Food in Focus 2. Database Issues

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We have an issue with Food in Focus 2. This is network deployed software that runs a client from a share, and the client talks to an Access database also on the share. Clients are running Win 10 1703, and server's running 2012 R2.

 

Once we get above 20 or so students running concurrently the client will start to give a "Unable to connect to database" error for any other users that want to use it.

 

Anecdotally, rebooting the PC can solve this, but I'm wondering if it's because other students have stopped using it.

 

My experience with Access databases is they get flaky above a handful of users, which is why most products switch to SQL server at this point.

 

Anyone have any ideas how I can fix or troubleshoot this?

 

Food in Focus' support say they have tested with 30 users and it has worked fine, and they can't help further.

 

Thanks

[theriver]

Ah yes, the old "It works fine for us" defence ;-)

 

The problem is that developers will often stress test applications under 'perfect' conditions, e.g. on a test server that’s doing nothing else and on a quiet network. Of course these things then get run from a busy server over a congested network…..

 

I don’t know anything about this application, for example if users are just reading from it or if it gets written to as well, but:

- Is there any kind of inbuilt maintenance routine? Does running that help?

- If not does opening the data file in Access and running a compact / repair help? (backup first!)

 

Try making access to the data file as quick as possible. For example, are the PC’s on-access virus scanning the data file? Try excluding it.

 

If the users aren’t writing to the database, i.e. it’s just acting like a read-only data repository, does the data file have to live on the network? Can it be installed locally?

[Gongalong]

The problem is that developers will often stress test applications under 'perfect' conditions, e.g. on a test server that’s doing nothing else and on a quiet network. Of course these things then get run from a busy server over a congested network…..

Yep, exactly. They say they've tested with 30 users. Was it even 30 concurrent users?

I don’t know anything about this application

Essentially students create recipes that get stored in the database.

for example if users are just reading from it or if it gets written to as well, but:

Is there any kind of inbuilt maintenance routine? Does running that help?

No, nothing like that unfortunately.

If not does opening the data file in Access and running a compact / repair help? (backup first!)

Will try that.

Try making access to the data file as quick as possible. For example, are the PC’s on-access virus scanning the data file? Try excluding it.

Will try that also.

 

Thanks!