Geosync Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Updated 2009-09-24 | Filed under Geosync | PDF

How does Geosync work?

Geosync uploads and downloads table data from all the copies of your database to EQL Data servers. Our server acts as the master replica, so it will always be available, and you can reach it from anywhere on the Internet.

How frequently does the table resync occur?

That is your decision. You trigger the resync by pushing a button, setting a timer, or calling a VBA function.

Common sense would suggest that you might want to resync when opening a database, so that the user will be working with the latest information, and again when they close, so that their new information is uploaded. But if there is certain information that you want forwarded more rapidly you can trigger a resync at any point.

(Read more about setting the sync frequency.)

Is Geosync real time data replication?

No. Not in the sense of a user changing a value in the database and it being instantly updated to all other users.

With all decisions like this, there are costs and benefits. As you know, a split Access database within a local area network is sharing data in real time. The challenge is then sharing the data with other users that are geographically distant. If there is a user requirement to instantly share data across a wide geographic area, it was probably never designed using a Microsoft Access database.

But there are many organizations with a Microsoft Access database that would truly benefit by the opportunity to sync copies on a near real time basis – whether it be hourly, daily, weekly or just occasionally.

Must my database be split between frontend and backend?

No. EQL Access Geosync will work on either split or unsplit Access databases.

In my split database, which user will trigger the resync?

That is your design choice. You can have one user sync, or all the users, or run a sync task in the background on your server.

Can we have an Access database in the office and let some users use it from home?

EQL Access Geosync is an ideal solution for this scenario. Set up your office copy with the EQL Geosync plugin. Trigger its first sync to EQL Data. Then copy your office version to your employee’s laptop or home computer. They can then sync to the current data when they use their local Access database at home.

Do I need to be a programmer to implement Geosync?

No, not at all.

Using Geosync is no more difficult that pressing a button on the Access toolbar. Your only challenge is to remember to press that EQL Sync button!

If you know a bit of Access programming, you can embed the sync feature into an event so that it is triggered automatically.

Do I need an Internet connection during use of my Access database?

No. The Internet connection is needed only during the sync process. Otherwise, your Access database is running locally on your PC/laptop and no Internet connection is needed. A traveling user can sync before they leave for the airport, and have complete use of the database while in transit. They can then resync for the latest information any time / anywhere they have an Internet connection.

Is Geosync an alternative to building a web application for off-site users?

Yes. Porting or redesigning an existing Access database to be a web based solution takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and a lot of risk. This is particularly true if your Access database has a lot of customized features in the forms and reports. It is tremendously simpler to give a copy of your database to each off-site user and have Geosync provide common table data to everyone.

We give different users different versions of our frontend application. Will it work with Geosync?

Yes. You can choose which data and objects are synced with which copies of the database. You can continue to have variations between copies of the frontend. But do see the User Guide on this topic for more in depth information.

How can I be sure that our data is hosted in a reliable secure location?

EQL Data compared a great number of hosting solutions when configuring our servers. Security and reliability were key factors. Another key factor was cost – because we want to maintain an affordable price for our customers.

The solution we found that satisfied all three important parameters of affordability, security, and reliability was a combination of Slicehost.com and the Amazon EC2 hosting service. We have been very pleased with these services so far.

Do I need to implement Microsoft Access’s replication feature?

No. EQL Data handles the entire replication task. Note that Microsoft replication is not offered in the Access 2007 accdb format, but accdb files will still work with EQL Data. (Read a comparison between EQL and Microsoft replication.)

We have a campus wide local area network, and our Access database is really slow. Can Geosync help us?

Yes. Your Access database is probably split, meaning there is the frontend (FE) on your PC and a backend (BE) on a server somewhere on campus. You will want to do a time trial, which should involve your IT person.

Unsplit your database or simply have both FE and a copy of the BE on your PC, rather than using the network, and be sure your local FE is relinked to the local BE tables. Test your database response time. If the campus network is the cause of slowness, you should notice a speed improvement. If that helped, you can now install Geosync to keep your copy in sync with the campus server.

We would like to have clients view dynamically changing Access Reports. Emailing them is a hassle. Could Geosync help us?

Yes. You would make a copy of your database that has only the Report objects that you want them to view. They could resync to the current table data from your database and this way get constantly updating Reports.

You might also find EQL Access OnWeb useful here.

Let's get started!

You can start using EQL Data just by downloading the plugin. Please visit our download page.

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