MSSQL Hosting

Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular database servers available and is used by many companies large and small as part of their internal and external database systems as using one system helps to streamline operations in most cases. Microsoft SQL Server has been developed by Microsoft which means that it will only run properly on Windows based servers, although this does provide you with an advantage since it means that you can guarantee that the application will work properly with any server which has the Windows server operating system installed. Although Microsoft SQL Server is a popular choice for businesses who have large and complicated internal database systems, the system can be used in conjunction with either classic ASP or ASP.NET to allow web developers to create dynamic websites that can then use a Microsoft SQL Server database as the central store for the information that they will require. Microsoft SQL Server databases are generally provided with most Windows shared hosting packages although you are going to be limited with the number that you are allowed to create; if you choose to go with a Windows VPS server or a Windows dedicated server then you will have full control over your installation of Microsoft SQL Server, although you may have to pay for the application unless you are willing to use the Express version which is free and can accept the limitations involved with doing so.

The price tag attached to Microsoft SQL Server means that only larger businesses are able to justify the cost of using Microsoft SQL Server; as an individual you may find MySQL Server to be a much more effective solution for your requirements since it is open source which means that it is free to use. The desktop alternative to Microsoft SQL Server is Microsoft Access, and like Microsoft SQL Server this costs money but for those who are new to using databases a Microsoft Access database will be much easier to setup. Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most scalable database systems available which has helped to make it very popular, although in order to make the most of the database server you will need to be able to make use of a high specification server; you should also make sure that your server has the latest version of Windows Server (Windows Server 2008) installed along with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 so that you can be definitely sure that you are using the latest software.

What are the advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server?

Microsoft SQL Server is the ideal database system for you if you are looking for a database system which you can run on your internal systems but can also use to power the database backend of your website, and there are many advantages to be had from using the database server application. The main advantage of using Microsoft SQL Server is that it can be integrated with a number of different Windows based applications which makes it ideal for you if you are looking to use it with internal system applications, but at the same time it can also be used to create dynamic websites which have been developed using either classic ASP or ASP.NET; since many applications used internally by businesses will only run on Windows servers, and at the same time you will also find that ASP.NET which is also used mainly by businesses will only run on Windows servers which makes Microsoft SQL Server the right choice for most businesses. Microsoft SQL Server is also a very scalable database system which will be of benefit to you if you are going to be using Microsoft SQL Server as part of the backend of your website since you can allow your website to grow with ease without having to worry about overloading the database server; however, just how scalable your installation of Microsoft SQL Server is will totally depend on the specification of the server that you are using with a high specification server being much more useful to you if you have demanding web hosting requirements. Microsoft SQL Server is also a very reliable database server which also helps to make it ideal for businesses since it means that they can get on with more important tasks without having to worry about the reliability of their database servers, although you should use a high specification server if you wish to be sure that your system is completely reliable; a reliable database system is important for both your internal and external systems since if your database servers are unavailable then a majority of your systems aren’t going to be able to function correctly which could prohibit your ability to work properly. In summary, the main advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server include:

• Internal and external use – Microsoft SQL Server is perfect for both internal and external usage since many of the applications are can be used on Windows servers tend to use Microsoft SQL Server as their database backend in one way or another, and if you are developing a website then you can use either classic ASP or ASP.NET to create a dynamic website that can work hand-in-hand with a Microsoft SQL Server database – in any situation you may wish to save on the amount that you are paying out for servers by hosting your instance of Microsoft SQL Server on the same server as the applications which are going to be making use of the database server, although if you are going to be doing this then you should consider using a high specification server for your requirements
• Scalability – Microsoft SQL Server is the perfect database hosting solution for you if you are looking into using a scalable database system that will be able to last for a long time without the need for you to upgrade it to something more stable – Microsoft SQL Server has been designed to cope with high loads and in most situations can stand high load spikes, and this is why it is very popular with larger businesses since it means that they can have a single installation of Microsoft SQL Server and be sure that it will be able to cope with everything that is thrown at it – in some cases it may be a good idea to use a high specification database server from the start since this is going to be more stable during peak periods and the last thing you want is an unreliable server which is going to be crashing on a regular basis, thus taking down every application and website which is making use of the database server
• Reliability – you will find Microsoft SQL Server to be one of the most reliable database systems available which is one key factor that businesses are going to be considering in the database server solution that are going to use – although it is still recommended that you have the respective monitoring systems in place to ensure that your Microsoft SQL Server is online, you can save yourself a lot of time by choosing a high specification server for your database server hosting services – when a database server crashes it generally renders the applications and websites which make use of it as unusable since all of these applications and systems are going to be using the database server as the source of the information that they require to function properly, and because of this it is a good idea to consider a reliable database hosting solution so that you can be sure that you won’t be negatively impacted by any database server crashes.

The advantages of using Microsoft SQL Server make it the ideal solution for businesses to are after a reliable database server hosting solution that will be able to meet their requirements for years to come. However, how much a database server can cope with will be dependent on the specifications of the hosting node meaning that for the highest level of reliability you should consider using a high end hosting server for your requirements.

What are the disadvantages of using Microsoft SQL Server?

There can be disadvantages to using any database system, and with database systems it is especially important for you to be aware of the disadvantages of individual systems so that you are able to make an informed decision as to which database server will meet your requirements properly. The main disadvantage associated with using Microsoft SQL Server is the price tag attached to the application itself, although it is important to take note of the fact that the price which you pay for Microsoft SQL Server itself will depend on the version which you choose to use to meet your web hosting requirements; the main reason for Microsoft SQL Server costing as much as it does is because it is a commercial product, and the fact that it will only run on the Windows operating system means that Microsoft will also make money from people buying the OS simply to use Microsoft SQL Server. Microsoft SQL Server also requires the Windows operating system if it is to be able to run correctly, and this increases your costs further since it means that if you don’t have a Windows server available to use then you will need to purchase a Windows operating system license which could set you back quite depending on where you purchase the license from; the reason for Microsoft SQL Server only working on Windows servers is because both products have been developed by Microsoft, and since they are both commercial products Microsoft isn’t going to want Microsoft SQL Server running on an open source operating system such as Linux. You will also require a high specification server if you wish to be able to make the most of Microsoft SQL Server, and once again this factor is going to increase how much you are paying to keep your Microsoft SQL Server setup running; however, if you do your research then you may be able to pick up a cheap high specification dedicated server, and if your requirements aren’t too demanding then you may be able to get away with a lower specification server for your Microsoft SQL Server hosting requirements. In summary, the main disadvantages of using Microsoft SQL Server include:

• Cost of Microsoft SQL Server – the price tag attached to Microsoft SQL Server can be off-putting for most people, but the amount which you pay will be dependent on the version of the database server which you choose to use – the Standard edition of Microsoft SQL Server is recommended for most users since it should be able to meet most people’s requirements without any issues, although larger businesses may wish to use the Enterprise edition of Microsoft SQL Server for specific reasons – if you feel that you don’t want to pay for Microsoft SQL Server then you can always make use of the Express edition which is free to use, although you will need to make sure that you can accept the limitations of using a free edition of Microsoft SQL Server
• Windows operating system – the fact that Microsoft SQL Server will only function correctly on servers which are running the Windows operating system can put some people at a disadvantage – if you are only using Linux servers at this moment in time then the likelihood is going to be that you will need to spend extra money on purchasing Windows operating system licenses for your requirements – the main reason for Microsoft SQL Server only being able to function on Windows servers is because both products have been developed by Microsoft and have a high commercial value, and this means that there is more money in it for Microsoft if people have to purchase a Windows license as well to make sure that they are going to be able to use Microsoft SQL Server – however, if you are already using servers which are running the Windows operating system then using Microsoft SQL Server should be a choice that will come naturally
• High specification servers – Microsoft SQL Server can be a resource intensive application which could put you at a disadvantage if you are going to be expecting high loads since it means that you will have to invest more in your hosting infrastructure by purchasing high specification servers for your web hosting requirements – high specification servers can cost a lot depending on where you get them from, but as a business you should be able to justify the cost of high specification servers as part of your Microsoft SQL Server web hosting infrastructure – for the highest level of reliability you may wish to use a cluster of Microsoft SQL Servers since by doing this you will be able to make sure that there is always going to be at least one server available to cope with high loads.

The disadvantages of using Microsoft SQL Server show that you should only be using Microsoft SQL Server in a professional environment if you are able to justify the costs of the application and any other services related to it such as the Windows operating system, and of course high specification servers.

In conclusion, Microsoft SQL Server is a powerful database server which could be seen as useful by larger businesses who are able to justify the cost of using Microsoft SQL Server. However, MSSQL databases are available with most Windows shared hosting packages and there is nothing to stop you from using Microsoft SQL Server Express edition on your Windows VPS server or Windows dedicated server, and at the end of the day by doing so you aren’t going to be paying anything for the database server anyway.