Web Databases

View the Editorial on the Web Database here. View the Client / Server Architecture on the Web Database here. View the 'Dual' Multi-Tier for the Web Database here.

Web Databases are now Coming of Age. They are not only literally taking the Internet by Storm, but they are now finding their way into the Traditional Database Intranet / Network, too.

Web Databases currently come in Four (4) 'Flavors': 'Flat File' - a Text File of Lines (Records) one right after another, 'ODBC'/'JDBC' - an Open Database Connection into a Live Database, 'Client' - a Connection into a 'Client Library', into a Live Database, 'Direct' - Direct Control of the Live Database.

The 'Flat File':

The MCSE Practice Test and the Hardware Sales both use Flat Files for Database Records. These are basically Lines of Text, Separated by some Unique Character, or Group of Characters. (They may be 'Fixed-Length' Lines as well, where each 'Field' is a Specific Number of Characters.) We use the '::' (Double Colon) as the Separator for our 'Fields'.

For example (from the MCSE Practice Text), What device is used to connect different networks?::0::A gateway::0::A bridge::0::A repeater::1::A router:: The First 'Field' is the Actual Question, the Second, Fourth, Sixth and Eighth 'Fields' are a '0' if False and a '1' if True, the Third, Fifth, Seventh and Ninth 'Fields' are the Possible Responses. We run this through our Perl CGI Script to 'Parse' these Values into our 'Fields'.

Flat Files are probably the Most Popular Database Format on the Internet, because they are Easy to write and work with, especially when the Data (Lines) do not change, or when you are working with small amounts of Data (Lines). There are also many 'Shopping Cart' Perl Programs available for FREE on the Internet. But, they are also Very Slow compared to Indexed Relational Databases.

O pen D ata B ase C onnectivity (ODBC)

ODBC has become popular, especially in the Microsoft Windows XX World for connecting from one application to some database.

For example, A currently popular design is to make a Visual Basic Program connect to an Access Database by using ODBC, allowing the Stand-Alone Executable Visual Basic Program access and control of the Access Database Records without having to re-create the Access Database, itself. (Of course, you could do the same thing with FoxPro by itself.)

Through ODBC, you can have your CGI Programs or Scripts access 'Any' Database the same way.

ODBC does have a tendancy to 'lock up', completely locking you out of your database. Like Flat Files, ODBC was designed to handle small amounts of data. Although it can handle a Single Large Query, it cannot handle making Multiple Queries very well (required on a CGI Server). It is also quite a lot of work to maintain Client Setups, although this should not be of so much concern if you are only using it for your CGI Server Database Connection.

The 'Client' Approach:

The 'Client' Database Connection uses a Library (a DLL on Windows XX) to Connect to a Database Server 'Daemon'. The Large Databases, such as DB2, Informix, MS-SQL, Oracle and Sybase each run their own Server 'Daemons' - Programs that run Constantly handling all Data Manipulation from Client Requests. (This is almost like running their own Operating System within the computer Operating System.)

You would create your CGI Programs to call the Server 'Daemon' through these Libraries, Requesting Data from the Database or Updating the Database Infomation. The Server 'Daemon' then returns this information to the CGI Program, similarly to the ODBC Connections, but with much greater reliability.

The 'Client' Libraries to these Large Databases allow for both Massive and Multiple Data Requests to easily be made on the Database simultaneously. Plus, these Large Databases are well accepted and easily extendable as a Web Database grows.

These Large Database also come with Considerable Overhead, making Data Requests and Manipulation Slow, while also making Database Administration a Full Time Assignment.

The 'Direct' Approach:

For the 'Direct' Approach, View the Web Database Editorial here.

Back to the Table of Contents