What database should I use?

[scoobydoo987]

I am currently using Access 2000 databases for a site that I have started and I now have over 3,000 members. I now have another Access 2000 database for the Guestbook, one for the Forum, 1 for the Admin page (site content) and another Access 2000 database for Blogs.

Since I am developing this from a Win 2K box and don't have SQL Server 2000 (too expensive) and am not familiar with MySQL (yet), what would be the best database to migrate to and the easiest to learn? Should I use MySQL or is there something else out there that is easy to learn and rather inexpensive or FREE.

How long will the Access 2000 databae last? How many records can I add to it before it is too much and causes problems? One thing that is really hard with the Access database is when I need to make changes to the table structure I need to make the changes really late at night so that I nobody is using it.

The pages are all classic ASP. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[edited by: jatar_k at 6:16 pm (utc) on Mar. 6, 2006]
[edit reason] no specific hosts thanks [/edit]

[JollyK]

You might install MySQL on your Windows server (there is a Windows version) and make sure to get the ODBC driver. We used to access MySQL *through* Access 2000 using the ODBC connector, so if you're used to the Access interface in dealing with your data, you might be able to start out learning MySQL in that way and still use Access to manage your MySQL stuff. We have successfully used MySQL in ASP and even Webclasses.

Since MySQL is pretty ubiquitous, I'd recommend going with it, although PostGreSQL (however they're spelling it now) is also quite nifty. I'm not sure if there's a windows version of PostGres, though, and it doesn't seem to be as widely adopted as MySQL is.

As a side note, I have worked with Oracle and IBM DB2 as well as MS SQL Server, but have often ended up moving most things over to MySQL. Yes, there is functionality that MSSQL and Oracle have that MySQL doesn't (or doesn't do well), but if you're using Access files, you probably don't use those functions either.

I would at least encourage you to try MySQL and get to learning it a bit, but honestly, I'd encourage you to try a LOT of things, play around with them, and see what you like and feel comfortable with.

I'm afraid I don't know how long exactly you can go with Access, but I do remember being surprised in the past at how much stuff people managed to get in there. You might try a google search on "access 2000 record limit" or similar...

JK

[scoobydoo987]

Thanks for all the information. By the way I found a great tool that converts MS-Access to MySQL. [convert-in.com...]