How to store more information using FormsAuthentication?

Transferring Information using the Internet

• I have multiple geographic locations ? each with internet access Each location has a microsoft database containing retail information (sales, inventory ect) One location is the warehouse, all others are stores. I will refer to each by those names. I need the following exchange of information: Stores need to transfer information to the warehouse (up to 50mb) Warehouse needs to transfer information to each store. Also, if possible: stores would be able to see each other?s information, in real time (such as inventory) information getting transferred would be secure. we would not need a dedicated web server Whatever method accomplishes this would have to be transparent to the end user. We would have to be able to control it using Visual Basic. We will be able to handle the specifics of this, we only mention it to be sure that it can be done. We need options on getting this accomplished. We have explored the FTP option and believe that there is too much administrative overhead for this model to work for us.

• Answer:

  Hi, What we need to do here is take much of this out of the equation. Right now you are trying to transfer data, and then set it up (some how) so that the stores can read it, and not get it mixed up with data that just came in, and check stores as they transfer data back and forth, and hope that some how they aren't getting mixed up. Possible? yes, but why bother? What you need in a situation like this is a centralized database, which the stores and the warehouse talk to in real time, without the need to use a VPN or some other such setup. Basically, that means a database server. This use to be quite an expense, but these days it is pretty easy to get and setup. Its just we aren't use to thinking of them in these terms. What we will use here is MySQL, on an ISP that offers MySQL as a database for a website. To connect to the MySQL database from your stores and the warehouse, we will use the ODBC driver. What this does for your Access database (and your Visual Basic programming) is create the tables in your Access database so that they look and feel to the user and programmer, just as if they were basic Access tables. Only they aren't, they are on the ISP server. The ODBC driver is very easy to get and install. It is located here: http://www.mysql.com/products/connector/odbc/ And there is a reference manual for it here: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/odbc.html Once installed on each of the clients, you connect to the data tables directly with Access, or with Visual Basic controlling Access. Using Visual Basic you can setup your backup schedules, and access reports and just about anything you want to get done. MySQL is a full database server, so real time reports are now possible as well. Depending on how you setup the warehouse functions for instance, your warehouse can be "live" with the MySQL database, and therefore show live inventory. The fact that all the stores are using different ISP's is irrelevant, just so long as they can connect to the internet and to your web hosting server. No FTP, no SOAP, none of that other stuff. Web hosting that comes with MySQL as a feature is very inexpensive these days, in fact I've seen some as low as $10.00 a month (hummingbird for example). MySQL itself is very easy to use, and the ISP will already have it setup for you. Your programmer just needs to setup the tables and the databases. There are some differences with the date and time fields, and some other minor things, but nothing you can't work around or adjust. Have your programmer look over the MySQL information (also on that website http://www.mysql.com ) and if there is anything he sees as a stumbling block, use the Clarification Request here and I'll point him in the direction for a solution. I've done this setup several times, and really its very simple. You can do this with MS_SQL Server, but the costs are normally (for a small shop like you describe here), too much to be worth the trouble. Thanks, and if you have any questions on this solution, just use the clarification request function and I'll address them for you. webadept-ga