[plug] Databases

[greg_smith at au1.ibm.com]

You may wish to consider DB2 on Linux. Certainly gives your the robustness
of a commercial RDBMS platform on Linux.  DB2 for Linux is the most
scalable database on Linux today supporting desktop systems to mainframe.

Now you can Try the Real Thing!   * Download the free DB2 Personal
Developers Edition!
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/db2/udb/downloads.html

http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/DB2-HOWTO/index.html

http://www-4.ibm.com/software/data/db2/linux/

http://www.developer.ibm.com/

Regards

Greg Smith
Senior Sales Specialist
Enterprise Systems Group
IBM Australia Limited
1060 Hay Street, West Perth  WA  6005
Direct:   +61 8 92618642
Fax:       +61 8 92618536
Mobile:  0401715708
email:   greg_smith at au1.ibm.com


http://www.ibm.com/servers/unix          http://www.ibm.com/linux
http://www.numaq.com/
http://www.ibm.com/developer/linux/



plug at plug.linux.org.au on 27/09/2000 06:06:14 PM

Please respond to plug at plug.linux.org.au

To:   plug at plug.linux.org.au
cc:    (bcc: Greg Smith/Australia/IBM)
Subject:  RE: [plug] Databases




Can I suggest that Magic is worthwhile having a look
at. It'll hook into most legacy data and for development speed
nothing comes near it.

http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue78/4027.html

and

http://www.magic-sw.com.au


Cheers,
Mark Bailey



-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Plester [mailto:dennisp at tiwest.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 27 September 2000 8:13
To: 'plug at plug.linux.org.au'
Subject: RE: [plug] Databases


I can't say what is the best to use, but I have certainly had a lot of
success with mySQL. I have now shifted several different Access and Paradox
databases across without any significant hassles. I suspect the porting is
not the issue, simply pick the database that has the speed, file size,
reliability and transaction features that you require.

If sheer speed is your thing, it is hard to go past mySQL, especially since
the relaxation in licensing conditions.

If you need transactions and roll back, you may prefer to go to postgresql.
(Can be done in mySQL but it is still in development last time I checked)

Both are good systems, and the differences between them (at least in terms
of overall feature set) are getting blurrier with every release.

In terms of minimising the pain, exporting any large complicated database
requires care and attention, and will warrant careful cross checking if the
data is important. Do this by running identical queries on both databases
and ensure you get the same results. Access does not make it easy to dump
an
entire database in one action, only table by table, which you then need to
import one at a time. Also, the data types on offer are rarely identical
between Access and the target system. mySQL has a wide range of field
types,
some of which have a significant impact on the final data storage space
requirements and access speed. Some keen coders have written macros and
other utilities that will grab an Access database and reproduce it in mySQL
while choosing the best field types. Visit their web site for details, and
I'm sure the same would exist for postgresql too.

Sorry for the small novel, but I thought you might find my experiences
useful. Hope this helps.

Dennis.

     -----Original Message-----
     From:     jeffw at mbox.com.au [SMTP:jeffw at mbox.com.au]
     Sent:     Tuesday, 26 September 2000 18:49
     To:  plug at plug.linux.org.au
     Subject:  [plug] Databases

     At my work we have the customer database on Access which makes it
     entirely horrible to access from our linux server. We are looking at

     porting it across to a linux based database. I was wanting to know
     whether anyone had experience in this and has tips for making it
least
     painful. Also, what database would be best to use? mysql, postgresql
or
     something else?

     Thanks

     Jeff