Secure distributed database systems and transaction processing applications using Microsoft Access and Visual C++

This thesis is a continuation of the work initiated by Laura M. Bower. The basis of Ms. Bower's thesis was the conjecture that Microsoft Access could be used to implement a distributed database system which could replace the existing centralized database systems used by Pacific Lutheran University. This thesis focuses on some issues that were not handled in Ms. Bower's thesis and attempts to bring it one step closer to an actual implementation of a distributed database. One of the main issues addressed in this thesis is the support offered by MS Access, especially in dealing with the problem of maintaining the links between tables, enforcement of security and creating access permissions. It also explores transaction processing applications using Visual C++ and MS Access. The results of this investigation reveal that while Access handles most of the above mentioned issues in a satisfactory manner, Visual C++ is deficient in certain areas.