Database Platforms

The choice of database depends on a number of factors, but it boils down to a few simple decision points:

• Cost and Cost of Ownership – both for commercial licenses and also for hosting. There are "light" versions of SQL Server and Oracle which are available at no cost, however they have functional and scalability limitations. MySQL is available at no cost and has no limitations (there is a paid version of MySQL that has a few features that are needed for data farms). SQL Server can run ONLY on Windows Servers. Most other database management systems can run on both Windows and Posix (Linux/Unix) systems. Windows Server and some distributions of Linux and Unix also require a license fee; most versions of Linux do not.
• Compatibility – MySQL is compatible with most any programming environment, including commercial and open source environments. SQL Server is typically paired with .Net, and Oracle is typically paired with .Net and Java. Informix is seen by and large with legacy systems.
• Functionality and developer tools – SQL Server is the clear winner in this category. The richness and ease of use for developers can save time and money for large, complex applications. However MySQL and Oracle are absolutely fine for less complex applications.
• Performance – While years ago this was a valid concern, however modern database management systems are all fast. Very fast. Benchmark speeds depend on expert configurations of the hardware, the operating system, the database management systems, as well as data modeling expertize. For databases with millions of records (vs. billions or more), select a database for other reasons above, then configure for best performance.

Which database is "best"? That depends entirely on your requirements and your software and hardware environment. We'll spend time with you to understand your business and your needs, then we can confidently recommend the choice that's right for you.