simple network application

[chinhow]

I would like to do a simple network application and these applications reside on the different terminals can access to the same database. Can i do it in the following ways?

1. Setup a pier-to-pier network.
2. Design a MS Access Database
3. Save the database into one of the terminal's share folder. eg \\MIS-01\ShareDocuments
4. All DataAdapters designed referencing to that share folder.

Question1
I have tested with a simple application and it works fine, and i would like to know whether there is another way to do this or what kind of consequences of doing these?

Question2
I know that this also can be done using the SQL Server, what are the advantages of using SQL Server over the above.

[Edneeis]

The main answer to both is performance. In most cases that setup is fine. If you ran it using SQL Server you would have much better performance though. The big advantage with SQL Server is that it processes the query server side and only sends back the resulting records, where as Access will send all the data to the application and let that computer sort out the results.

[chinhow]

Thanks for your explanation, but may i know where can i find more information about SQL Server.

[Edneeis]

Most .NET packages come with MSDE which is a cut down developer version of SQL Server. After its installed there is a help file 'Books Online' that should be able to answer most of your questions.