Oracle8i or SQL Server????????

[Stevenson]

Hi,

Can anybody give me a Comparision of the 2 most widely used
Databases Oracle 8i and SQL Server.
We have to use one of these as the Database
in a VB 6.0 Project which is right now working with MS-Access
Database. since the Database is growing big we have to shift
to a bigger database.
so please give some suggestions which one to use SQL Server or
Oracle 8i ??????
which is the best among the two ?

Thanx in Advance
Steve

 

[culshaja]

Firstly, the move to SQL Server will be a lot simpler from Access than to Oracle 8i.
If you wish to use ADO then using SQL Server is the better choice.
Oracle 8i will run fatser and is the better platform for large databases. However, to get the most from it, the best tools to use to access the database is Oracle Objects for OLE (OO4O). As with both of these platforms, the building of stored procedures is the way to go, but SQL Server is easier to learn if you already know access.
There is an issue in returning recordset to ADO from Oracle Stored procs.

In short, if your database needs speed and scalability and supports lots of users and large amounts of data and you don't mind a learning curve or lots of reworking of software then go with Oracle. Else, go with SQL Server.

James James Culshaw
jculshaw@active-data-solutions.co.uk

http://www.active-data-solutions.co.uk

http://www.brainbench.com/transcript.jsp?pid=193305

 

[chiph]

I agree with James.

Oracle is definately the Heavy Duty choice. But the cost associated with it is a steeper learning curve and needing someone with lots of Oracle experience.

SQL Server is an easy upgrade from MSAccess. The cost associated here is that it probably won't scale to hundreds and thousands of users, and multi-gigabytes of data.

Be sure to compare the run-time license costs of them. All the vendors now offer unlimited-user licenses. Microsoft posted a price comparison on their site (

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/productinfo/pricecomparison.htm),

but it doesn't list maintenance/support costs. It also doesn't cover prices for non-unlimited versions (per-user pricing)

You can download a free-trial copy of Oracle 8i Release 3 from their OTN site (you've got to register for it --

http://otn.oracle.com/software/)

Hope this helps.

Chip H.