ODBC is just a connector. It connects you to a back end database
engine. MS pushes the JET (Access) engine in just about everything.
JET isn't multi-user scaleable (atleast not what most people would
accept as scaleable) since the engine runs on the same machine as
the ODBC driver.
SQL Server is client/server oriented. The DB engine runs remotely
on the SQL Server, therefore the client doesn't have the CPU processing
requirements. Now you might think: "wouldn't JET be faster because the
processing is spread across each client?". The simple answer is no.
Mainly because you have to traverse the indexes over the network,
whereas
the SQL Server traverses the indexes over (hopefully) a FAST SCSI-II/III
bus. Generally the data moving between the client/server is almost
nothing compared to what JET sends across the wire.
My experience with running RadiusNT against MS Access is nothing
short of disappointing. The intermitten 5-12 second delays of
"grindage" are unacceptable in an authentication environment. These
do NOT happen when you have RadiusNT up against SQL Server.
-- Dale E. Reed Jr. (daler@iea.com)_________________________________________________________________ IEA Software, Inc. | RadiusNT, Emerald, and NT FAQs Internet Solutions for Today | http://www.emerald.iea.com