External Data Source or One Large DB?

[dmills913]

This is my first post, so please forgive me if it's in the wrong place.

 

I'm developing a database for my schools that keeps track of a ton of different information. Currently, it's all in one large database. My issue is that in the future, when I have teachers, office workers, and management all accessing it, I want to limit access to some information to only certain people.

 

For example, I don't want my teachers seeing money information. It's not relevant to their job. I do want them to have access to the student information though so that they can keep track of absences, etc. 

 

Now, I understand that I can pop all of that information into different tables, and build layouts that are limited by password, and only show the relevant information. That way would work fine I think, but it would mean that most employees are working on a database that's a LOT larger than necessarily needed.  I have two locations, and the database will eventually be shared to everyone over a VPN network. Because of that, I'm worried about it taking a long time to access and make changes.

 

So, my question:

Is it better to break the database up into several "mini-databases" with separate information (such as student information, textbook information, class information, event information (such as problems, or good things happening), etc), set up 3 specific databases (one for teachers, one for management, and one for office workers), and add the mini-databases as external data sources...

 

OR

 

Is it better to have one large database that everyone has access to, but the individual layouts are set and password protected based on the user group each person is a member of?

 

Thanks so much for any help!

 

Daniel

[dmills913]

For anyone with similar questions:

 

Information learned on another forum seems to suggest that in situations like this, it's better to keep it all in one database for a couple of reasons.

 

1) The speed shouldn't be too big of a problem with reasonably fast computers.

2) Externally accessed data is still required to be "open" and hidden in the background. This can make it easy for users to see data that should be private.

 

Unless anyone has other advice or anything to add, feel free to consider this "Answered"

[bcooney]

To be clear, the individual layouts are not password protected. The data is secured using FileMaker's Security settings at the table level. Layout navigation is scripted to present a user only with their "world."