Re: Microsoft SQL vs. Informix 7.12 OWS for Win NT

In article <01bbeedc$35ec1220$beae20cc@none.ix.netcom.com>, "Scott P. Smith" <spsmith@ix.netcom.com> writes >I've been evaluating MS SQL and Informix 7.12 recently and have >observations I thought I'd share. > >MS SQL installed with 0 problems. I was able to create a database and >tables within 2 hours after opening the box. > >Informix took 3 complete installs before properly installing and each >install took 2 to 3 times as long as the MS SQL install. After the first >two installs, trying to log into the server would cause crashes. Why did the installs fail? > >Accessing MS SQL from a client using ODBC worked great. Again, I was able >to edit/add records within a hour of installing the client side software. >MS SQL supports a number of net protocols and had no problem finding the >SQL server on the network. > >As I write this I still can't access Informix from a client. It only >supports TCP access (as far as I can tell) and requires editing files >manually on the client (the Services file). It also supports IPX/SPX but TCP it the prefered protocol. TCP/IP is used for the biggest network (THe internet) and all UNIX boxes. It's the most popular protocol - why use anything else? > >Finally, Informix seems at least 20 times slower (yes that's twenty, not a >typo) when performing operations on the server (like creating databases, >tables, etc.). > ?? Depends how much memory do you have? How many disk drives. Informix as shipped is a basic,slow configuration which runs in the least memory so it can be installed on the smallest possible hardware configuration. It then needs to be tuned to the hardware which it runs on. Also I assume you have only been using it with 1 user i.e. yourself. Try comparing them with 100 users and see the difference, Informix scales better. >What gives? Up until now I've always heard that MS SQL is immature, >unstable, not robust, etc. and that Informix is stable, scaleable, etc. > >Maybe Informix only has problems on NT. I would appreciate any >comments/explanation. > Informix need to be configred by hand correctly before it will start ok. Once that is done it will run ok. Informix comes from a UNIX background where configuration is done by hand editing text files. SQL server comes from Microsoft where configuration is done using a GUI window with about 5 different tabs. Different way of working. Informix on NT is a port from UNIX character based world. The database engine is the same as so works from text based configuration files. UNIX has no standard GUI and no registery like NT. It's a different way of working, a lot faster if you are used to it, a lot harder if you are not. E-mail me if you want more info. -- David Williams