Overview of Popular Database Management Systems

 MySQL, SQL Server and Oracle 10g are software products that provide the ability to build portable relational databases. They are very reliable and scalable to accommodate large quantities of data and large numbers of users. These database environments are typically implemented on a Windows or Linux platform. They provide the tables for data storage and manage permission to use the information. The database storage, without forms, reports, and processing, is called the back-end. The following two approaches are the most common for delivering the user interface or front-end to these type of databases:

1. Microsoft Access (a part of Microsoft Office Professional) or
2. System of web pages viewed in a browser (intranet or internet)

Both provide affordability, and widespread familiarity. The cost and time to develop a user interface in either case is faster/cheaper than custom programming via compiled code, and is slower/more expensive than development with FileMaker.
      Access: Active Lightning's developers quote 3 to 16 hours of development time for each form or report which includes testing, implementation, and acceptance testing and does NOT include Visual Basic programming or visual design. The amount of development time depends on the complexity of the functional specification.
      Browser-based: Active Lightning's developers quote 20 to 35 hours of development time for each user-interface webpage which includes testing, implementation, and acceptance testing and does NOT include visual design. The amount of development time depends on the complexity of the functional specification.

Speed and the quantity of data determine which database technology to use. These database platforms have the means to distribute huge tables of data over multiple servers or storage devices. They are designed so that searches and query results will be delivered rapidly regardless of the number of users.

 Access includes both the front-end and back-end in one database application. Access is a popular easy-to-use database application with wizards that enable rapid development of queries, reports, and forms. However, Access performance suffers as the number of users and number of records increases, affecting speed, searches, and stability. Also, Access utilizes an ldb file for user-traffic control which can falter so that everyone must close out and start over. Thus, database applications that support a lot of data and/or many users utilize Access just for the front end. The connection between the front-end and back-end is accomplished via ODBC or ADO. Access runs on a Windows platform.

 FileMaker also includes both the front-end and back-end in one database application. FileMaker Pro is powerful and stable but enables rapid development. It is available for both Mac and Windows platform and can function across both platforms. Information is managed via layouts which function both as both forms and reports. Scripts (non-compiled code) provide powerful flexible automation and processing. Version 7 was recently released and has major differences from version 6. The container data-type allows storage of graphics and multi-media files as well as Word, Excel, Acrobat Pdf, and PowerPoint files. A FileMaker database can store up to 8 terabytes of data; an individual field contained in the database can store up to 2-4 gigabytes. Relational databases are easier to manage in 7 versus 6. Security and permissions are also very easy to manage.
      FileMaker Pro is the database environment preferred by MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Techology]. Decision-makers there have better things to do with their time than Visual Basic error checking (which is common for Access and SQL Server solutions).

How easy can it get?

SQL Server and Oracle offer tools and 3rd-party solutions to enable non-technical staff to build information management capability. Access and FileMaker also enable non-technical staff to do a lot. This supports the empowerment of as many people as possible to work with databases, which is great. It is worth noting, however, that the creation of the primary structure and processing is best left to trained professionals who understand about relational database definition, normalization, and performance optimization. The structure of a database matters.

What's the deal with MySQL?

Does MySQL, available at no charge, provide solid database capability like SQL Server and Oracle? The buzz on the street says “yes.” More and more businesses trust their data and critical applications to MySQL. There are certain situations such as large transaction databases or databases that serve multiple international locations or a need for .NET technology where SQL Server or Oracle may be preferable. Yet, the move towards general-public-use licensing is part of the historic trend towards decreasing costs for commodity IT products. The open source community actually provides a very robust, well-organized, committed group of developers that assures the viability and quality of software.
      Note that the licensing is free for MySQL as long as the application that is built with it will be made available to the world as an open-source application. If you want your solution to stay proprietary to your firm, then there is an annual subscription fee (very low-cost and applies to each server that hosts the database, not every user).

Internal users and database front-end

Each person in the organization who needs to use forms for entering, editing, and reading data will need to have both a license for the front-end and a license for the back-end. As noted above, the user-interface (i.e. front-end) is often implemented via a browser, which eliminates the need for front-end software licenses. With Access or FileMaker, staff members who do NOT need to enter or edit data can view reports provided via Excel, pdf file, or hard copy in order to save on license costs.

Note: Database publishing (or variablde data publishing) with PatternStream can be used to post up-to-date pdf, html, or xml documents on a company intranet site which can then be viewed via an internet browser. Pdf files permit optimum access to all authorized people.

External users and the internet

An organization also makes decisions about how its database management system interfaces with the internet. Databases are utilized to provide product, service, and pricing information to website visitors. Databases are also used to collect information from customers, vendors, and/or website visitors. Information in both cases can be a part of the target database system that a company wants.There are several strategies depending on a client's requirements.
      Typically, businesses use one of these two approaches: a) SQL Server on a Windows server with ASP (active server pages) for server-side programming or b) MySQL on a Linux server with PHP for server-side programming [LAMP stack: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP / Perl / Python].

Pricing Considerations

The primary costs associated with a database application project are:

• software licenses for the database environment: front-end and back-end
• software development
• annual maintenance
• training

1)  Database licenses for front-end and back-end of new database system; this can be $0 if a browser-based interface is chosen for the front-end, and MySQL is chosen for the back-end; however, development costs for a browser-based interface costs more and takes longer than solutions created with Access or FileMaker.

2)  Active Lightning development services to achieve the desired functionality for the database system. In order to get an accurate assessment of cost and time-to-produce, the project must be well-defined. Each button, function, or screen requires professional labor, paid at an hourly rate. In order to make a commitment about the expected deliverables, the process to get there, and the cost to get there, a formal design specification document is required. The design spec requires the time of professionals to assess, consult, research, imagine, test, plan, and quote. Thus, an organization must expect to pay some money to obtain a formal design specification prior to receiving a quote.

Pricing (as of March 15, 2006)

When a database is used for storing and maintaining information via web pages that are open to an unlimited number of users, then a company needs a database licensed per processor with (unlimited users). This type of license costs substantially more than the conventional client/server licensing.

Active Lightning

• supplies custom applications that fit client needs/specifications precisely
• provides ownership and control rather than subscription pricing
• delivers a low total cost of ownership
• a quote and follow-on services are provided at rates given by Active Lightning’s standard price list See Pricing.

When you hire Active Lightning, you hire a team of intelligent creative trustworthy people led by Sally Seaver Shabaka. In delivering specified IT functionality, we attend to technical design, cost-containment, sustainability, marketing and the client’s brand. We thoughtfully work for our client’s best interests on many levels.