Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
Guys,
Im trying to convert a database we use internally (using Microsoft SQL), to a database hosted on our webserver using MySQL (I think).
Basically, is for an ordering system.
Theres a front end UI and a backend database.
We’re likely to open up one or two remote offices and I think for speed, it would be really easy if the database was hosted online using our reseller webhost than running it direct from our server.
Now ive been told it cannot be easily done, but wanted to check what Ive been told is correct and theres no easy way of doing this?
Just to confirm, we starte with an Access database then moved over to SQL
quote:
each database uses a different version of the SQL statements so when we migrated from Access to SQL Server I had to write a lot of code to support SQL Server instead of Access and we added the flag in the config file to say that we're connecting to SQL Server not Access.
migration from Access to SQL Server requires a number of changes but at least they are both provided by Microsoft and so the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment supports both Access and SQL Server.
MySQL is a much harder migration because the Microsoft development software doesn't support it. so there are third-party libraries of software that can be used but they all have problems, and the Purchase Order Software would have to be updated to use one of those third party libraries and many of the SQL statements would need to be changed. one of those libraries, for example, doesn't allow blank strings which would require lots of changes to the software to always store a blank string as a single space.
Does that sound correct, or could there be an easier way to convert?
Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about databases.
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
I guess the other alternative is to find a seperate host with microsoft SQL, but we dont want to be paying through the teeth.
|
Dom
Member
Registered: 13th Sep 03
User status: Offline
|
You can convert the database via MYSQL Migration Toolkit. Your app though queries will need to change though; some queries are the same but there are a fair amount that are different (not sure what off the top of my head).
As for MSSQL hosting, you can pick up a shared host for around £50 a year (Tsohost, 1 DB though, shared accounts aren't too bad DB-wise). Or Vooservers reseller accounts aren't too bad as they include unlimited MS-DBs, but storage is a little low. Obviously VPS/VDS/Dedi box is the way to go, but costs.
Whats the reason for hosting it remotely rather than in-house? It'd certainly be easier than fannying around converting queries.
[Edited on 04-03-2011 by Dom]
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
Data storage is absolute walk in the park, could have it done in a matter of minutes.
Queries would probably have some syntactic adjustments but nothing massive. Both systems have a comparable feature set and it isn't a difficult job to emulate either approach in the other system. I'm assuming the queries are not so complex but you should probably check to see if you're doing anything funny. In my experience it's not a worry at all.
Front end would need changes, what is happening to the UI? Desktop app?
[Edited on 04-03-2011 by Ian]
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
quote: Originally posted by Ian
Front end would need changes, what is happening to the UI? Desktop app?
In terms of what?
Im not a software/database guy, so bare with me, but theres a small .exe program which includes a few simple dll files (i think most of these are used for exporting to word format).
Theres also a config file which points the software towards a database.
Ive been officially asked about this now, which means I need to look into properly (where as before It was kinda off my own back).
Cut a long story short, we're opening a remote office many miles away and would like to use the software, the only trouble is, the database is stored on our own server.
We've used VPN tunnels/links between draytek's before and found it to be extremly flakey and tempermental.
We dont (yet) have a server in the remote office, as it doesnt warrant it.
I thought about hosting the database on our website as an easy solution.
Would it be easier to find someone who hosts a MS SQL server online do you think?
If so, would you have any recommendations? we're a small company with not much capital, typical senario....
[Edited on 15-03-2011 by Bart]
|
John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
|
I deal with at least 100 VPN connections between Draytek's in work and they all work flawlessly unless the ADSL goes down.
Bandwidth could be an issue here though.
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
Most likely bandwidth, there's likely to be users transferring files at the same time etc.
I'm not sure what models you work with, but my experiences are from dropped connections between 2800's
|
John
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 03
User status: Offline
|
2600, 2800, 2820, 3000's mainly.
It probably wouldn't work for this without some form of good connection.
That goes back to the original question though, it's the same connection that would be used for the database hosted elsewhere, which probably wouldn't be any better.
For that to work everything would have to be done on that server, it's probably the local exe that does all the work, the server simply provides the database.
I'd try the VPN first just as a quick easy way of finding out.
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
I might try a bit of port forwarding and see what its like in terms of speed.
There wont be many people accessing it remotely at the same time, and its not exactly an intensive application.
|