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Hosting A5 data driven websites

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    Hosting A5 data driven websites

    I am thinking about an A5 data driven web application.

    I have a remote server for websites and this has 500Mbytes of ram

    It seems that if I use A5 for data driven web apps I may need to hire an additional remote web server to operate the database.

    My local upload speed is not sufficiently fast .2 .4Mbs so it will be a case for hiring.
    Database posibilities seem to be
    access
    A5
    Sql 2005 express version
    I wonder if anyone can give me pointers on this please
    Thanks
    John

    #2
    Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

    mySQL offers the best of both worlds, highly compatible with Alpha5 (and you can generate all tables from existing dbfs) and faster/better suited for multi user access than dbf files.

    SQL Server has some quirks to do with row locks that have made it a bit tricky for this sort of thing (even when you have a read only view, it seems to temporarily lock the rows you view and this can cause problems).

    You are right about the upload speed, although depending on your situation if you have a server already, it may be cheaper to just get a better broadband package?

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

      Thanks NoeticCC
      I have looked at mySQL in the past, but it seems very unstructured and difficult to work with. I expect is OK when you know how, but from memory it was like working in dos. Perhaps there are ways around this?

      Unfortunately I cannot get a faster broadband package here. I have tried but evidently the BT substation is the problem.

      Would 500 mbytes ram be sufficient for the A5 Server with access or mysql or would speed be a problem?
      Regards
      John

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

        500mb may be a bit tight, but it does depend on what you do with it. We have one with many pages and frequent access that serves up PDF proofs and sends emails, generates images from different formats etc. etc. with 1 GB memory and it is generally very fast and copes very well.

        It might be better if the mySQL database was on a different server, this would also help spread the load. Access would have the same downside as DBF files and none of the positive points, if you are going to use something other than DBF I would really go for mySQL.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

          Just use the DBF tables that come with Alpha. 90% or so of us are doing just this.
          Steve Wood
          See my profile on IADN

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

            Thanks
            Its good to hear the differing views.

            So for fairly low usage would the present 500Mbytes and the A5 Server be able to manage?

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

              I don't know where my buddy Kevin is these days, but he liked to show off his A5V7 HVAC ordering system with 500K records on a PIII with 256K. It was slow, but it worked fine. A web app doesn't do anything unless someone just pressed a button somewhere. The rest of the time it sits idle. I ran a server with normal ADSL, back when it was under 1MB, and it ran fine for the 10 or so casual users. The point is, build it, deploy it on what you have, then evaluate if you need more.
              Steve Wood
              See my profile on IADN

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                This may help.

                I have a web site hosted at ZebraHost on a VPS with 1 gig of memory. Clive has done a lot of work lately to optimize the VPS for Alpha, and it is working well (and fast).

                On that site, I have Alpha V9, Alpha WAS, MySQL Version 5.1, and the MySQL Query Browser. I am able to remote desktop in, open them all up and use them all at the same time for development. The speed isn't the greatest, but I can live with it.

                When that application is finished, I plan to host it on a dedicated server at ZebraHost with 2 gig memory, but I expect it to be a heavy use site.

                Personnally, I think 1 gig is the sweet spot for remote servers. I've moved all my clients to that, and they are happy they did. I would not even try 500M.

                Pat
                Pat Bremkamp
                MindKicks Consulting

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                  John Hardy,

                  My years of experience with hardware always tells me to over do it a bit.
                  However today with prices being what they are being concerned with Ram
                  is crazy. I have a 24/7/365 intranet running on an XPPRO with 4gig of ram and the box cost like $800-900 (HP).

                  DB is native dbf's records are in the mid 20-50,000 and performance is great. I started with dbf and told the customer that if we see a performance issue down the road we would have to go to something else like MSSQL. Why spend the money on having to setup a SQL server etc....

                  We are now after a 1 year of transactions are archiving "History" so the main working files are fresh......

                  I had made mistakes on different pages/grids that inhibited performance but once I understood those mistakes Staying away from them the site is quite fast, considering they are using a DSL for 2 office to access the intranet.

                  Nicholas
                  Nicholas Wieland
                  LedgerSuite.com Corp
                  [email protected]
                  http://www.ledgersuite.com

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                    Many thanks for all the excellent replies I can see the way forward a little more now. I just did not wish to land up with nowhere to go.
                    So thanks again
                    John

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                      Originally posted by JH10 View Post
                      I have a remote server for websites and this has 500Mbytes of ram
                      With memory priced at $50 for 512 mb, I consider 1 gb the minimum to run windows (without Alpha)

                      2 gb is much better..... 4 gb is sweet.. It's money well spent.
                      Al Buchholz
                      Bookwood Systems, LTD
                      Weekly QReportBuilder Webinars Thursday 1 pm CST

                      Occam's Razor - KISS
                      Normalize till it hurts - De-normalize till it works.
                      Advice offered and questions asked in the spirit of learning how to fish is better than someone giving you a fish.
                      When we triage a problem it is much easier to read sample systems than to read a mind.
                      "Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler."
                      Albert Einstein

                      http://www.iadn.com/images/media/iadn_member.png

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                        Thanks Al
                        for the good guidance

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                          You have received some great advice/posts.

                          My two cents:
                          The DBF route is a great, inexpensive route.
                          But, IMHO, if I had any more than a few people updating data at the same time, I'd rather hand that job over to a real DB engine - mySQL or SQL Server.

                          I'm biased towards SQL Server, for these reasons:
                          - It's very solid
                          - It's extremely easy to administer
                          - SQL Server Express is free, and it can take you further, with more
                          reliability, and better performance, than DBFs or an Access file.

                          We have been using SQL Server internally for many years. We don't have a single instance of unusual hangs, corrupted/lost data, or hassle of any kind.
                          We do no special maintenance on the databases, beyond daily automated
                          backups.

                          For us, it's just been - working and working.
                          Frank R

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Hosting A5 data driven websites

                            Thanks Frank
                            Good to hear of your experience.
                            Gris to the mill.
                            Cheers
                            John

                            Comment

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