choosing a database

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Maximilian - 31 Oct 2007 11:27 GMT

I often only use one or more XML-files as database for my applications since
it is very non-complicated and lets me model my datastructure in any way i
like it to be. But when do I really need to consider moving up to a larger
database-platform?
Today I would load the entire xml-database (<20MB) into memory and use
LINQ-expressions to query the data. Is this really such a bad idea? Is it
only the matter of size i need to consider when choosing between xml and sql?
What size then? And when do I need to step up from MSSQL Server Express to
MSSQL Server?

One more question. Can MSSQL Server Express-files be accessed without SQL
Server Express installed? I mean as through the .NET framework in some way?

Reply to this Message

Roy Harvey (SQL Server MVP) - 31 Oct 2007 14:09 GMT

As long as it works it might not be a bad idea. I am not familiar
with the details of your XML/LINQ approach for dealing with basics
like data integrity, recovery, backups, and all the other things that
SQL Server provides, so I really can't comment.

SQL Server Express is SQL Server with only a few restrictions. As
such it must be installed and the service running for a database to be
used. Nothing else ever accesses the files. Your application sends
commands to the service, which performs all database actions.

Roy Harvey
Beacon Falls, CT

>I often only use one or more XML-files as database for my applications since
>it is very non-complicated and lets me model my datastructure in any way i
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>One more question. Can MSSQL Server Express-files be accessed without SQL
>Server Express installed? I mean as through the .NET framework in some way?

Reply to this Message

Plamen Ratchev - 31 Oct 2007 14:21 GMT

> One more question. Can MSSQL Server Express-files be accessed without SQL
> Server Express installed? I mean as through the .NET framework in some
> way?

You may want to take a look at SQL Server Compact Edition. You can deploy it
just by copying the DLL files with your application (no need to install or
have a service running). For more details look here:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/compact/default.mspx

HTH,

Plamen Ratchev
http://www.SQLStudio.com

Reply to this Message

bass_player [SBS-MVP] - 31 Oct 2007 16:03 GMT

You need to remember that in order for you to work with XML, you have to
load it into memory. If you XML files grow big and your number of records
increase, this becomes a performance issue

>I often only use one or more XML-files as database for my applications
>since
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Server Express installed? I mean as through the .NET framework in some
> way?

Reply to this Message