preview

Database Comparison of SQL Server 2000, Access, MySQL, DB2, and Oracle

Good Essays
Open Document
Introduction
This paper will compare and contrast five different database management systems on six criteria. The database management systems (DBMS) that will be discussed are SQL Server 2000, Access, MySQL, DB2, and Oracle. The criteria that will be compared are the systems’ functionality, the requirements that must be met to run the DBMS, the expansion capabilities – if it is able to expand to handle more data over time, the types of companies that typically use each one, the normal usage of the DBMS, and the costs associated with implementing the DBMS.
System functionality
Microsoft Access is a database engine and development environment in one package. It is typically workstation-based, and designed to be easy to use, even for users…show more content…
Expansion Capabilities
Access is considered to be a small DBMS, with a maximum database size of 1 GB; therefore, it has very limited expansion capabilities. MySQL does offer expansion, including clustering capability. MySQL also offers an enterprise-class DBMS through a joint venture with SAP. SQL Server, DB2, and Oracle, since they are all considered to be enterprise-class DBMS, are highly expandable, with maximum database size into the terabytes (TB). Truly, these databases are at a point where the limit is actually in the operating system, not the DBMS.
Types of Companies
There are different markets for the different classes of DBMS. Access databases and applications will be used company-wide in very small companies. These databases can be found in different departments of larger companies, but would not be used at a company level. MySQL, according to their website http://www.mysql.com, has over 6 million installations, including companies like Yahoo and the Associated Press. I think MySQL would be a good fit for a mid-sized company that cannot afford the price of the higher-end DBMS, but need more functionality, security, and robustness than is offered by Access. Finally, the large DBMS systems like SQL Server, Oracle, and DB2 are typically only utilized in large companies, because of the investment required to install and maintain these databases.
Database Use
Each of
Get Access
Related
Get Access