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Re: MS SQL Server vs Oracle vs DB2 (&Sybase too)

From: Norris <jcheong_at_cooper.com.hk>
Date: 2000/05/26
Message-ID: <8gmaka$51u4@imsp212.netvigator.com>#1/1

In comp.databases.sybase leebert <*GNOSPAM*leebert_at_mindspring.com> wrote:
> Meghana wrote:
>

>>    I want to use Oracle as my database server. My lead
>> wants to use SQL Server as the database server. The project
>> is a Web Integration project with the database. We have to
>> use the Database extensively. So I want to know the
>> drawbacks of SQL Server over Oracle in features pertaining
>> to performance/cost.

>
> Oracle & MS SQL 7 are in a different league.
>
> I can speak to DB2 vs. SQL Server 7. DB2 & Oracle are in the same league, whereas Sybase & MS SQL are fighting siblings. I work with all three: DB2, MS SQL 7
> & Sybase.
>
> My experience:
>
> SQL Server is *easier* out of the box than DB2.
> SQL server uses Dynamic SQL more efficiently. You'll need to write prep'd or static SQL in DB2 to get the same response time on queries.
> SQL Server will be *harder* to fine-tune b/c of the limitations of Wintel trap it in a 2nd-rate server OS (even w/ W2K's improvements): Linux / Lintel isn't
> even a choice for MS SQL 7. There are some things I can do with DB2 on both NT & Un*x that you can never dream of w/ MS SQL 7.
>
> SQL Server 7 has broken the following: OUTER JOINS on VIEWS (MS deprecated this from 6.5, claiming ANSI standard) & 'abort tran on log full.' You can
> force connections from DB2 by monitoring the log traffic.
>
> DB2 has a smarter optimizer.
> DB2 is approx. the same price as SQL Server on Wintel.
> DB2 is faster and more capable of handling heavier loads.
> DB2 (on NT 4) allows you to utilize more RAM than 2 Gig.
> DB2 is *very* flexible b/c of Java, table functions, object-relational ablities & solid SQL 92+. MS SQL is stuck w/ Transact SQL & MS's antipathy towards
> Java. The world waits while MS fights within itself on what to do with MS SQL & Java (aka a modern stored procedure language).
> You'll need to get MS SNA Server ($1K corporate, $150 gov't) to get a stable OLE-DB driver for DB2 if you are going to use ADO.
> SQL Server's Scheduler / SQL Agent MAPI interface has caused us lots of grief, never mind it's designed for single-developer -cum - dba -cum- NT-admin.
> MS barely documents, if at all, their kernel-level patches on SQL Server. We've seen *major* optimizer bugs fixed (query missed pages) in SP1 that MS
> *NEVER* documented as fixing. IBM documents *EVERYTHING* and is very open about DB2. MS scares me as a vendor.
> SQL Server's security model allows NT Admins to take over your server(!) even if you prefer SQL Server authentication, b/c you will need tracing to work
> & that only works thru NT domains.
> SQL Server will start up just by a remote user clicking on a GUI object in the Enterprise Mgr (totally unacceptable for maintenance situations).
> SQL Server's & Sybase's xp_cmdshell is a very convenient equiv. of rsh (remote shell).
>
> As for comparing DB2 relative to Oracle:
> Oracle is reknown for higher admin effort than DB2.
> Oracle is 3X the price of DB2 on nearly every platform.
> DB2 is currently faster than Oracle (last benches I've seen)
>
> Comparing Oracle vs. MS SQL, Sybase & DB2.
> Oracle's row-versioning is way cool: readers never block writers and writers never block readers (ala Interbase).
> Oracle is spoken of as a very difficult vendor.
>
> There are more vendors supporting Oracle & MS SQL Server. But PeopleSoft drop-kicked Oracle as strategic partner and is moving over to IBM DB2, which IMO,
> speaks volumes.
>
> MS SQL has come a long way from the 6.5 daze. SQL2K sounds like a good step in keeping up with the other vendors.

Now I can create multiple running SQL2K instances on one PC. Is it a drawback?

>
> SQL Server will get in your way once you learn how to DBA the thing. Once you get DB2's learning curve out of the way, you'll be amazed what you can do with
> it.
>
> /leebert
>
>
>

-- 
http://www.cooper.com.hk
Received on Fri May 26 2000 - 00:00:00 CDT

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