MySql vs SQL Server

[StewartUK]

We are considering moving to a SQL server. I was wondering if there were any views out there about how MySql compares to MS SQL Server?

Thanks for any advice,

Stewart

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stewart,

They're both excellent products, and they both offer similar benefits when compared to using the VFP database engine. I'm sure other folk here will give you their views, but, for what they're worth, here are mine:

SQL Server has the advantage of being the market leader, with all the muscle of Microsoft behind it. It is much more mature than MySQL (been around for nearly 20 years), and has far more features.

I believe SQL Server will give you better performance than MySQL (but maybe not so much better as to tip the balance). It offers better security. And it has a better range of utilities and supporting applications (DTS, English Query, OLAP, Reporting Services, ....).

On the other hand, SQL Server can get very expensive, whereas that's not really a problem with MySQL. Then again, if you are selling a product to an outside market, the fact that MySQL is free might itself appear to a drawback in the eyes of some client companies.

Above all, remember that, with either product, you will have a lot of work to do in adapting your front-end application and migrating your data. But both products can bring a lot of benefits if you do it right.

Hope this helps. I'd be interested in hearing what you eventually decide.

Mike




__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[JimWWinter]

Mike,

MySQL is not free for a commercial system, but it is certainly much cheaper than MS SQL Server. See

http://www.mysql.com/company/legal/licensing/

for licensing details.

Regards,
Jim

 

[Mike Lewis]

Jim,

I stand corrected.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[jrumbaug]

Sewart
I am not an experienced with MS SQL SERVER or MySQL. But just this week I ran across SQL 2005 Express. It is Microsoft's free version of SQL 2005. It is meant to replace MSDE, which is Microsoft's former free verion of SQL. I can tell you I got a lot further and faster with SQL 2005 Express, than I did with MSDE. The former is QUI, the latter, command line. It is a stripped down version of SQL 2005, and does not have the "over 5 conections" speed governor that MSDE has.

Jim Rumbaugh

 

[wgcs]

I'm curious... then what has been "stripped down" out of SQL 2005 to produce SQL 2005 Express?

- Bill

Get the best answers to your questions -- See FAQ481-4875.

 

[JimWWinter]

Bill,

For one thing, I believe it has a 4 gigabyte limitation on the database. Not sure if there are other differences.

Regards,
Jim

 

[Mike Lewis]

Bill,

what has been "stripped down" out of SQL 2005 to produce SQL 2005 Express?

Express is not a "stripped down" version. It is a runtime system. The idea is that you can distribute it with your front-apps, for the benefit of users who do not have the full SQL Server. It is not designed to be used on its own in place of the full product.

That said, it does have a few limitiation, notably the 4 GB limit mentioned by Jim.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[Mike Lewis]

Stewart,

Are you still here? Were the comments in this thread any use to you? Have you made a decision yet?

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)