Someone Else's Database
By Brian Jepson
It's common for companies to set up their servers and hosting agreements such that they must rely on someone else's choice of a database. If your company is in this position, it's possible you made a trade-off somewhere, perhaps in choosing a less expensive, virtually hosted arrangement instead of colocating a machine. Or, perhaps your business slings code for a number of clients, and each of them uses a different hosting provider. In this case, you may work with a different database server and operating system for each client. Whatever the circumstances, it's a fact that a Web host often controls the choice of the database you use, and your access to it.
Fortunately, most Web hosts use fairly common combinations of operating systems and databases. Making a given combination work with your chosen scripting language can be tricky, but it's not impossible if you know your limitations and follow a few important guidelines.
Options
Mini SQL, once the darling of Web hosting companies, has been losing ground to MySQL. This has happened, in part, because Mini SQL hasn't been enhanced in awhile, even though the community has accumulated a sizable wish list. But despite its decreased popularity, Mini SQL is still used by some large hosting companies, such as Verio and Advanced Internet Technologies. The database is a lean, simple SQL server, and Mini SQL enthusiasts (including me) hope that any day now, we'll hear about a vibrant vision for the next version of Mini SQL.
MySQL is an open-source database server that originally began as an alternative to Mini SQL.
