Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 11 Committed to Shaping the Next Generation of IT Experts. Chapter 9 Bulletproofing the Database Exploring Microsoft Office Access 2007 Robert Grauer, Keith Mulbery, Maurie Wigman Lockley

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 2 Objectives Encrypt and password protect a database Digitally sign and publish a database Save the database as an ACCDE file Analyze database documentation Analyze database performance

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 3 Objectives Analyze database table structure and relationships Move data to a new database file Analyze/optimize object relationships in a database Create usable switchboards

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 4 Data Protection Countermeasures  Measures taken to protect your assets Access provides three countermeasure strategies  Password Protection  Ability to digitally sign database  Creation of ACCDE file

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 5 Password Protection Prevents unauthorized use of a file Need to follow certain guidelines  Include combination of letters and numbers  Six or eight characters long  Combine uppercase, lowercase and symbols Combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, letters and symbols Good criD8st! Bad Smith18 Last name and age

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 6 Assigning a Password in Access Open database for Exclusive Use  Access open dialog box  Click arrow next to Open button  Click Open Exclusive Use the Encrypt with Password command Database tools tab, database tools group Click to add password Prompt to Open database in Exclusive mode

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 7 Assigning a Password in Access Enter password in Password text box Reenter password in Verify text box  If no match, you must re-verify Enter password Verify password

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 8 Removing a Password Open in Exclusive mode Choose Decrypt database  Database Tools group, Database Tools tab Enter the Password, click OK Enter Password Decrypt Password

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 9 Digitally Sign and Publish a Database - Terminology Digital Signature  Electronic Authentication Certification authority  Commercial company that validates signatures Timestamp  Encrypts date/time as part of the signature

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 10 Creating a Digital Signature Click the Office button Click Publish Select Package and Sign Package and Sign

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 11 Creating a Digital Signature Select a certificate Click OK  Can also view existing certificate Database is packaged as ACCDE file

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 12 ACCDE Files When saved as an ACCDE file  Visual Basic code is removed  Certain permissions are denied  Use of database objects is prohibited  Code and objects can be used They can not be modified Previous Versions = MDE files Office 2007 = ACCDE files

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 13 Creating an ACCDE File Package and Sign a file OR Click Make ACCDE file  Database Tools tab, database tools group Click Save  Uses the same filename unless specified Make ACCDE file Save As dialog box ACCDE extension

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 14 Caution: ACCDE Files Before converting to ACCDE format Make a back-up copy  Conversion cannot be undone!  Changes may need to be made later ACCDE file can’t be modified Modify the backup and re-convert You must open in exclusive mode

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 15 Database Analysis Tools Access provides three tools  Database Documenter  Performance Analyzer  Table Analyzer

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 16 The Database Documenter Creates documentation on all objects  Create a data dictionary Itemizes and lists object attributes Click Database Documenter  Database Tools tab, Analyze Group Database Documenter

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 17 Using the Database Documenter Select objects to include in report Generate the report by clicking OK Documenter Report Database Documenter dialog box

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 18 The Performance Analyzer Identifies design flaws Analyzes one or more objects Recommends optimizations Launched by clicking Analyze Performance  Database Tools tab, Analyze Group Performance Analyzer

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 19 Using the Performance Analyzer Select objects to analyze Results Select the objects to analyze View results in the Results Analysis pane  Given three potential solution for problems Recommendations – click icon to make changes Suggestion – click the icon to make changes Idea – You must implement manually

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 20 Table Analyzer Examines how tables are structured Aids in normalization—eliminating redundant data Three different levels of normalization  1NF (First Normal Form) – Repeating groups eliminated  2NF – Removes partial dependences  3NF – Removes transitive dependencies

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 21 Using the Table Analyzer Click Analyze Table  Database Tools tab, Analyze Group Analyzer Wizard launches Identify table for analysis Make desired choices in Wizard Click Finish Analyze Table Identify table to analyze

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 22 Splitting a Database Back-end  Contains only tables Front-end  Contains forms, queries, report – no tables One database Front-end Copy of original database excluding tables Back-end Copy of original database only tables Split

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 23 Database Splitter Creates front-end and back-end simultaneously Prompts to back up the database Prompts you to name both ends Database Splitter

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 24 Understand Normalization Progression from one normal form to the next 1NF Promotes atomic fields  Fields that contain only one value 2NF removes partial dependencies  Depends on part of a composite key 3NF removes transitive dependencies Relationship problems between tables

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 25 Switchboards Allow non-Access users to use Database Provide an attractive graphical interface Provides an intuitive environment Switchboard

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 26 Create a Switchboard Use the Switchboard Manager  Database Tools tab, Database Tools group Click Yes to create new switchboard Click Edit in Switchboard Manager Click Edit

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 27 Completing the Switchboard Manager Type text to appear in menu Choose how to how to open object Click Form arrow  Select object to run Repeat process for additional items

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. 28