MS-Access and Net Framework - Essay Example

MS-Access and .Net framework MS Access is one among the widely used database. It is used to develop database and maintain them in a hassle free manner. Since the operations in Access is simple, it is considered to be a user friendly database. Access can manage more number of records and those data can be accessed easily. The data stored in Access can be sorted according to the developer's requirements. Apart from sorting filtering is also possible using Access database. Sorting and filtering can be done with much accuracy and effective report generation. These operations can be performed with the use of specialized tools that have been included in MS Access 2007. Access can maintain large database very effectively. The data can be entered into the database and the corresponding report can be generated. When compared to the other database, the complexity of maintaining the records is considerably less. In Access the records can be maintained in a table format. In this process the data is entered into each row of the table. This is a much easier way of entering the required. Access provides an option of entering data by using Forms. It is a separate interface in which data can be entered and edited. Instead of entering data row by row, the data can be entered using a specialized interface. There are several tools in MS Access which makes it one of the efficient databases. It can be used as a back end for developing any sort of application. Application developed on any language can use Access as their database. Features of MS Access 2007 Customized Reports MS Access 2007 includes a feature for user specific report generation. These customized reports can be generated easily. Report Wizard is the additional feature that allows the data to be sorted and grouped. The data to be included in the report can be easily selected. Since this project requires effective report generation, Access is selected as it generates the reports efficiently. This Report wizard allows the user to customize the reports in a serial manner. Tabbed View of Objects This feature allows the records to be displayed as multiple objects. These multiple objects are displayed as tabs. The objects are separated as tabs and the user can select the tabs to view the corresponding objects. This feature improves the user interactivity with the database. As the objects are shown as tabs, the user finds it easy to view the report of individual records. Prebuilt Solutions The prebuilt solution feature allows the user get the required data in a much faster and easier way. This prebuilt solution enables the user to keep track of the events and tasks that take place in a database. These events can be enhanced to suit the requirements of the user. This feature is used in this project to make sure the tasks are performed at the stipulated time. Templates are a part of Access and they can be used to create user specific applications. There is a wide variety of templates and the user can select it according to his requirement. As the templates are categorized, the user can select the template from the desired category. Microsoft .Net Business Advantages The .Net framework, a product offered by the software giant Microsoft, is one of the powerful tools for building applications that is adaptable across multiple platforms. It provides an easy to use interface that enables implementation of Objected Oriented Programming in an easy and efficient way. As general advantages, the framework ensures readability of code, efficiency of its implementation and the transportation of code becomes too easier to handle. Most of the reusable parts of any application work is pre define and built in the framework as libraries. Hence it reduces the overhead of creating these codes again and again. Its framework has a machine that helps in the implementation and running of codes that are developed on different machines in different framework. Also, the communication and synchronisation between old and new systems that is presented within the .Net framework enables easy integration o heterogeneous systems. Because of its unrepeatable advantages that are provided by its inherent system, the business advantages that are obtained are innumerable. Most of the businesses that cater to different categories are looking at the IT world to automate their repeatable tasks and to reduce the overheads in their business process. IT Management plays a major role in justification and prioritization of business requirements for any business. Though the expected goals of each business were met through IT technology, many felt that it is very slow in achieving the same, then came the introduction of this framework which helps in keeping up with the pace of business requirements and helping developers to meet the specified deadlines. It also helped in increasing the quality and efficiency of the systems that were delivered. The different types of applications that can be developed with this framework include web base application that are implementing distributed systems, applications that could help in the development of increasing financial strategies and accounting works, Application that work n the back end side of any application. That is, working in the management of the database of the source application. Also, this framework enables in the development of web service based programs, wherein data is transferred from one system with one technology to another system with a completely opposite and different technology. Nowadays, mobile based applications are also developed using this framework, wherein the entire services that are offered through a processor and CPU is being offered by those hand held devices. The framework has already become a rage among developers and it considered to be the base language for future OS developments. An example of such a development is the new OS version of Microsoft called as the Longhorn. The reason behind such a staggering rate of appreciation is that the amount invested by business people for converting it to IT based business is almost returned in double, once the application is implemented to real time use. Some of the features that help in achieving this is the operational costs are being considerably reduced. This in turn helps in the reduction of costs like that occur through maintenance, servicing, human resources, employment reduction, storage reduction, material cost reduction etc. The deployment cost that occurs when the software is implemented is totally reduced. Since the framework in itself maintains the synchronisation of all the technologies, the operation that is already been running well before the implementation continue to run well even after the implementation. Mostly, the cost the cost that is occurred through such drastic changes was the main drawbacks of IT revolution. Now, with the introduction of this framework, that has been cleared. Adding to that is the factor called reliability, more often than not, products which are tested in 100 different ways still tend to meet the 100% requirements of the customer. Whereas in a .Net framework, the probability of such a case occurring is very minimal. It has been proved by people who support in such a conversion to IT technology, that the .Net framework has been very reliable and advanced when compared with the rest of the technologies. The other thing that can be taken care of is the security issue. The .Net framework has been designed with some of the most advanced technologies that would enable a high level secure network over any application that is developed in that framework. The service based platform is the next best thing that is happening in the IT industry. This frame work has been developed modelling such requirements and hence creating a service oriented application using technologies such as web services would be run of the mill work in a .Net Framework. It helps in the maximisation of the entire investment. It makes the developer clearly understand the requirements and allows modifying the documentation whenever required. In previous cases it was impossible to do such an alteration. But in this framework, it allows you to baseline whatever work that is done previously and allows one to work only on the backup copy. This in itself is one of the biggest advantages that a developer could have been provided with. Especially in developing web based applications, it allows very minimal usage of data for form deign. This in turn reduces the data traffic while loading data. Any kind of end user would be put off if the page he/she is looking into takes longer time than expected. And the longer time here is a mere 5 -10 seconds. So this framework especially helps in such designs wherein configuring the relative paths, setting up of locations, creating build paths and deploy files has become relatively easy. When developing an application for a non technical team of members like the Sweeney Catering, these are some of the issues that need to be taken care of. Getting the requirements clear would be the first thing that should be done. Unless and otherwise the business needs are mentioned clear, it would be hard for any developer to develop a software in any kind of framework. The next thing that needs to be looked out for is the people who will be using it. The audience needs to be targeted first. Based on the design and flow would follow. Since here, it is a non technical team of people who are handling the software, the design and implementation should be done keeping them in the mind. Conclusion Thus the usage of Access easily enables the development of database. The maintenance and creation of forms can also be considered as an easy to use advantage of Access database. In addition to that, some of the disadvantages of using Access database include that it requires large amount of investment to purchase its license. And additionally, using access to manage large amount of data seems to be a highly tedious task when compared with other database software such as Oracle or MySQL. The writing of queries also can be considered as a tedious task. Overall, Access can be considered as one of the best options when there is very small amount of data and the usage is not very mission critical as there is a chance to compromise the security. Read More