How to choose database type for my database application?

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Dear all,

I'm writing a database application. When I create new database project I can choose type of my database, from the list, among whose items are Microsoft Access Database File, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, and so on. My problem is that I don't know which to choose.

I would like to store some string, numeric and date/time data and also some images and videos in my database. My application should be able to create new and edit existing tables and create new databases. But I would like to achieve this with as small and as independent application as possible. For example application which can not work properly without Microsoft SQL Server being installed is not satisfactory.

Can someone please help me choose database type?

Thanks in advance.

Posted 5-Feb-11 22:12pm

dsnlkc

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Espen Harlinn · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-06T01:13:00

Solution 3

Don't use access - ever!

If you are considering Sql CE - take a look at SQLite[^] - and don't use either if you can avoid it, go for a "real" RDBMS like:

SQL Server 2008 - you are free to deploy SQL Server 2008 Express with your projects.

Firebird[^] can be deployed as a server or in embedded mode.

Oracle is extremly robust - but it will probably be expensive to deploy.

images and videos requires blob data, both MS SQL server and oracle are able to handle this intelligently. MS SQL has FILESTREAM[^], and oracle has something similar.

Regards
Espen Harlinn

Posted 6-Feb-11 1:13am

Espen Harlinn

Updated 6-Feb-11 1:45am

v2

Comments

Sandeep Mewara 6-Feb-11 11:13am

Rigtho! Deserves 5++!

Espen Harlinn 6-Feb-11 11:23am

Thanks Sandeep Mewara!

fjdiewornncalwe 6-Feb-11 11:27am

Yes. NEVER use Access. With SQLite out there, there is always an alternative.

Espen Harlinn 6-Feb-11 11:59am

Thanks Marcus!

dsnlkc 9-Feb-11 14:24pm

Thank you Espen.

I've been looking over database types you suggested and I think SQLite is the best suited to my needs. I wonder why did you say not to use it if I can avoid it? If you said so because it is "serverless" and "zero-configuration", as it is written on its home page, than I still think it suits me best, because I intend to use it just to store some data in it, data that is relevant only to my application. In other words my application will use it pretty much the same way Microsoft Word uses *.doc files, so if you think that database of some other type will better fit those needs, please tell me.
Also I would appreciate if you recommend me some documentation or tutorial about using SQLite in C#.

Thanks again.

Espen Harlinn 9-Feb-11 14:39pm

If you are about to store "Images and video streams" in your database you will probably run into problems with SQLite as your database grows - those thing tend to take up a serious amount of space. If you store the files outside the database, and only store relative paths in your db, SQLite could absolutely work for you.

You may find this helpful: http://www.csharpcity.com/sqlite-ado-net-c-4-0/

Good luck :)

vinojrrw · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-05T22:29:00

Solution 1

definitely not the oracle, you might need to go with sql with sqlserver express or access.

Posted 5-Feb-11 22:29pm

vinojrrw

Estys · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-05T22:37:00

Solution 2

If portability is the issue, I would choose SQLCE (MS SQL Server Compact Edition).
It does not have all the features of the full edition, but it doesn't require installation.

I wouldn't use Access : No views, no stored procedures.

Cheers

Posted 5-Feb-11 22:37pm

Estys

Comments

dsnlkc 6-Feb-11 5:35am

Have you ruled out Access only because of the lack of views and stored procedures? My program will not be too complex and time consuming so stored procedures could be replaced with queries and I probably will not use views anyway, so Access would still be one option.

Estys 6-Feb-11 6:14am

It has more limitations : database and table size are limited, less functions in queries.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not an Access-basher, I've used it in a lot of projects. Access is more an application platform than a database.