Databases: MySQL and Microsoft SQL
What is a database?
A database is a collection of flexible storage containers, called tables, used to model real-word objects in relation to one another. A simplified example: If your website sells widgets online, your site will rely on a database that has individual containers for the products you sell, the customers that place orders and customer's orders of products. As you can tell, each of these three entities is somehow linked in reality. Thus a database must support relationships between the objects. In the example above, it is generally accepted that a customer can be related to one or many orders. An order, however, can only be related to one and only one customer. Without this logic, a customer would not be allowed to place repeat orders and your processing department would not know which customer to bill for a single order.
In addition to serving as a container for your information, databases have tools that we use to extend the value of your information. For example, databases can join multiple containers, or tables, to connect various pieces of your information to form deductions. For instance, WalMart, world-famous for their database-supported business decisions, wanted to uncover unanticipated correlations in the purchasing behavior of their consumers. By analyzing the buying patterns of their patrons, they uncovered that consumers purchasing diapers are also very likely to buy beer in the same transaction. Amazon.com uses similar methods to make buying recommendations to their customers as they browse products online. This is referred to as "preference collection" and can be used strategically to add significant value to a business' bottom line.
- So, what are MySQL and Microsoft SQL?
- MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server are database platforms that we integrate into our IT solutions.
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft SQL Server is a proprietary solution which is built to work with the Microsoft Windows Server family of Operating Systems. The benefits of SQL Server are great documentation, developer tools and support programs. Server licensing can, however, become costly when scaling solutions.
- MySQL
- MySQL is an open-source database platform which is significantly less costly than SQL Server. Although it can run reliably on Windows platforms, mySQL performs best on Linux systems and plays exceptionally well with PHP and other open-source technologies.
- Database principles, rules and methodologies are mostly synonymous across multiple platforms - the decision between the two platforms is usually dependent on scalability, operating system, budget and/or developer preference.
- What does SQL mean?
- SQL is a technical acronym that stands for "Structured Query Language". All queries, or requests that are sent to a database, are written in some form of SQL. We use SQL to retrieve, manipulate, update, create, delete and manage data and databases. Using SQL, a user can select, or retrieve, information using a "from-clause" which specifies the source (table name) of the desired data and a "where-clause" which specifies filtering criteria. Using SQL, we can group multiple rows of data by common values, order a result set by a particular column, and even perform different types of intersections between multiple tables.
- The big picture: how are databases used in websites?
- We used Coldfusion and/or PHP application frameworks to construct and submit SQL queries to a database server which resides on the same network as our Web and application servers. The database, either mySQL or MS SQL, executes the SQL and, if appropriate, responds with a result-set. We then step through the result-set using ColdFusion or PHP and construct HTML to display the result. Alternatively, if the operation is not requesting a result-set, websites can send a range of other instructions to a database server as well. For example, a website can send a "delete" command to a specific database aimed at a particular row in the data.
- Learn more about how we use server-side technologies to connect our websites with live databases
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