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Database Development (10)
Information pertaining to database development.
As a "full stack" developer our area of expertise is in the small to medium size business and on Unix/Linux based hardware. That means that for the most part we work on Macintosh and Linux based systems where we do the installation and take responsibility for management and administration. All database systems seem to share a majority of their features with the others making them somewhate easy to work with. For most of these listed below you can make an entire career out of just one of them.
1. Oracle - has been around for almost 35 years. It is complex but solid. A true enterprise solution.
2. Microsoft SQL Server - another solid product from Microsoft. We've worked with this database system in many different solutions.
3. DB2 - this product from IBM runs on Linux among other operating systems. This products competes with Oracle in the data center.
4. Sysbase - another database system that's been around for multiple decades. Like about 25 years. It's not a popular as it once was but appears to be making a comeback. Particularly with mobile device data solutions.
What database do you use the most each day? Macintosh users will most often say FileMaker. Windows users will most often say Access. Both are wrong. The database most people use every day is MySQL followed by SQLite. MySQL powers most of the websites in the world including Facebook. SQLite is an embedded database found in Apple's Mail program for one. How often do either of those fail? Rarely if ever. There's good technical reasons for that like having failover servers. All in all they work reliably each day, every day.
Free and open source database systems have matured and, for the most part, have become much easier to deploy, manage, maintain, and work with. Read more about these database systems and then talk to use about a solution that may be right for you.
FileMaker is a very popular and easy to use database. It owes it's popularity to it's ease of use. It is the starting point for many a database developement company including this one. We started using it in the early 1990's to catalog shareware at the Boston Computer Society. FileMaker let's you quickly develop a database that provides a good solution for a set of needs.
FileMaker tends to be used by those who have a sense of comfort with it’s perceived ease of use. Quite often those who originally purchased the software and are the users of it cease to be the developers of their system as their needs become more detailed and complex. At that point they seek the services of a professional developer.
Database development is a chess game and the goal is to be in a position at the end of the game to make critical moves. FileMaker generally is not good at that. It’s good at getting something simple done quickly. If you plan your database from the beginning then there are much better choices for a database system and for a lot less cost.
What we like about FileMaker:
- Easy to learn and build a database. FileMaker has a very intuitive graphical interface for building a database. The database engine and the UI are bound together so you don’t have to worry about the engine for the most part.
- Solid network of qualified consultants. There is a strong network of professional consultants who support FileMaker installations as a business.
- Supports ODBC connectivity. This lets us build applications to get data into and out of a FileMaker database without having to use FileMaker thus saving on the cost licensing.
- Strong support through forums, groups, and email lists.
What we don't like about FileMaker:
- Easy to learn and build a database. FileMaker may create a false belief that database development is simple. It's not but it can be for simple applications. If a database is not well planned then it can be a big problem down the road.
- Solid network of qualified consultants. If FileMaker were so simple why would there be a need for consultants? We believe this is mostly due to the first point. Because FileMaker is so quick to get up and running with a good database you will need the benefits of professional database development strategies as your system grows. Whether you take the time to learn them yourself or hire someone is a decision you may face. Most people hire someone. FileMaker consulting is generally on the expensive side of the spectrum.
- FileMaker is not taught in any college or university in the US that we know of. Most database systems can be learned in college. This provides a good source of potential candidates who can work on your database.
- Cost of ownership. FileMaker is expensive. It can be quite expensive by comparison to alternatives. Per seat costs, server costs, concurrent server connection costs, and support costs are all above average.
- Annual upgrade program. FileMaker, like most software, needs to continue to generate revenue. The do that by releasing updates. The cost of these updates are also on the expensive side of the range.
We can deliver to you a complete system that is ready to plug-in, power up, and add to your network. It can include hardware and software on Linux or Macintosh based hardware. We prefer to work with Linux and Mac OS X hardware and server software combinations for a number of reasons. For both website and database serving of open source solutions it is a good choice.
What we like about Linux based solutions:
- Total cost of ownership is very low. There is no cost for the operating system. No per seat licensing for the OS or any free and open-source database system.
- Hardware is less expensive and more efficient. Linux runs lean and is more resource efficient than any other OS/hardware combination.
- Security is solid. When we build a system for a webserver and/or a database we finish the build by locking it down securely. Since we aren't running a lot of services it reduces the vulneabilities.
- Stability is unfailing. Linux systems stability is legendary. Many users report never having a crash and disk use is so efficient there isn't any defragging necessary.
- Performance. You can count on persistent high performance on servers, workstations, and on your network from Linux.
- Community support. Linux has become so popular that there is no shortage of community support and it is taught in every college in America offering a computer science curriculum that includes modern operating systems.
What we don't like about Linux based solutions:
- Open-source based. There is increased responsibility placed on the solution provider to understand the system. For the most part it's not what might be described as "user friendly".
There are a lot of very good commercial database systems available. Here we list three that we've worked on at various times and in no particular order. We have extensive experience with Filemaker and are capable of handling that product from install to maintenance to serving web pages. With both MS SQL Server and Oracle we work in collaborative environment where the systems are already in place and managed by an IT department or outsourced services.
FileMaker
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle
PostgreSQL is a very powerful open source database management system. It's licensing is clear in that you can use if for whatever you like. That includes using it in a commercial product.
What we like about PostgreSQL:
- No licensing issues.
- Standards based.
- Highly scalable.
- Fast and powerful. Can handle billions of records.
- Publicly available support is good.
What we don't like aboiut PostgreSQL:
- Is challenging to install, update, and maintain.
For more information on PostgreSQL visit the webpage here: http://www.postgresql.org/
For a comparison with MySQL go here: http://www.wikivs.com/wiki/MySQL_vs_PostgreSQL
MySQL may be the most popular database in the world. Or it may not be, it depends on who you listen to. The fact that it is even mentioned as this potential is enough to show it's popularity and use. It has a long history in the open source community and it is now owned by Oracle. This association with Oracle has raised questions as to the future of this open source project. Some users have dropped it and many are reluctant to use it.
What we like about MySQL:
- Oracle has put resources into it. Development continues and major enhancements are being made.
- The product is solid.
- Most colleges use it for teaching.
- Public support is widely available through forums, books, and tutorial websites.
- Many open source projects use it so it has the potential to be integrated with other open source projects.
What we don't like about MySQL:
- Owned by Oracle and not community driven.
- Confusing and unclear licensing.
- Uncertain future is as unclear as its licensing. Many major users of MySQL are moving on.
The big question surrounding MySQL is it’s association with Oracle and it’s licensing. No one seems to understand it thus there is growing reluctance to use it. Another database, MariaDB, is a “drop in” replacement for MySQL and was developed as a fork of the MySQL project by one of the original developers of MySQL. Here's a nice review: http://www.smartfile.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-mysql/
SQLite is an open source database for embedding into applications. SQLite is a powerful and flexible database system. It is not multiuser. It is mostly used as an “embedded” database that is, as part of an application. Like an email application. It is very fast and is basically unlimited in size with a limit of 140 terabytes.
What we like about SQLite:
- Absolutely free, open source, with no licensing retrictions.
- Easy setup. No configuration at all.
- Perfect for embedding into applications.
- Updates are made frequently.
What we don't like about SQLite:
- Single user only with no user management. Some have made attempts to work around this and it does work in some cases but if you need multiuser then you should choose multiuser. If two users are working on the same record then their work may cancel one another.
- It does not scale well. As needs become more complex the lack of multiuser and some other features become a problem.
SQLite is a very highly regarded database system when used for the right application. Here is a list of some of the more well known users. Apple uses it for a number of products. http://www.sqlite.org/famous.html
Client Server
- Multi-user Environmnet: support anywhere from 2 to 3000 users.
- Web Interface: the need for mobility requires a web interface to .
Xojo makes an excellent choice of developing client/server database applications given the choices of Relational Database Management Systems listed above. Wth Xojo you can quickly build a front end user interface and you can easily modify it to accomodate new feature requests. Perhaps the best reason to use Xojo is because you can compile applications for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux while writing just one body of code.
Xojo Web Edition, a separate product from Xojo Software, allows us to develop a web interface to your data. See the Mobile Data section below for more details.
DATABASE SYSTEMS
- Choices Include: Oracle, MS Sql Server, MySQL, Postgres, SQLite, MariaDB, OBDC are the most popular choices.
- Database Licensing: if your application requires a database there may be a cost associated with the licensing of the database depending on your choice of database.
Most applications involve data of some sort hence the need for a database. If your application is going to be run locally on one machine at a time then the single user SQLite is fine and won't cost a dime. If your application is intended to be used in a multi-user environment then you will need a multi-user database system. Good choices are the free open source databases of MySQL, MariaDB and Postgres. Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server lie at the high end of the spectrum.
Client Server
We can build or buy a machine, install the OS, install the database system, and put it on your local network for access worldwide.
Contact us to discuss your database project.