Question : SQL Server Hosting @ work vs hosting service

I currently am storing our companies database @ discountasp.net - it comes with 300MB space for the SQL Server database - but it keeps growing and i dont want to be paying $5/month/50mb because that seems incredibly expensive.

My goal is to have it hosted internally @ work but i'm not sure how to go about that.  We are a storage company so we have 1-2tb drives just laying around not being used - enclosures/cpus/etc.

I also need to have it so it can be accessed by our software by our outside employees.  So for John in Florida - or myself @ home - all i need is the software and an internet connetion/login and i have access to the database.

**Previously we had the database in-house during the beta-testing of the new software - then we moved it online so all employees could start using it**

Tips/etc - all appreciated - I think i can handle the moving of the database in-house - i really just dont know how to make the SQL Database accessable to everyone outside of the office.

Thanks!

Answer : SQL Server Hosting @ work vs hosting service

Hi,

I hope you understand how to move the DB to local server. Once you move the DB to your local server then at your local SQL server simply enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a outside the office, also turn on the SQL Server Browser service on local SQL server and finally from your Router/Firewall at your local office open port 1433 inbound to your local SQL server, so your outside users can access your database. Follow these steps:

1. Enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a outside the office.
a. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Surface Area Configuration.
b. On the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration page, click Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
c. On the Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections page, expand Database Engine, click Remote Connections, click Local and remote connections, click the appropriate protocol to enable for your environment, and then click Apply.

Note Click OK when you receive the following message:
Changes to Connection Settings will not take effect until you restart the Database Engine service.
On the Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections page, expand Database Engine, click Service, click Stop, wait until the MSSQLSERVER service stops, and then click Start to restart the MSSQLSERVER service.

2. Turn on the SQL Server Browser service.
If you are running SQL Server 2005 by using an instance name and you are not using a specific TCP/IP port number in your connection string, you must enable the SQL Server Browser service to allow for remote connections.
a. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Surface Area Configuration.
b. On the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration page, click Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
c. On the Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections page, click SQL Server Browser, click Automatic for Startup type, and then click Apply.

Note When you click the Automatic option, the SQL Server Browser service starts automatically every time that you start Microsoft Windows.
Click Start, and then click OK.

3. From your Router/Firewall open port 1433 inbound to your SQL server, so your remote server can access your database.

Once you have completed steps then you can access the SQL sever from outside the office.

Regards,
Faraz H. Khan