Databases: Access, SQL, MS SQL Server 2000, Oracle, DB2, and MySQL
Microsoft Office Access is a multi-user relational database management system. It is designed to allow user to quickly assemble, display, and share data with others while protecting the privacy of the data and ensuring to have full control over how the data is used and distributed. It makes use of visual design for queries, forms and reports for developing client-server database solutions. It is committed in offering integrated development environment, incremental compilation and interactive visual debugger, breakpoints and single step-through. Although the maximum database size is 1 GB, still database can include linked tables in other files and its total size is limited only by available storage capacity. The difference of Microsoft Access to other database is that it has a nice GUI that enables user to easily manage all information from a single database file. Within the file, user can use Tables for storing data, Queries for finding and retrieving data you want, Forms for view, add and update data within the table, Reports for analyzing or printing data and Data Access pages to view, update the database data.
MS SQL SERVER 2000
Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system. SQL Server is portable, reliable, fast and easy to use and manage. It has been developed specifically to get advantage of architecture of Microsoft NT. It is optimized for the multithreaded, multiprocessing kernel of Windows NT. SQL Server offers many features and options toward multiple users who need access to high volumes of data. Many tools are included in this packages and six of them are more frequently used which includes Enterprise Manager, Query Analyzer, SQL Profile, Service Manager, Data Transformation Services (DTS) and Book Online. The difference of SQL Server to other database management system is its portability of the platforms supported by Windows NT, and this integration lets SQL Server become more powerful while other database managements system are written to be very portable between operating systems, which limits their advantage for specific performance and enhancements. SQL Server is focus toward client/server applications. It is fast and has good performance tuning options and administrative tools to lessen the burdens of database development, administration and maintenance. Companies using SQL Server include Albertson’s, Inc., ASB Bank, Black & Decker, Home Shopping Network (HSN.com), Minolta, Savings Bank of the Russian Federation, University of South Florida and others. Comparing the price of SQL Server against Oracle Database, the it market shows that SQL Server is cheaper. Though cheaper, SQL has satisfactory features like compliance with Intel or other compatible platforms for ease of installation.
ORACLE
Oracle Database is a relational database designed for Grid Computing, it uses PL/SQL a powerful language than SQL’s Transact-SQL (available in Microsoft SQL 2000). Similar to SQL, Oracle database supports diverse platforms, whether Intel or other compatible platforms like AIX-Based Systems, Compaq Tru64 UNIX, HP 9000 Series HP-UX, Linux Intel (SQL Server vs. Oracle Online) and Sun Solaris. Companies of all sizes including Amazon.com, Colgate-Palmolive, Southwest Airlines, Deutsche Post, Texas Tech University uses Oracle for simplification, standardization, automation and innovation its benefits to them. According to an Online article on SQL Server 2000 vs. Oracle 9i,
It is not true that SQL Server 2000 is better than Oracle 9i or vice versa. Both products can be used to build stable and efficient system and the stability and effectiveness of your applications and databases depend rather from the experience of the database developers and database administrator than from the database’s provider. But SQL Server 2000 has some advantages in comparison with Oracle 9i and vice versa.
There are many advantages of using Oracle. Oracle supports stored programs such as stored procedures and packages. This enables the developers to centralize application logic in the database. Oracle provides powerful functions and sub-queries in its SQL statements. Developers can distribute systems by database links, materialized views and distributed queries. This feature saves much cost for developing distributed systems and applications. And there’s a lot of features integrated with Oracle, compare to other database it is very expensive but it is extremely powerful and fast.
DB2 is a relational database system developed by IBM Corporation. It has been designed for use on large mainframe computer systems running on a variety of platforms including SunOS, Solaris, Linux, Windows 95/98/NT/2000 and HP-UX. DB2 supports many variety of platforms, standards and packaging options to deliver the needs of every business DB2 database delivers a flexible and cost-effective database platforms achieving demand on business applications. It further leverages the resources with broad support for open standard and popular development platforms include J2EE and Microsoft.NET. The primary internal database scripting language for DB2 are SQL/PL, Java and C. SQL/PL is compiled which means it performs better whereas Oracle’s PL/SQL is interpreted. In terms of command, DB2 is much simpler to create, monitor, backup and restore database. It is portable database because DB2 exist everything from PDA through PC, midrange server, a cluster up to mainframe. According to an Online article on DB2 v Oracle Quick Comparison Guide,
DB2’s optimiser is considered better than Oracle in deducing the most efficient access plan. Oracle allows you to overrule the optimiser by using hints, however, whereas, DB2 does not have this. The disadvantage of relying on hints is that they only produce the most effective access plan for a known volume of data. DB2’s total cost of ownership is much lower than Oracle. The reason for this is that IBM don’t bundle in additional, little used, functionality in to their main product and charge you for it.
MySQL
MySQL database server is an open source database that has over five millions installations to power high-volume Web Sites and other critical systems. Industry-leaders including like the Associated Press, Google, NASA, Sabre Holdings and Suzuki uses MySQL because it is an alternative to higher-cost and more complicated database technology. Its features include speed, scalability, reliability, easy to use and deploy and cross-platform support. It is available on more than twenty different platforms; this includes UNIX, Linux Distributions, Mac OS X, and Microsoft Windows. The difference of MySQL to other Database Management System is that it has a very limited support for sub-queries and other advanced techniques. This is not very much acceptable at a large company. The additional cost for the developer’s time to work around on the database limitations cost far more at a large company that the database software itself. MySQL and Access will very much suited to perform well for the common small business applications which will not be suited when needed by a worldwide system for a fortune 100 company.
Bibliography
Microsoft Online. Retrieved 20 Nov 2004, from Microsoft.Com.
Web site: http://www.microsoft.com
SQL Server 2000 vs. Oracle 9i. Retrieved 20 Nov 2004, from MSQLCITY.Com. Web site: http://www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/sql_server_vs_oracle.htm
MySQL: The world’s most popular open source database. Retrieved 20 Nov 2004, from MYSQL.Com.
Web site: http://www.mysql.com
Databases.
Retrieved on 21 Nov 2004, from About.Com.
Web site: http://databases.about.com
Oracle.
Retrieved on 21 Nov 2004, from ORACLE.Com.
Web site: http://www.oracle.com
DB2 v Oracle Quick Comparison Guide.
Retrieved on 21 Nov 2004, from MACEHILL.CO.UK.
Web site: http://www.macehill.co.uk/db2ora.doc
