performance issues with Access database inputs from remote drive

[tedkearney]

Hi,

I am having some trouble running flows that have Microsoft Access inputs. The inputs are stored on a dive on a remote desktop but if I try to run the flow on either my PC (connected to the drive) or on the actual remote desktop, the files take extremely long to load in inputs, if they load at all. If I then copy the files from the remote drive, to the desktop or another location on my PC, and change the input path to that location, the flows run as normal and there is no issue. I need to be able to run them from the remote drive as I am not the only user of the files and for other various reasons. Also, when I copy Access files onto the drive and try to run them, I get errors and have to manually open each Access file as the file "repairs" each time I do. I'm not sure what is causing this.

Would appreciate any advice or solutions that people may have.

[PhilippK · Accepted solution]

Hi @tedkearney ,

I found a similar case:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/VPN-performance-issues/td-p/48854

@MarqueeCrew proposed the following solution back then:

"I would imagine that a mapped network drive will run slowly because Windows will be checking to see if the drive exists.  Maybe you could use UNC paths instead?"

Does this help you, too?

If you are not familiar with UNC paths - quick example:

map drive (X:) vs. UNC path (\\%SERVER%\%SHARE%\%FILE_PATH%) 

Best regards

Phil