Purchasing Microsoft SQL Server for small company

I currently have a database through a company that has been upkeeping SQL an
d
storing data. I am cancelling subscription and want to retrieve data. They
are sending me a backup DVD with all the files. How easy is it to use
Microsoft SQL and can the files be transfered to another program such as
Access or Excel'
ThanksAre you saying that you have data stored in a SQL Server database, which is
hosted by other company, and you now want to sotre your data by yourself? If
so, the best way to do is to set up your own SQL Server, have you data on
the other SQL Server backed up and restore it on your own SQL Server. (or
use detach/attach database from/to SQL Server).
There are different edition of SQL Server, from very expensive Enterprise
Edition, to free version of SQL Server Express/MSDE. If your data value is
not so big (2G or 4G), you can use MSDE or SQL Server Express for free. Of
course, some basic knowledge on SQL Server is required (I mean a bit more
and complicated that required by using Access).
If you want those data being transferred to Access DB, then you can ask your
SQL Server host to export it to a *.mdb file. However, in general, only data
can be transferred, server object used in that database (view, sp... they
may contain critical logics for using the database) would not be
transferred. So, you would need to build a sort of front end app inorder to
use your data. Unless the only thing you need is the data.
"Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:389AA3B8-1996-487C-A65D-29F4E5404246@.microsoft.com...
>I currently have a database through a company that has been upkeeping SQL
>and
> storing data. I am cancelling subscription and want to retrieve data.
> They
> are sending me a backup DVD with all the files. How easy is it to use
> Microsoft SQL and can the files be transfered to another program such as
> Access or Excel'
> Thanks|||You are taking a big step backward going from SQL Server to MS Access and an
even bigger step if you go to Excel.
Microsoft SQL Server is an enterprise level relational database management
system.
Microsoft Access is a database engine but it is not quite enterprise level.
MS Excel is can be used to display information to management types and
create pretty reports, but it is by no means an enterprise storage
technology.
IF your host sends you the correct information -- backup files created via
the T-SQL BACKUP command OR database and log files after they ran
sp_detach_db -- you should be able to restore the database(s) to a SQL
Server in your environment.
SQL Server does not have "files" (like Excel). It is more similar to MS
Access in that it has tables within one container (a database).
Keith Kratochvil
"Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:389AA3B8-1996-487C-A65D-29F4E5404246@.microsoft.com...
>I currently have a database through a company that has been upkeeping SQL
>and
> storing data. I am cancelling subscription and want to retrieve data.
> They
> are sending me a backup DVD with all the files. How easy is it to use
> Microsoft SQL and can the files be transfered to another program such as
> Access or Excel'
> Thanks|||The company is not using the system to it's fullest potential. The users ar
e
not computer savvy and would prefer a more simple system ie: Access. They
don't want to be paying the fees associated to a program they don't use.
They have 7 years of data they need to access and I have to figure out how.
Once we access the data and can retrieve the reports and pictures we won't b
e
using the system. We want to transfer it to Access.
Thanks
"Norman Yuan" wrote:

> Are you saying that you have data stored in a SQL Server database, which i
s
> hosted by other company, and you now want to sotre your data by yourself?
If
> so, the best way to do is to set up your own SQL Server, have you data on
> the other SQL Server backed up and restore it on your own SQL Server. (or
> use detach/attach database from/to SQL Server).
> There are different edition of SQL Server, from very expensive Enterprise
> Edition, to free version of SQL Server Express/MSDE. If your data value is
> not so big (2G or 4G), you can use MSDE or SQL Server Express for free. Of
> course, some basic knowledge on SQL Server is required (I mean a bit more
> and complicated that required by using Access).
> If you want those data being transferred to Access DB, then you can ask yo
ur
> SQL Server host to export it to a *.mdb file. However, in general, only da
ta
> can be transferred, server object used in that database (view, sp... they
> may contain critical logics for using the database) would not be
> transferred. So, you would need to build a sort of front end app inorder t
o
> use your data. Unless the only thing you need is the data.
> "Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:389AA3B8-1996-487C-A65D-29F4E5404246@.microsoft.com...
>
>|||The company is not using the system to it's fullest potential. The users are
not computer savvy and would prefer a more simple system ie: Access. They
don't want to be paying the fees associated to a program they don't use.
They have 7 years of data they need to access and I have to figure out how.
Once we access the data and can retrieve the reports and pictures we won't b
e
using the system. We want to transfer it to Access.
Thanks
"Keith Kratochvil" wrote:

> You are taking a big step backward going from SQL Server to MS Access and
an
> even bigger step if you go to Excel.
> Microsoft SQL Server is an enterprise level relational database management
> system.
> Microsoft Access is a database engine but it is not quite enterprise level
.
> MS Excel is can be used to display information to management types and
> create pretty reports, but it is by no means an enterprise storage
> technology.
>
> IF your host sends you the correct information -- backup files created via
> the T-SQL BACKUP command OR database and log files after they ran
> sp_detach_db -- you should be able to restore the database(s) to a SQL
> Server in your environment.
>
> SQL Server does not have "files" (like Excel). It is more similar to MS
> Access in that it has tables within one container (a database).
>
> --
> Keith Kratochvil
>
> "Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:389AA3B8-1996-487C-A65D-29F4E5404246@.microsoft.com...
>
>|||Eddie,
You can certainly use Access as the front-end program for
your users, even if you maintain the data in SQL Server.
SQL Server in fact has no front-end, really - just a set of
management tools, so you have many options for your
users.
Since no one has mentioned it, don't overlook the Workgroup
Edition of SQL Server, which might be good for your needs.
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodin...e-features.mspx
Steve Kass
Drew University
Eddie wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>The company is not using the system to it's fullest potential. The users a
re
>not computer savvy and would prefer a more simple system ie: Access. They
>don't want to be paying the fees associated to a program they don't use.
>They have 7 years of data they need to access and I have to figure out how.
>Once we access the data and can retrieve the reports and pictures we won't
be
>using the system. We want to transfer it to Access.
>Thanks
>"Norman Yuan" wrote:
>
>|||Maybe SQL Server Express combined with MS Access front-ends is the answer.
SS Express is free.
Randall Arnold
"Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:49490C53-3ADC-418F-8E8F-A7468A98DEE4@.microsoft.com...[vbcol=seagreen]
> The company is not using the system to it's fullest potential. The users
> are
> not computer savvy and would prefer a more simple system ie: Access. They
> don't want to be paying the fees associated to a program they don't use.
> They have 7 years of data they need to access and I have to figure out
> how.
> Once we access the data and can retrieve the reports and pictures we won't
> be
> using the system. We want to transfer it to Access.
> Thanks
> "Keith Kratochvil" wrote:
>|||So, summarize what you want:
1. You have data stored in database of someone's SQL Server;
2. You need to get all data out in this database and svae them in some
formats you choose;
3. You do not need application related server objects/logics in the database
(views, stored procedures, UDFs) once you retrieved the data;
4. The SQL Server host would not do the data retrieving for you. They can
only give you the backup or data file of the database.
Since you want to transfer data from SQL Server to Access (more accurately,
Jet database), there may be some degree of data or data type or data
accuracy loss because of the differences of the two data engine.
Here is what I would do:
1. Get full backup or detached database file (latter would be better);
2. Install a MSDE, which is free version of SQL Server, if the data file of
the database (*.mdf) is less than 2GB.
3. Restore/attach the databse to MSDE.
4. Use Access as tool to connect to MSDE and start retrieve data. You can
create an Access ADP project to use as MSDE front end UI. Then you can open
each table to export, or write some macro/VBA code to retireve specific data
and output to specific format.
5. Since I have the database on my onw, no-cost MSDE engine, I can try and
try until satisfied totally (of course do it on a copy of the data).
6, Do the final retrieving and then uninstall the MSDE.
"Eddie" <Eddie@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E426270B-5851-456C-B190-1D747BAFA433@.microsoft.com...[vbcol=seagreen]
> The company is not using the system to it's fullest potential. The users
> are
> not computer savvy and would prefer a more simple system ie: Access. They
> don't want to be paying the fees associated to a program they don't use.
> They have 7 years of data they need to access and I have to figure out
> how.
> Once we access the data and can retrieve the reports and pictures we won't
> be
> using the system. We want to transfer it to Access.
> Thanks
> "Norman Yuan" wrote:
>