United States   Change   |   All Microsoft Sites

Home - SQL Server 2005

Microsoft Home  |  Servers and Tools

SSMA for Access Readme

The SQL Server documentation team cannot answer technical support questions, but welcomes your suggestions and comments about this documentation. You can send e-mail feedback by using the following link: submit feedback.

Please send your feedback in English.

Contents:

1.0 Introduction

Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) for Access is a tool for migrating databases from Microsoft Access 97 and later versions to Microsoft SQL Server 2005. SSMA for Access converts Access database objects to SQL Server database objects, loads those objects into SQL Server, and then migrates data from Access to SQL Server.

The following steps show the basic process for using SSMA for Access:

  1. Install SSMA for Access.

  2. Open SSMA and obtain a license, as prompted.

  3. Create a new SSMA project.

  4. Add one or more Access database files to the project.

  5. Connect to the target instance of SQL Server.

  6. Convert Access database objects to SQL Server 2005 object definitions.

  7. Optionally, create an assessment report to analyze a conversion from Access to SQL Server.

  8. Load the converted objects into SQL Server 2005.

  9. Migrate Access data to SQL Server 2005.

    Note:  You can now perform the previous three steps by using the Convert, Load, and Migrate command.

  10. If you want your Access applications to use the data in SQL Server, link the Access tables to the SQL Server tables.

For more information, see the SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access Help file. This is installed with the SSMA for Access client components. For support, contact accssma@microsoft.com

Licensing
When you open SSMA, you will be prompted to obtain a license from the Microsoft Web site. Follow the instructions in the licensing dialog boxes to obtain a license. You will register with your Windows Live ID. Make sure that you download the license to the directory that is specified in the License Management dialog box.

2.0 What's New

The November 2006 release of SSMA for Access contains the following changes:

  • A new Database Migration Wizard that guides you through the migration of a single database from Access to SQL Server.

  • A new Convert, Load, and Migrate command that converts Access databases, loads the converted objects into SQL Server, and migrates data into SQL Server all in one step.

  • Improved query migration. Query migration now converts more SELECT queries to views. For more information, see Converting Access Database Objects.

  • You can now edit table and index properties on the SQL Server Table tab.

  • New global settings:

    • You can opt to show line numbers in editor windows.

    • You can configure SSMA to prompt to replace duplicate objects, or always or never replace duplicate objects during schema conversion.

  • A new conversion option lets you specify if SSMA displays a warning when a complex query contains a wildcard.

3.0 Installation and Upgrade

3.1 Prerequisites


3.2 How to Install SSMA for Access

SSMA is a Web download. To download the latest version, see the SQL Migration product page.

From the download page, SSMA is installed by running a Windows Installer package. When you download the package, you will be prompted either to open it immediately, or to save the package to your computer.

  • If you select Open, the Windows Installer package is downloaded to a temporary location, and then the Setup program starts. Follow the instructions in the Setup program to install the SSMA client to the local computer.

  • If you select Save, a Save As dialog box opens. You can save the Windows Installer .msi file to your computer, and then run it to install SSMA.

The default installation location is C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access.


3.3 Upgrading SSMA for Access

If you want to upgrade to a later version of SSMA for Access, you must first uninstall SSMA for Access, and then install the newer version.

If you open a project from an earlier version of SSMA for Access, SSMA will ask if you want to convert the project to the newer version. Click Yes to work with the project in the newer version of SSMA.

4.0 Documentation Notes

There are currently no documentation notes.

Migration for Access

Try SQL Server

Download the beta software

Buy SQL Server