RE: Dynamics GP 2013's Document Attach Sounds Like a Really Bad Idea
I disagree with both of you. John Lowther and I have had this conversation in person so I understand if in the end we agree to disagree. Here's why I like the way this feature was implemented:
1) Almost no companies effectively use the file storage based system in GP today. It's too easy to disconnect the location from the pointer. Companies screw up a new GP install and point the file store locally. Admins move the location on the network without realizing what's in it. I've seen way more cases of corruption of file storage for GP attached files than I have for SQL Server.
2) Large DB size are not abnormal now. If you plug in 3rd party document management system (Kwik Tag, Papersave, Meta Viewer, etc.) they are all database base. GP isn't doing anything outside of the norm here.
3) Backups are more likely to happen. One of the challenges of managing GP in the past is that you had to backup the DB, the dictionaries, the attached file storage locations, the FRx Sysdata file, any VBA and any other customizations. Now, MR is in the database eliminating the FRx sysdata file. The GP file storage is in the DB.VBA is being deprecated because it won't run on the web client. More reports are moving to SSRS, also in the SQL database. Changes to dictionary files and customizations tend to be point in time. They don't change daily so even an old backup is usually helpful. Yes this tends to put responsibility for backups and restores on the DB administrator, but that responsibility is usually there today anyway. Now the DB admin can actually control that responsibility and make an argument for better tools. It shouldn't take 2 days to restore a 100gig db from external storage.
4) The team had to do it this way. Sorry John, your hybrid idea isn't going to fly and it's because of the web client. The team is trying to maintain a single code base and common functionality across their client. Uploading to secure file storage would make the web client way more complicated than uploading to the DB. There's already a secure connection to the DB. A significant amount of pressure is being placed on the GP team from competitors who are web based and Microsoft who is pushing a cloud first agenda. We saw the ribbon interface first in the web client and now the desktop has caught up.
The file attach functionality in GP has been effectively broken for a long time. It's clunky to use, easy to setup incorrectly, and easy to break. DB storage is harder on DB admins and will require better education for customers, but in the end I think it's a better option for the business as a whole.
Mark
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