Choice of database format 4

[TheInsider]

Hello,
I am about to begin the development of an e-commerce website using ASP and need a little bit of insight. I need to choose a database format for the back-end. The prospective databases are: MS Access, MS SQL Server (probly ver. 7), or MySQL.

The problem with SQL Server 7 (I don't know about 2000) is that I will need an internet connector license, which costs about $2500-4000. This is too much for my little operation to swallow right now.

Question 1: Do I need this license, or is this license already obtained by the company which hosts my website? i.e. they have the right to host SQL Server databases.

Question 2: MS Access is said to have a 1Gig size limit, so it doesn't seem like the best choice, however, I would like to know what the cost is to use a MS Access database as an e-commerce website back-end. What do I need to purchase, other than MS Access?

Question 3: MySQL doesn't appear to need licensing in this situation. Is this true and if so; are there any limitations with MySQL for this usage?

Finally, I have heared that MS SQL Server 2000 doesn't have an internet connection license... what is the deal with this?

I have tried to research this topic before asking these questions here, however, I cannot find any clear answers. I am new to this, so please explain as best as possible.
Thanks in advance for any responses, Rob Marriott
rob@career-connections.net

 

[link9]

Q1 -- If your ISP offers SQL Server host plans, then they have the needed license -- the only exception is if you are a dedicated hosted plan -- at which time you would be obligated to purchase the license. Most ISP's will offer SQL Server hosting, so you'd be ok. Interland offers plans with such capabilities starting at $50/mo, which is nothing less than a steal.

Q2 -- I'm not sure of the limit of Access -- but I can tell you this... If your site is successful, you will have multiple users hitting your database concurrently, which (and I could care less what anyone else says) is a COMPLETE nightmare with Access. It is rumored that Access can be set up to handle such traffic, and I'm not calling those folks liars, but Access simply wasn't built for multi user network type applications -- that's what SQL Server is for. Unless you build in ALOT of safeguards into your coding (i.e. -- pessimistic locking, etc...), then your users will be dished error after error if you use Access -- don't go there.

Q3 -- I really don't know much about MySQL, so I'll defer

Q4 -- haven't used 2000, but if you post this question (and maybe the MySQL one) over in the SQL Server forum, one of those people I'm sure could answer it for you --

Of the three database systems you have mentioned, only one is considered to be an "enterprise application". If you want to save yourself alot of headaches, you should probably just stick with that one.

good luck!
Paul Prewett

 

[Javrix]

I would recommend SQL Server 7.0. This is my opinion, but it is the most powerful out of those others. It works so good with my asp pages.


~Javrix

If you gave an infinate number of rednecks, an infinate number of shotguns to shoot at an infinate number of street signs, they would eventually write Romeo and Juliet in braille.

 

[Bastien]

mySQL would also do the trick, it is scalable to the same degree as the others and it is free. Check out

http://www.mySQL.com

and have a lot at the doucmentation. I know of several people who are using mySQL to do their web projects...even gonna give it a go myself if I ever get the time.

But if your web host will rent you the space for MSSQL Server 7 then go for it. It is a microsoft product and integrates nicely together with ASP.

So the choice is yours.

Bastien

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks to everyone who answered, you were all very helpful! Rob Marriott
rob@career-connections.net

 

[vasah20]

CCTC -
Just remember that if you do use MySQL, you need to get the ODBC Driver from the site and install it.

I had the option too of going with MySQL and SQL Server, and I went with SQL Server for one main reason: Stored Procedures. Stored procedures help speed up data access incredibly, and they can also help in creating a n-tier application.

Make sure you check out the MySQL FAQ page before making a decision... just so you know what you're not getting.

good luck-
leo

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks vasah20, that is a good point about stored procedures and I will keep that in mind. I purchased Visual Studio 6 Enterprise, so I have the developer edition of MS SQL Server 7. I also have a couple of books on SQL Server too. I have downloaded MySQL and purchased a book on it. Now I just need to do some reading to deturmine what software works best for me right now. Thanks again. Rob Marriott
rob@career-connections.net

 

[Javrix]

I thought I should bring this up. ODBC is slowly getting outdated. The new thing is OLE-DB. I recommend you learn this over ODBC, since OLE-DB can also use ODBC.

OLE-DB is much more powerful and can communicate with many databases. If your going into databases, I would also recommend you learn ADO. You use ADO to talk to OLE-DB, which then communicates with the actual database.

Boy, it does get complicated! In my experience, SQL Server 7.0, with ADO 2.5, OLE-DB, and ASP pages are the most efficient and fastest.

I recommend the book by Wrox, Beginning Active Server Pages 3.0. This covers all your asp needs, and it also covers OLE-DB, ADO, some VBScript, and SQL Server 7.0 database stuff.

After you read it, you can almost do any type of database function you want, and you've learned the most popular and used software.

Again, this is all my opinion, but hey, they don't pay me for nothing!
~Javrix

If you gave an infinate number of rednecks, an infinate number of shotguns to shoot at an infinate number of street signs, they would eventually write Romeo and Juliet in braille.

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks Javrix, I trust your opinion and I will look into ADO. I have the Wrox book "Beginning Active Server Pages 3.0" and "Beginning ASP Databases" but haven't had a chance to read them yet. I am quite advanced with Access, VBA, and Jet/DAO development, but I know that isn't worth much so I'm moving on. The funny thing is that Access 2000 defaults to ADO, but I have been using Access 97 for so long that when I develop in Access 2000, I reference the DAO instead. Rob Marriott
rob@career-connections.net

 

[Javrix]

Yeah, you're on the right track. Access using ado and the jet ole-db. I would read "Beginning Active Server Pages 3.0" first, then the other.

Good luck!
~Javrix

If you gave an infinate number of rednecks, an infinate number of shotguns to shoot at an infinate number of street signs, they would eventually write Romeo and Juliet in braille.

 

[PCSAARON]

We use MySQL and VB as well as PHP to host web applications as well as our in house apps. It is so much faster than access (we tried the comparison, there is none!) PHP and MySQL are free! You can't beat that, especially if you look at how it compares to everything else. They will be making provisions to accomodate more than it does now soon enough. But it is enough to do what you are looking to do.

As for stability. I am using the latest odbc and server versions from MySQL, and they are pretty stable and work very well...

A suggestion; stick with MySQL and PHP, they're changes and updates will be free, and to a client that is a good thing! You can charge more for time rather than an expensive over-priced product software package that does the same for your needs.

 

[mithrilhall]

I'm not sure if this was covered but:

If I remember correctly, if Access is being used over a network everytime a user makes a request to the database they are getting sent a copy of the database (I think that's whay my professor said). Now this isn't a problem over a LAN but when you're talking about a WAN and/or the internet your users can experience some delays. Especially if your database is a decent size and your users are connecting via dial-up. ====================================
I love people. They taste just like
chicken!

 

[MikeL04]

In your case I would stay far away from access, I wouldn't use it for more than keeping track of a CD collection! MySQL sould work nicely for you being it is totally free. If you go this route and if you are in a Windows environment you might want to check out DBTools (

http://www.dbtools.com.br),

it will give you a front end for MySQL much like MSSQL Enterprise Manager.

 

[frosty7700]

<<If I remember correctly, if Access is being used over a network everytime a user makes a request to the database they are getting sent a copy of the database (I think that's whay my professor said).>>

I dunno about this, mithril. I've written apps that call Access through the web before and they work just fine. The ASP on the server calls the DB, which returns the values requested which are in turn sent to the client for display. I don't see why it would have to send the entire DB...

I took everything my professors said with a grain of salt...

 

[Turkbear]

Hi, to interject:
If this is going to be a serious E-Commerce site and capable of handling multiple simultaneous data entry transactions, then I would strongly urge you to 'bite the bullet' about cost and go with an Oracle RDBMS -

It is not chance that has most Major E-Commerce sites using Oracle as the back-end..


It is not cheap,but neither is losing customers because of database issues.

Just 2c