SQL Server backend and Access frontend - ODBC Connection to SQL Server native client failed

Question

I have a SQL Server 2008 database as a back end and Access as a front end. Is it required to have SQL Server Management Studio installed for Access to connect to the SQL database.

The SQL database is on a server not on my local machine. I just reconfigured my computer and have not installed SQL Server Management Studio yet. I was trying to open the database in Access but I get this error message saying:

ODBC Connection to SQL Server Native Client10.0 "Server name" failed.

So how can I get Access to connect to the SQL Server database without having SQL Server management studio?

Answer 1

Its not that you need SSMS, its that you need a driver for Access to talk to your database and SSMS installs that by default.

First install a driver, like this one and then Access should be able to connect.

Then, you need to make sure that your SQL Server instance is setup to be connected remotely. If you have other clients connecting to it, this is already set up. But make sure TCP/IP is enabled.

Finally, check your connection string.

Based on the error, I would guess that its one of the latter two problems. But trying those, perhaps you could post more information to narrow it down.