Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Read Only Database

I have a unique situation in which I need to be able to access a backup copy of my AC Database on a machine different than my main server. Doing so hasn't been an issue, I have a machine that was installed as a primary computer "just in case" my server ever went down and was not immediately restorable. I could restore to the new machine and direct all clients there while the server was repaired/replaced.

However, in this instance, I want to restore an older backup, but have the database be read only. I don't want there to be any ability for changes to be made to patients' records, whether that be demographics/insurance, medication, or problem list changes, or addenda being added to charts.

Is this possible? Can the database files be set to read only somehow?

Using SQL Server Management Studio you may indeed set an entire database to read only.

Two things to keep in mind:

1. You must have a SQL Server account with access to log on to the SQL Server.

2. Making the database read-only may break Amazing Charts. Like many programs, Amazing Charts may write information to the database just by turning it on. For example, some programs keep track of when they are started or when a login fails or is successfully by writing that information to the database.

JamesNT

I am a little confused:

"need to be able to access a backup copy of my AC Database on a machine different than my main server"

Do you mean restore to a different machine from the server that is down?

And, what is wrong with restoring it as is? It was fine then? And why an older backup? I am not a SQL expert, but when in SSMS, the tables are usually read only anyway.

How are you going to stop someone adding addenda? You can add addenda to any AC patient. Not sure if I can help, but can you clarify? And, I am not sure where AC is with these .enc backups? Can you not use one of those?

James is correct that this will 'break' some of the AC functionality; the question is if the errors that it throws are acceptable for the purpose that you have in mind.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with every restore, interfaces are activated, processes run, etc. so there are more moving pieces in play than meets the eye

Sorry for the confusion. It's a long and legally complicated issue, but the goal is to have an off-site instance of AC available only for fulfillment of medical records requests. This instance of AC would allow a user to access and print out medical records, but not be able to change any records in any way, hence my request for read-only database access.

Honestly, if there was a way to just print the records of 6K patients to individual pdf files, with the files named with the patient name, that would work for my purposes, and I'd just save the files to a secure disk. But I couldn't figure out how to do that.

Well, I'm an idiot. I've been overthinking this. I'll just set up the off-site database and de-activate all users but one and only give that one user the lowest level of access.