Question

I know Access is not the way to go to implement security – but for now, What is the recommended security mechanism to implement user level security over a access 2010 database w/ a split database architecture?
Any comments/pointers-to-tutorials would be appreciated.

EDIT (after the question was closed):
I am sorry that admins think that this would promote debates. I didn’t knew that discussion on security in access 2010 would do that. sorry about that.

Answer 1

If you use the mdb format as opposed to the 2010 format, then you can use the built in User level security. As noted this is a file based system, and thus can never really be that secure.

Another approach is to use one of the many free editions of SQL server or even MySql as the back end database part. So you develop in Access, but use a free database server for the tables.

So Access 2010 still does support User Level Security for files, but you have to use + create a mdb file as opposed to accDB file.

And it not clear what you mean by security? For some this means issuing logons and user passwords. For others, it simply means locking up the design parts of the application and restricting users from making changes to the application. Keep in mind restricting changes to the application is not really some kind of “user” security. You can lock up and prevent changes to the application without using the built in security system. So keep the concept of preventing users from using particular forms or tables (user security based on a logon) as opposed to the idea of preventing users from making design changes or looking at code (not user security, but simply a locked down application which does not require user logon’s and setting of permissions).