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Ever since I started vb.Net programming, I have been using MS Access as back-end for all my programs.

It is easy to publish application with the MS Access database and run it on another PC without installing the MS Access database.

But now, the project I am working on needs a database with high storage capacity which means MS Access is no longer an option and I have chosen to use SQL Server. Now my question is do I have to install SQL Server on any system that the application will be run on? If so, how will I copy the database that I created on my development machine to other system so that my application will connect to it? Or is there any simpler way of doing this?

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  • MS Access can handle HUGE database. Size isn't the reason to abandon Access... sharing is. Sql Server, as it's name implies, is meant to run on a server, so it can be safely accessed by multiple stations at the same time (or multiple threads from the same station, as in the case of a web server). It's actually a poor choice for a database on a single user's workstation. Commented Dec 16, 2018 at 22:54

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SQL Server is a client/server DBMS so you only install the database on the shared server. .NET includes SqlClient, which provides the client components needed for SQL Server applications.

There are a number of options for database deployment. Although you could use restore or attach your development database for the initial database deployment, that won't work well for future upgrades (assuming you want to keep data). Consider using T-SQL scripts and/or SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). That will allow you to create new databases, such as for development and testing, as well as upgrade existing ones.

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Ok if this be the case, how can i use it as Ms Access db? because my application doesn't need any server so everything will happen in client's computer.
@NellyRobert, so this is a single-user application? You can use SQL Express (including LocalDB) by installing it on the same machine as the client.
Yes it's a single user application. What about backup/restore because the database needs to be frequently backup so that it can be restored in another machine if the current one is faulty?
@NellyRobert, yes, periodic backups are needed as part of a recovery plan. Consider storing the backup on another machine or cloud to protect against loss in a worst-case scenario.
I appreciate your concern and help

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