Re: a comparison of different databases

Franco Scarselli wrote:
>
> I need a SQL server to manage data. The candidates are the Oracle SQL
> server, the Sybase SQL and the Microsoft SQL server.

< snip >

> Microsoft SQL seems to be cheap and at the same time it should work well
> in an enviroment completely based on Microsoft operative systems.

Don't bank on it!

> Microsoft SQL does not have row locking, but for some years I will not
> need it, because we have few client PCs.

Again, don't bank on it! Deadlocks are almost inevitable, but row-level locking is your best bet for an increased Mean Time Between Deadlocks.

> In the mean time, Microsoft
> will provide to resolve the problem (I hope). Microsoft SQL runs only on
> NT server, however NT is likely to replace DOS and WINDOS and to became
> very widespread so that the fact could not be a major drawback.

At the risk of repeating myself... don't bank on it! M$'s OS strategy has changed about twice a year for as long as I've been watching it.

> Oracle enterprise server is far more expensive. However, Oracle
> Workgroup server is competitive, even if it lacks of data replication.
> Further, I know that Oracle enterprise has a lot of more features, but
> what about Workgroup server with respect to Microsoft and Sybase
> servers? Further, a WEB server would be useful for me and the Oracle
> WEB server is very expensive. On the other hand Oracle products are more
> scalable. Further, Oracle is the leader of the market, it is very
> interested in spend money to mantain its position. This should be an
> assurance for the future.

Technically Oracle is ahead of the field. What you need to consider is whether this means a more stable product or simply one with lots of additional features. In at least one respect (row-level locking), at least one of the other DBMSs is significantly behind Oracle.

> Sybase offers two products: Sybase SQL server and Anywhere SQL server.
> The former is similar to Microsoft SQL server because they are both the
> result of the development of the old Sybase SQL server. However, there
> is Unix version for Sybase SQL. Anywhere come from Whatcom SQL and is a
> very simple DBMS which has the advantage of beeing able to run with very
> few memory and to support Windows 95, Windows 3.1 ....

Watcom. Nice products.

> Pheraphs in my
> case, I could use Anywhere in branch offices and Sybase SQL in main
> office. Sybase products are cheap, expecially Anywhere. Of corse they
> lack of some feature with respect to Oracle, but what about Sybase SQL
> server with respect to Microsoft SQL server?

Or you could get an AS/400 (built-in database, runs Netware, runs Notes). But I guess I would say that.

-- 
Phil Edwards                    phil_at_news400.com
Editor, NEWS/400.UK             +44 (0)161 929 0777