DoW - The Internet Foundation Series Part 3 |
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In our last article in the Internet Foundations series we will be talking about database technologies. The main four database technologies that power the web are PostgreSQL (Postgres), Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL. Postgres and MySQL can be obtained for free with certain limitations, but for most people these are the answer due to the price. The previous version of Oracle (10g) and Microsoft SQL Server can be downloaded for free as express versions only.
Databases form the data layer of the internet foundation. Without them, websites that have user accounts would cease to exist. Many web applications would not work; especially content management systems like Joomla! Many businesses rely on databases to store critical information and have developed web applications to display and enter such data.
Oracle is the big name in corporate databases. The company was formed in 1977 as SDL (Software Development Laboratories). Oracle is known for its robustness and scalability which makes it a favorite for large companies. The syntax for transactions and connectivity is not very user friendly so it has a fairly sharp learning curve.
Microsoft SQL Server is used mostly in conjunction with the IIS (Internet Information Services) webserver for Windows, and for programs to store information in. For instance, the Endpoint Security I use at work stores policy information into a MS SQL Server. MS Access makes good use of the MS SQL Server and is a powerful productivity and development tool.
Postgres is not released by a single company but rather managed by a community of developers under an MIT-style license. Postgres was started by Michael Stonebraker in an attempt to solve the problems of the database Ingres in 1985. The project was named Postgres at version 6 in 1997 and is currently on version 9.0. Some notable users of Postgres include Yahoo!, MySpace, Sony Online, and Skype.
The database you are most likely to encounter while developing websites is MySQL. Due to its free pricing structure and ease of use, it is almost ubiquitous on the internet. It is bundled in the popular LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL PHP) web server package. Most webhosting companies have this available if you sign up with their business plans. In 2008 Sun Microsystems bought MySQL and then in 2009 Oracle bought Sun Microsystems, thus making them the owner of two of the most widely used database platforms in the world.
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