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is an advanced object-relational database management system that supports an extended subset of the SQL standard, including transactions, foreign keys, subqueries, triggers, user-defined types and functions.

SQLite

SQLite is an embedded SQL database engine. Unlike most other SQL databases, SQLite does not have a separate server process. SQLite reads and writes directly to ordinary disk files. A complete SQL database with multiple tables, indices, triggers, and views, is contained in a single disk file.

Cassandra

Partitioning means that Cassandra can distribute your data across multiple machines in an application-transparent matter. Cassandra will automatically repartition as machines are added and removed from the cluster. Row store means that like relational databases, Cassandra organizes data by rows and columns. The Cassandra Query Language (CQL) is a close relative of SQL.

Memcached

Memcached is an in-memory key-value store for small chunks of arbitrary data (strings, objects) from results of database calls, API calls, or page rendering.

MariaDB

Started by core members of the original MySQL team, MariaDB actively works with outside developers to deliver the most featureful, stable, and sanely licensed open SQL server in the industry. MariaDB is designed as a drop-in replacement of MySQL(R) with more features, new storage engines, fewer bugs, and better performance.

RethinkDB

RethinkDB is built to store JSON documents, and scale to multiple machines with very little effort. It has a pleasant query language that supports really useful queries like table joins and group by, and is easy to setup and learn.

ArangoDB

A distributed free and open-source database with a flexible data model for documents, graphs, and key-values. Build high performance applications using a convenient SQL-like query language or JavaScript extensions.

InfluxDB

InfluxDB is a scalable datastore for metrics, events, and real-time analytics. It has a built-in HTTP API so you don't have to write any server side code to get up and running. InfluxDB is designed to be scalable, simple to install and manage, and fast to get data in and out.