Apache Friends Support Forum

Hi,

I want to run a local server for me and my colleagues. I'm proficient in php and mysql, so I'd write a simple interface and a database to keep track of some data. Right now, information is tracked in a couple of excel files and an access database, all on a network drive, and all of it has become too cumbersome to retrieve information.

Problem being, I don't want to put a database on internet as I don't want to rely on external hosts etc. We do have a network drive, so my first thought was to install xampplite portable onto that drive, including the php interface files and mysql database. And then let everyone use their browser to interact with the database through the php interface.

Is that even feasible? Is a network drive capable of executing xampp? Would everyone with access to that drive be able to use the interface? Or am I seeing it all wrong. Obviously, my concern is that the database should be accessible at all times, so I can't install it on my workstation.

If the network drive doesn't work, would it be possible to install it all on a dropbox folder and share this folder with colleagues?

Sorry for the wall of text, your insights are greatly appreciated!

You'd need an OS to operate the httpd and mysqld executables - lite or full.

Right... And what if I install xampp on all the user machines and the database file is put on the network? Will they all be able to work simultaneously on the same database?

I doubt it - the mysql executable would need to put a lock on the data files when writing. What happens when two requests go in at the same time? There needs to be one program controlling the database.