SQL vs Firebird?
The full featured AyaNova service management software can be networked using either Firebird Server vs Microsoft SQL Server (Express or full Server)
Below we have listed the pros and the cons of each for you to review before networking AyaNova. We have had no issues with either platform. Decide based on the following that best meets your needs.
| SQL Server or SQL Express | Firebird Server 2.1.1 |
| Versions older than 2005 (i.e. SQL server 7, SQL 2000) are not supported | |
| SQL Pros | Firebird Pros |
| Very powerful, can be scaled from a small network using one of the free versions up to an enterprise class solution involving clusters of SQL servers capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of simultaneous users. | In testing with smaller databases we’ve found in most cases Firebird is only slightly slower than SQL server with all hardware being equal. However much depends on the exact operation being performed, how much data is in your database, and your hardware. |
| Free for the “light” version such as SQL Express 2005 or 2008 | Free with a very solid history in production use. |
| Requires little to no administration, once set up it just keeps working. | |
| Light versions can be replaced with the full blown server editions as required | Has a very active community of developers. |
| Database can be backed up while running with included utilities | Database can be backed up while running with included utilities. |
| Can be run on a non Windows computer such as Linux saving the cost of an operating system for a computer being used solely as a database server. | |
| Just as reliable as Microsoft SQL server in our experience, we have had no issues with either platform | |
| SQL Cons | Firebird Cons |
| Slower under heavy loads: If for example, you were to display a huge list of thousands of records of data in AyaNova rather than filtering it by a date range as is recommended we have found Microsoft SQL server to be noticeably faster. On the other hand when doing normal work in AyaNova entering work orders, printing them etc there is no significant difference | |
| Full SQL server can be relatively pricey. | It’s open source free software, for some that is a bonus, others may find that worrisome. We’re not normally great proponents of free software for obvious reasons, but we did look at both commercial and open source alternatives to offer with MS-SQL server and it was technically the best match for the requirements of AyaNova. |
| Slower performance has been noted if hyperthreading is used, or dual processors in some cases. Recommended to compare with or without to see what works best for you. Refer to examples of topics suggested reading | |
| You can find more information about SQL 2008 at Microsoft | You can fine more information about Firebird at their main site. |