Developer Forum

Hi I recently finished my application using
Visual Basic 2005 Professional and MS SQL Server 2005 Standard.

However, I have a new project at hand that I haven't done before.

I need to write an application that is portable installed in laptops that
will not connect in the network. Basically, this application is only use
when the main program server fails due to disaster or what not. I work for a
medical group... the doctor needs to view the patient's medical records while
the network or remote server is down. My questions are the following:

1) Can I install Microsft SQL 2005 express with my Microsoft Server 2005
in my developer computer?

2) How can I update the embeded database once the custom application is
installed in laptop without using any network connection? Can the database
be embeded an automatically be updated using msi (Microsoft Installer).

3) Do I have to install the Microsoft SQL 2005 express to each target
laptops?
I cannot use any networking connection because this application is for
disaster situation when network is down and should be stand alone. My boss
vision is to have this application with current data be installed to the
laptop with one click that any body can install without help from tech
support.

I appreciate any feedback from the experts.

Sincerely,
Judith

--
Business Analyst/Programmer Analyst

What is "Microsoft Server 2005". If you mean a version of SQL Server 2005,
other than Express version, then yes, you can install Multiple instance of
SQL Server200x in the same computer, regardless its eidtion, be it Express,
Std, or Developer...



It is up to you to make sure the data in the disconnected laptop
update-to-date. since the off-line laptops are only used when the network
server is down, one possible way could be make sure a latest backup of the
SQL Server database is somehow always available somewhere in a mobile media.
Then when its is time to use your off-line app on the laptops, the first
thing the app does is to find the back database file and then restore it to
the SQL Server instance on the laptop. Once the restore is done, your app on
the laptop should have data up-to-date to the point of time of backup.

Just a thought. There could be a lot other ways to do it



Probably you have to, unless you choose other database engine, such as Jet
(MS Access), SQL Server CE...

i Norman,
Thank you for the reply.

On question #2, can you give me suggestion(s) on the best way to update the
database without tech intervention?
My boss thinks that the doctors just need to use exe file and everything
should happen behind the scene because doctors do not need to bother about
copying a file to a particular folder etc. Any suggessions? remember these
are no network connections, we are just going to give the doctors office a cd
or flash drive and they'll run exe file and it should take care of
everything. :)


Thanks,
Judith

--
Business Analyst/Programmer Analyst


"Norman Yuan" wrote:

think the first question you need to ask yourself is how to get the
up-to-date data which is supposed to be stored in the SQL Server of the
network, when it is not available. Be it the database' backup or exported
data set (such as XML file....), is it really up-to-date according to your
app's need? How to access it when the on-line SQL Server is down or the
network is down? If the data (backup of entire database, or simply exported
data) can be brought to mobile media (CD/DVD, Flash memory stick...) easily
and plug into the laptops, then you can figure out how to restore the
backup/import data to SQL Server instance on the laptop.

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