Microsoft SQL Server is Microsoft’s enterprise class database server designed to meet the requirements of businesses that need a database server that they can rely on at all times, especially when put under high loads. Microsoft SQL Server is highly popular because it can be integrated with a wide variety of applications designed for use on the Windows platform as well as websites that have been coded to dynamically access a database to retrieve the content that they are to display.
Microsoft SQL Server has been in existence for a long time meaning that it has a long history that can be relied upon, although it does have an open source rival in the form of MySQL Server that is a very appealing alternative to businesses that are looking to save money. Microsoft SQL Server is a premium application for which a license has to be purchased which is probably the main disadvantage, although for developers who are simply looking to test it there is an Express version available that can be used for free. Microsoft SQL Server databases can be easily integrated into websites that been developed using Microsoft’s web scripting languages classic ASP and ASP.NET, allowing web developers to create highly scalable web applications.
Microsoft SQL Server will only work properly on Windows dedicated servers meaning that if you are looking to use a Microsoft SQL Server database, you will need to find a Windows web hosting service capable of meeting your requirements. Most web hosting providers are able to offer their clients at least one Microsoft SQL Server database with their web hosting account, but depending on the edition of the database server that your web hosting company is using, you may have to pay for additional Microsoft SQL Server databases. If you choose to use a Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server for your requirements then you may wish to use the free Express edition of Microsoft SQL Server which will cost you nothing and will allow you to host an unlimited number of Microsoft SQL Server databases – the only limit will be the size of individual databases which will be limited to 4GB.
When developing a website for hosting on the Windows platform you are likely to use either classic ASP or ASP.NET as your chosen scripting language since these are the two that have been developed by Microsoft, with ASP.NET being the only one of the two left in active development as it was the successor to classic ASP. Microsoft SQL Server databases can be used as the backend of any website that has been develop using either language and this will provide you with the benefit of being able to use a highly scalable database system within the context of a Windows web hosting environment. The alternative to Microsoft SQL Server in this situation is Microsoft Access, although this is really designed to be a desktop database application that won’t function well under high loads.
When choosing a database server that will be capable of meeting your requirements you ought to consider carefully the platform that you are using, and when running Windows servers you should find that running Microsoft SQL Server is the best choice. Although MySQL Server will run perfectly well on Windows web hosting servers, you need to consider that Microsoft SQL Server is going to be running on an operating system that has been designed by the same company meaning that it is likely that Microsoft SQL Server will be able to make better use of the operating system components as well as system resources in general.
If you are looking to achieve the best performance possible from Microsoft SQL Server then you may wish to setup a cluster of Microsoft SQL Servers that will be able to share the load that they are put under, as this will offer you a high level of uptime that will be capable of beating most other database servers. Although server clusters require significant investment, you need weigh the benefits that will be gained from using a clustered setup against using a single-server configuration with which there would be no redundancy meaning that if the server fails, your databases will become inaccessible.
Microsoft SQL Server is a highly scalable database server because it serves its databases through a service meaning that it is able to handle requests better than most other database server applications. Microsoft Access is the only other Microsoft alternative for those who are seeking a database solution and it isn’t the most scalable of applications available since database files are called directly meaning that at no point is an attempt made to handle individual database connections. If you are looking for the best level of performance available then Microsoft SQL Server will always triumph over Microsoft Access and most other database applications.
Managing Microsoft SQL Server databases can be tricky if you have never done it before as you need to be versed in the various SQL data types so that you are able to setup your database tables and rows correctly. SQL Server Management Studio is an application that is available for free from the Microsoft website and will allow you to manage your databases and Microsoft SQL Server database servers with ease, providing you with interfaces relevant to all of the major factors that you may wish to alter with your Microsoft SQL Server databases and servers.
In conclusion, Microsoft SQL Server is a highly scalable database server that can be deployed in a number of different situations but is best suited to businesses that require reliability and security from any database application that they are going to use. Microsoft SQL Server databases can be easily integrated into websites that have been created using classic ASP or ASP.NET which in turn will allow you to create dynamic websites that can then store their content in a database backend. Microsoft SQL Server has a lot more to offer than Microsoft Access and even when using the free Express edition of the database server, there are many features available for you to benefit from.
