Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the better known database systems available for use by web developers can is popularly used in conjunction with Microsoft web scripting languages and frameworks, such as classic ASP and ASP.NET to allow web developers to create dynamic and functional websites. SQL based database systems are normally the choice of those who wish to use a scalable database system which will be able to cope with an increased load as the size of their project increases, simply because smaller database solutions such as Microsoft Access will never be able to cope with large amounts of data and will fail when put under a lot of stress. Microsoft SQL Server is available in several different editions depending on your legal status as a company and what you want to use the database server for exactly. The free or ‘Express’ edition is by far the most popular and although it does come with restrictions on what you can do with it, you will find that it is more than sufficient for testing purposes. The Standard and Developer editions are recommended for professional web developers and application developers who wish to make the most of what the database server has to offer, and the Standard edition is normally suitable for smaller companies when used in a production environment. In most cases you will find that a Windows VPS hosting or Windows dedicated server will go the furtherest to meeting your Microsoft SQL Server hosting requirements.

Although Microsoft SQL Server is the expensive alternative for most people when you consider how much it costs and the fact that MySQL server is free to use, many developers find the support offered by Microsoft to be highly reliable and prefer to have the safety net of an official vendor to fall back on when needed; MySQL server on the other hand is an open source alternative, and although this can help developers and businesses to save on costs it does mean that there isn’t any official support channels for you to go through. Since Microsoft SQL Server is a Microsoft product you will find that it will only function correctly on Windows based servers which could be a problem for those who are only experienced with the management of Linux servers; however, using Windows does have its advantages for some as it can make it easier for you to manage your Microsoft SQL Server databases – you just need to be sure that Microsoft SQL Server is going to be beneficial to your requirements and can offer you everything you require beforehand.

What are the advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the best known database servers available and can offer both individuals and businesses a stable foundation on which they can develop a dynamic website using some of the many scripting languages that there are to choose from. One of the main advantages of making use of Microsoft SQL Server is the fact that Microsoft SQL Server databases can integrate seamlessly with websites that have been created using either classic ASP or ASP.NET; like Microsoft SQL Server, both scripting frameworks have been developed by Microsoft which means that not only does it make sense to use one Microsoft product with another but that you can also use both together without experiencing any compatibility issues. Microsoft SQL Server also comes with official support from Microsoft, although you are only likely to be able to make the most of this higher level of support if you choose to go with a paid-for edition of the database system; MySQL Server on the other hand is an open source database server, and although this can provide advantages for some it can be a pain for larger businesses who wish to make the most of their database systems and want to be sure that they receive regular application updates. Microsoft SQL Server is an SQL based database server which means that it is much more scalable than it’s little brother Microsoft Access, and this makes Microsoft SQL Server the ideal choice for larger businesses and corporations who wish to use the most up-to-date database systems; smaller, desktop based systems including Microsoft Access are only made for situations in which smaller applications and work loads are being dealt with and will be unable to cope with the stress that a corporate environment is going to put upon a database. In summary, the main advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server include:

  • Seamless integration with dynamic websites – Microsoft SQL Server can be integrated fully into websites that have been developed using either classic ASP or ASP.NET to allow web developers to create fully dynamic websites that run off a central database – as classic ASP and ASP.NET have both been developed by Microsoft you will find that it is best to use a Microsoft database system in conjunction with any classic ASP or ASP.NET script, and since Microsoft Access can’t always offer the scalability which some users require Microsoft SQL Server is generally the main choice – however, it is worth noting that Microsoft SQL Server can be used with certain open source scripting languages such as PHP
  • Official support – because Microsoft SQL Server is for the most part a commercial product, Microsoft are obliged to offer a high level of support to those who pay for the database server and even then those who use the ‘free’ edition can make use of the in-depth online documentation to help them set the database server up and troubleshoot any problems there may be – generally commercial products will come with a high level of support, and in the case of Microsoft SQL Server users should be able to get support for the database application via email and telephone, but there is also in-depth documentation available online which can be referred to as and when needed which may suit some people better
  • Scalability – Microsoft SQL Server is an SQL based database system and is served through a service which means that it is able to cope with high loads which helps to make it perfect for high traffic websites or in situations where the database server used needs to be reliable and secure in order to meet a company’s needs – when used with ASP.NET, one of the most powerful scripting frameworks available, web developers are able to create incredibly scalable websites which will be able to cope with large visitor numbers and desktop application developers can be sure that their central database systems are able to cope with an increased load.

The advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server make it the ideal database application to be used in corporate environments or high traffic environments in which reliability and security are the two most important factors that need to be considered.

What are the disadvantages of using Microsoft SQL Server?

Although Microsoft SQL Server may be a powerful database system when used under the correct circumstances, you will find that there are disadvantages to using it which could have an affect on you depending on how you wish to use the database server. When wanting to use the application in a live production environment the main disadvantage which you are likely to encounter is the costs involved in settings up a server to run Microsoft SQL Server; in order for Microsoft SQL Server to run reliably it needs to be installed on a medium to high specification server which is going to cost a lot in the first place, but you also need to take into consideration how much you will need to pay for the edition of Microsoft SQL Server that you are going to use. Microsoft SQL Server can only run on Windows servers which could cause problems for users who wish to use Microsoft SQL Server but only have Linux based servers available for use, although in most situations you are likely to choose MySQL Server for use on Linux servers; this can be an added cost for some users since you will also need to pay for the Windows operating system license whereas Linux is open soruce meaning that it is free to use. Microsoft SQL Server can also be resource intensive which increases the need for high specification servers when being used in a live production environment, and in some cases you may even have the need for a clustered Microsoft SQL Server hosting setup; this reinforces the idea that Microsoft SQL Server is best suited to larger companies since they are likely to have enough servers in place already to be able to make the most of a clustered Microsoft SQL Server web hosting environment. In summary, the main disadvantages of using Microsoft SQL Server include:

  • Cost – this is the one main factor which is likely to put smaller developers and companies off from using Microsoft SQL Server in a production environment since the database server itself can be pretty expensive if you choose to go for a higher level edition of the system such as the Standard edition or the Enterprise edition – however, it isn’t just the costs involved in the purchase of the database server application since you also need to take into consideration the cost of any hardware and additional software that you may require in order to run Microsoft SQL Server on your internal database systems – as a smaller business you may find it more beneficial to consider MySQL Server for your requirements to help you save money
  • Windows-only application – Microsoft SQL Server will only run on the Windows operating system since it has been developed by Microsoft and they aren’t going to want it running on any other operating system, and this can cause problems for some since it increases the amount that you will need to pay to use Microsoft SQL Server – Windows as an operating system is a commercial product which you need to pay a license fee for if you wish to use it and the cost of this license can depend on the version of the Windows operating system which you choose to use meaning that it is one area that you can save money with if done correctly, Linux on the other hand may be a better choice for you since it is open source thus meaning that it is free to use
  • Resource intensive – Microsoft SQL Server is a resource intensive database server application which can be a disadvantage when it comes to provisioning servers for your requirements since you will need to spend out extra on high specification servers that aren’t going to buckle under any high loads or load spikes – larger businesses will be able to justify the cost of high specification servers in order for their database system requirements to be met, but smaller companies may find it harder which means that if you know you are going to need to cope with high database loads but don’t have the funds to cover the cost of high specification servers and Microsoft SQL Server then you may need to reconsider your plans.

The disadvantages of Microsoft SQL Server mean that it may not be suitable for those with smaller budgets but know they are going to need to cope with high loads in the near future. MySQL Server on a Linux server may be more suitable for some people with smaller budgets and indeed it is a sensible idea if you wish to save money in certain areas, and at the end of the day you can tweak the performance of a Linux server further if you know what you are doing.

In conclusion, Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful database server application when used in the right situations but the costs involved in deploying a Microsoft SQL Server mean that it is a solution which can only really be considered by larger businesses, with smaller businesses opting to use the open source alternative of Linux servers with MySQL Server. However, there is a free edition of Microsoft SQL Server available meaning that for smaller websites that still wish to use the database server on a lower level there is an option available for them to do so without having to pay a penny.