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access another database with lower cost

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:03 pm
by marcusy3k
we need to make a web site using php on Unix, and let user search and view data, however, the database is MS SQL located in another machine.

we know how to use php to access MS SQL data, however, we don't want to purchase extra license for MS SQL because of budget issue, is there any good way to do it ? we have thought of transferring data from MS SQL to MySQL automatically, but just worrying the transfer time because we want the website has data as less discrepancy as possible.

Pls suggest if anyone has a better way, thanks.

Re: access another database with lower cost

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:00 pm
by alex.barylski
Use an open source RDBMS -- it's that simple -- if cost is a major concern.

Switching from MSSQL to MySQL is not going to happen over night -- as I have learned over the last 3-4 weeks.

MSSQL and MySQL have some interesting discrepancies, especially when it comes to selection and pagination.

MSSQL 2000 requires several SELECT queries in order to paginate results -- apparently 2005 followed suit and copied MYSQL, PG and SQLLite and now offers an optimized approach using a ROW_COUNT() which is something like LIMIT found in the above.

Keep the single license for MSSQL and use it. ANy new tables make sure to add to a MySQL DB and over time begin porting MSSQL tables over to MySQL.