Access Services in SharePoint 2010 - All You Need to Know

1 Slalom Confidential

Access Services in SharePoint 2010 All You Need to Know

Nik Patel SharePoint Solutions Architect, Slalom Consulting


Session Focus and Goals

• Let’s Ask yourself - Are you in the right session?

• This Session is about Access Services 2010, Not Access Databases (Kind of)

• Focus on IT Administrators and Business Analysts

• Mixture of 100 and 200 level contents

• Balanced view of the Product – Highlight the Limitations

• Lots of Demos

• Identify Best Practices


About Me – Speaker Bio

• Nik Patel • Solutions Architect, Slalom Consulting

• MCTS in SharePoint 2007

• M.S. in Computer Science, IIT, Chicago

• Working with SharePoint 2010 since Summer 2009 with heavy focus on OOB functionalities

• Contact Info • Twitter - @nikxpatel

• Email – [email protected]

• LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/nikspatel

• Blog – Nik Patel’s SharePoint World - http://nikspatel.wordpress.com/

• Slalom Twitter: @slalom, @racetowin

mailto:[email protected]

http://nikspatel.wordpress.com/


About You – Quick Survey

Access Database Usage

How many of you have Access Databases in your organizations?

How many of them are not IT managed?

Access Services 2010

Familiarity

How many of you know Access Services 2010?

How many of you are using Access Services 2010 in your organization

at this moment?


Session Agenda

Migration Considerations – Access Databases to Access Services

Access Services Performance Tuning and Maintenance

Typical ways to integrate Access DBs in SharePoint 2010

Access Services Configuration on SharePoint Farm – Step by Step

Access Services– Benefits, Architectural Details, and Limitations

Microsoft Access – Benefits and Challenges


Microsoft Access - Benefits and Challenges

Benefits – Why we love it? • End-user Empowerment - Empowers end-users to develop business

applications quickly at low cost without IT resources

• Data Mash up tool – Gather data from multiple sources ranging from Spreadsheets, SharePoint, Web Services, or ODBC (SQL, Oracle)

• Underground Apps - Easy to build non-customer facing, short-term, low-cost, low-risk, and low-profile Data-Centric Applications

Challenges – Why its notorious? • No Centralization - No true centralized storage or centralized access

• Multiple copies of applications on user’s desktops

• Mismatched Data on user’s desktops

• Lost Applications due to Hard drive Crash

• IT’s biggest headache - Managing Access applications

In Essence, we can’t live without Access Databases or live with Access Databases. Is there any better solution? Migration

Considerations

Access Services Management

Access Services Deployment

Access Services Configuration

Introducing

Access Services

Microsoft Access Benefits and Challenges


Introducing Access Services 2010 Game Changer in Access Space

• New feature to host the entire Access databases within SharePoint 2010

• Available only in the SharePoint 2010 Enterprise Edition • Technical/Business Benefits -

• Balance between business agility and IT manageability

• No Install Solution - Web based Access

• Improved Collaboration – Create and Share web based team databases.

• Centralized Data Storage – Single truth of the Application Logic and Data

• Centralized IT management – Improved Reliability, Scalability, and Manageability

• Access Applications Standardization using Templates – IT can configure/support services, start building out the web database standards, and let end-users manage it

• Improved Backup/Restore Process - Access databases becomes part of the SharePoint Backup and Restore Process.

Migration Considerations




Introducing

Access Services



Access Services – High Level Architecture

SharePoint Browser Interface

Datasheets Project JS

object

Forms ASPX Pages and Data Form Web

Part

SharePoint Lists

Expressions Data and Column Validation Work Flows

Actions

Client

Server

Access Services Service

ADO. Net Data table

Cache

Access Database Client

Referential Integrity – Lookup Columns

Query Processor

Data Access Layer

Reports ASPX Pages and

RDL Viewer


Access Services 2010 – Architectural Details

• Access Service is a middle-tier service • Handles the query processor and data access layer. • Manages communication between Access Web Application and

SharePoint Content Databases. • Uses the SharePoint 2010 Platform Improvements for Lists

• List Relationships (Restrict Insert, Cascade Delete) • Unique Column Constraints • Data Level Validation

• Improves Performance/Scalability

• Allows large record sets (100K) in the SharePoint List using ADO.NET caching layer.

• Allows Paging, Filtering, Sorting, On-demand Data Retrievals against Caching Engine.

• Improved Concurrency Conflicts

• Locks the database at the object level, instead of database file level resulting in fewer conflicts

• Security and Administrative Control

• User Access management based on the SharePoint Security





Introducing

Access Services



Access Services 2010 – Limitations

• Advanced SharePoint Features • Site Content Type, Metadata/Taxonomy, BCS are not supported

• Advanced Access Features • Linked Objects (Linked Tables, Linked SharePoint Lists, or BCS Links) and

VBA/Modules are not supported

• Branding and Color Scheme • Access Services Application adopts look and feel from the Access Client.

• Can’t be configured to inherit the master page branding or color scheme from the parent site collection/web application.

• No Site Settings Menu • No Site Actions menu available in Access Services Web Site.

• No SharePoint Designer Support • SharePoint Designer can’t open the Access Services Site.





Introducing

Access Services



Access Services Configuration on Farm – Step by Step

• Verify that SharePoint 2010 Enterprise CAL is Installed • Make sure Service Infrastructure is enabled

• Manage Services on Server – Access Database Service is started

• Manage Services Applications – Access Services Service Application – Review the Settings, No need to change any performance tuning settings

• Manage Web Applications – Make sure given web application is associated with the Access Service

• Make sure all the features are activated (By Default they are) • Central Admin -> System Settings -> Manage Farm Features -> Access

Services Farm Feature

• Central Admin -> Manage Web Applications -> Select Web Application hosting the Access Services Site -> Manage Web Application Features -> SharePoint Server Enterprise Web application features

• Site Collection -> Site Settings -> SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection features

• Site Collection -> Site Settings -> SharePoint Server Enterprise Site features

• To the Access Reports on the web, Access Services requires • SSRS Add-in for SQL Server 2008 R2 (It doesn’t require SQL 2008 R2)

• Enable Session State Service – http://geekdeck.com/sharepoint-2010-this-report-failed-to-load-because-session-state-is-not-turned-on/





Introducing

Access Services


http://geekdeck.com/sharepoint-2010-this-report-failed-to-load-because-session-state-is-not-turned-on/




























Access Services Configuration Steps


Access Database Deployment to Access Services 2010 Method I - Access Services “Publishing” Model from the Microsoft Access

• Publish Web Legal Access Database as a Access Services Web

Application on the SharePoint Environment. • Data Must be Compatible with the SharePoint List Schema

• Step by Step Deployment Process • From the Backstage -> Publish to Access Services.

• Publishing process creates a new SharePoint Site at the specified Path.





Introducing

Access Services



Access Services “Publishing” Model from the Microsoft Access


Access Database Deployment to Access Services 2010 Access Databases to Access Services Transformation





Introducing

Access Services


Access Database Access Services

ACCDB SharePoint Site

Access Tables and Data SharePoint Lists

Access Queries CAML Entries in the System Tables

Access Forms ASPX Pages using the Data Form Web Parts stored in SharePoint Document Libraries

UI Macros JavaScript Attached to SharePoint ASPX Pages

Design Themes CSS Style Sheets

Access Reports RDL files as Report Definitions and ASPX pages for the Reports (Requires SSRS 2008 R2 Add-in for the SharePoint 2010)

Data Macros SharePoint Workflow Actions

Linked Tables, Linked SharePoint Lists, BCS Links, VBA Code Library

It stored in the Access Services but accessible only from the Access 2010 client


Access Database Deployment to Access Services 2010 Method II – Deploy Access Database as a SharePoint Site Template

• Use this approach to standardize the Access Services Web Database templates to create more than one sites based on same template.

• Step by Step Deployment Process

• Save the Access Database as a Template from the Backstage in Accdt format.

• Browse the SharePoint Site Collection’s Solutions Gallery and upload/Activate Accdt file in the SharePoint solution gallery.

• Visit the New Site Creation Section and Create a new Access Services site based on the custom Accdt web template database.





Introducing

Access Services



Deploy Access Database as a SharePoint Site Template


Access Services 2010 Web Sites Maintenance Considerations

• Access Services runtime environment is both browser and client but design environment is only Microsoft Access client.

• Maintaining Access Services Sites

• From the Options Menu, Click on the “Open In Access” to download the “Connected Microsoft Access” database for design modifications.

• Data Changes – Any data changes on the client syncs to the web in real time.

• Design Changes - Any client changes of the Table Schemas, Forms, Macros, Queries, reports doesn’t sync to web real-time. Use Access Service Sync Model “Sync All” from the backstage to sync interface changes.





Introducing

Access Services



What if you have only SharePoint Foundation 2010?

• SharePoint Foundation 2010 doesn’t have Access Services 2010 but it

has SharePoint Lists and Document Libraries • Transfer Data as Linked SharePoint Lists - Centrally Managed Data

• Store Access DB in the SharePoint Document Library - Centrally Deployed Interface

• Step by Step Deployment Process • From the Access Client DB, visit the Database Tools Tab and Export the

Access Tables to the SharePoint Site as a Lists using “SharePoint” ribbon button

• Upload the Access DB to the SharePoint Document Library.





Introducing

Access Services



Access Databases in SharePoint Foundation 2010 Maintenance Considerations

• Access Services runtime and design environment is only Microsoft Access client.

• Maintaining Access Databases in SharePoint Foundation

• Data Changes - Use the SharePoint lists from the browser or Open the database read-only from the SharePoint, you can change data in the linked tables from the Access Client.

• Design Schema Changes - To make design changes, download the copy of the database to the hard drive, make changes, and upload it back to the document library replacing the previous version of the database.

• Concurrency - Lock is Per Database. When multiple users are making design changes simultaneously, last person who upload the changes back to the SharePoint overwrite the other user changes.

• Best Practices - Make sure versioning and check out is required to avoid concurrent changes while making design changes.





Introducing

Access Services



Access Database Collaboration in the SharePoint Foundation 2010


What if you don’t have Compatible Data?

• You can’t use the Access Services 2010 or SharePoint Foundation Methods showed earlier if you don’t have SharePoint Compatible Data.

• Preferred Approach – Make the Access Data Compatible to

SharePoint • See the Migration Considerations later.

• Interim/Compromised Approach - Use the Hybrid Approach • Meets most real world scenarios

• Migrate Data to the Linked Tables - Move any of the Incompatible Access Data to the SQL Server or another access db (from the database tools tab -> SQL Server or Access).

• Update UI Objects - Update Existing Reports, Forms, and Queries to reference Linked Tables

• Publish Access Database to Access Services - Access the Web Objects from the Browser and Client Objects from the Access Client.

• Fix and Migrate Data Gradually - To migrate the external data in the SharePoint lists, import the previously incompatible data stored in linked tables as local tables into the Access DB, fix the Data and UI browser compatibility issues, and republish it to the Access Web Services.





Introducing

Access Services



Access Services Performance Tuning

• Use Access Services Service Application - From the Central Admin -> Manage Service Applications to Manage Access Services Settings

• Major Settings - Max columns/rows per query, Max sources per query, Max calculated columns per query, Max order clauses per query, Max records per table in the join, Max sessions per users etc.

• Best Practices - Do not change this settings unless you really need to.





Introducing

Access Services



Recap - Typical ways to integrate Access DBs in SharePoint 2010

Good Solution – Document Library and SharePoint Lists

Better Solution – Access Services (Long-Term Solution)

Hybrid Interim Solution – Access Services with Complex Data and UI

Technology Basic Integration in the SharePoint Foundation 2010

Advanced Solution in the SharePoint 2010 Enterprise Edition to host Access databases

Advanced Solution in the SharePoint 2010 Enterprise Edition to host Access databases

Data and UI Compatibility

Requires data must be compatible with the SharePoint.

Requires Data must be compatible with the SharePoint and UI must be compatible for Browser Access

Mixed Compatibility

Data Storage Data is stored in SharePoint Linked Lists

Data is stored in SharePoint Lists Data is stored in combination of SharePoint Lists and Linked Tables

UI Components Storage

UI is stored in Access Database hosted in the Document Library

Browser Compatible UI components are stored as Access Services Web Site.

UI components are stored in Access Client and Access Services Web Site.

Browser Access Data is accessible from browser but requires Access Client for UI

Both Data and UI are accessible from the browser

Variable Browser Access – Only Web Objects are available over web

Access Client Requirements

YES - Requires Access 2010 Client software must exists on the end-users machine.

No - Doesn’t Require Access 2010 Client software on the end-users machine except Designers.

YES – Mixed Environment

Concurrency Low Concurrency - Lock is per database

High Concurrency - Lock is per object

Variable Concurrency





Introducing

Access Services



Migration Considerations (Slide 1 of 4) Migrating Access 2007 Databases to the Access Services 2010





Introducing

Access Services




• Step 1 - Rationalization Process – Analyze Access Databases in the Organization

• Use the OMPM (Office Migration Planning Manager)

• OMPM tool analyzes the Access databases and generates in-depth reports.

• OMPM tool doesn’t analyze the database web compatibility for the Access Services.

• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff453909.aspx

• OMPM is a Geeky tool – Runs by INI file and command line interface.

• Scanning Tool

• Scans across network share or hard drive.

• Generates the cab file/log files about the ACCDB details

• Analysis Tool

• Import the scanned data into Access Db for detailed analysis

• Reports on Database and Issues, Active vs. Old DBs, DBs participated in replication etc.





Introducing

Access Services


http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff453909.aspx





• Step 2 - Migration Process – Make Access 2007 Database Data Web Compatible

• Save the Access 2007 or Previous Versions of DB in the Access 2010 format

• Run the Web Compatibility Checker - It will create the “Web Compatibility Issues” table in the Access Database.

• Analyze and Fix the Web Compatibility Issues - Rerun the Web Compatibility Checker until Access database is web compatible with Access Services

• Major Issues

• Invalid Column and Table Names

• Composite Keys and Compound Indexes

• Declarative Referential Integrity

• Primary and Foreign Text Keys

• OLE data types needs converted into attachment data types.

• Tables with the recursive relationships to manage parents and child data in same table are not supported in SharePoint.





Introducing

Access Services




• Step 3 - Design the UI for full web compatibility

• Create new web objects - Navigation (tabbed interface), Web Forms, Web Reports with the new themes and look and feel for web compatibility

• Set the Main Navigation Form - Set Web Display form from the Backstage | Options | Current Database page and Select the Web Display Form

• Step 4 - Publish the Web Legal Format to the SharePoint

• Publish web legal format database to the Access Services.

• Publishing Issues - Web compatibility checker doesn't check all the database issues. Publishing process logs the issues in the "Move to SharePoint Site Issues" table.

• Incompatible data (e.g. invalid date, hyperlinks etc.)

• Invalid Expressions entered manually without Expression Builder may cause publishing process fail





Introducing

Access Services



Access Services Best Practices Recap

• Don’t Ignore this Product (After all its available to use if you have SharePoint Enterprise CAL)

• If you have access databases in your organization, do not ignore this product.

• Migration Should be taken Seriously • Keep remind yourself that Migrating Access applications to Access Services is not

straightforward. Additionally, document and standardize the migration process.

• Standardize the Access Applications • Build Templates to standardize the Access Services Applications (e.g. OOB Projects

Database).

• Going Forward, Use New Web Database Format • Going forward, Start all the client Microsoft Access databases with the web database

template to make sure its always compatible with SharePoint and Access Services.

• Guard Default Access Service Settings • Change the Access Services Performance Settings, only if you must.


Online Resources

• Access Team Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/b/access/

• Access 2010 Web Conversion Service Offering http://www.access2010converter.com/index.html

• Nik Patel’s Article on Access Services http://nikspatel.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-access-services-2010/

• TechNet – Access Services Planning http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee683869.aspx

• TechNet - Access Services Administration http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee692394.aspx

• TechNet – Access Services Whitepaper http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff397963.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/access/

http://www.access2010converter.com/index.html



http://nikspatel.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-access-services-2010/



















http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee683869.aspx












Questions & Answers

Thank You Enjoy the SharePoint Saturday!!

Access Services in SharePoint 2010 - All You Need to Know

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