Access 2003 or 2007 Compatible with SQL Server 2008

[Toni]

We currently are using Access 2003 and SQL Server 2000. We plan to upgrade
our SQL Server to 2008. Our biggest concern is the Compatibility issues with
access. Ideally we would like to stay on Access 2003, but what little
research I have done, it does not look like Access 2003 is compatible with
SQL Server 2008. The next step would be for us to upgrade Access 2003 to
2007 and use it with SQL Server 2008. I have done a little research on this
and again it does not look like they are real compatible. Worse case
scenario upgrade to SQL Server 2005. I have read Access 2003 is compatible
with SQL Server 2005, but it would be a real shame if we could not upgrade to
SQL Server 2008 because of Access. Does anyone know if Access 2003 is
Compatible with SQL Server 2008 or if Access 2007 is compatible with SQL
Server 2008.

thanks
Toni

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

All versions of Access can be compatible with SQL-Server 2005 and 2008 if
you are using SSMS (SQL-Server Management Studio) to design your database
and use Access only as the frontend for the display and the manipulation of
the data.

I'm not sure - haven't tried it personally - but I think that you'll have
the same problem with the design tools using Access 2007 against SQL-Server
2008 that you'll have with Access 2003 against 2005.

 

[Toni]

THANK YOU for your quick response, so just to verify we can stay with Access
2003 and upgrade our SQL Server to 2008?

Thanks Again
Toni

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

If you want to use Access as a frontend only - for displaying and updating
the data - then yes. If you want your users to use Access instead of SSMS
for creating tables, views, UDF, SP, etc. on the server then no.

However, by installing SQL-Server Express 2008 on one of your machine, you
could have test for this yourself very easily.

 

[Quentin]

Hi,

Did you finally try it in this way: Access 2003 with SQL Server Express 2008?

Because I will also have the same problem soon.

Thx

Quentin

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

You shouldn't have any problem and I would be surprised if you have one. On
my side, I made some quick tests between A2003 and the Developer Edition of
SQL-Server 2008 a few weeks ago and I didn't have or see any problem at all.
However, these were only small tests and as always, you should try by
yourself with your own projects to be sure that they will run OK.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Windows Live Platform
Email: sylvain aei ca (fill the blanks, no spam please)
Independent consultant and remote programming for Access and SQL-Server
(French)

 

[Quentin]

Thanks for your answer. I'll try it soon.

You shouldn't have any problem and I would be surprised if you have one. On
my side, I made some quick tests between A2003 and the Developer Edition of
SQL-Server 2008 a few weeks ago and I didn't have or see any problem at all.
However, these were only small tests and as always, you should try by
yourself with your own projects to be sure that they will run OK.

--
Sylvain Lafontaine, ing.
MVP - Windows Live Platform
Email: sylvain aei ca (fill the blanks, no spam please)
Independent consultant and remote programming for Access and SQL-Server
(French)