MySQL Information Technology - Research Paper Example

The database of MySQL enables the users to develop a structure of relational database somewhere in the web-server so as to store information and do the necessary computing. When compared with the Microsoft Access, MySQL facilitates the users by organizing tables for them. Amongst other elements, the PHP serves as the queries. User’s forms play the role of individual web pages that contain fields. A combination of all these features allows the user to develop wonderful projects upon web which are very difficult to create without the use of MySQL.

“The SQL part of “MySQL” stands for “Structured Query Language.” SQL is the most common standardized language used to access databases and is defined by the ANSI/ISO SQL Standard” (MySQL, 2011). Since the year 1986, SQL Standard has been evolving. Today, users can choose from numerous versions of SQL. MySQL is absolutely freely downloadable from the Internet and licensed by the GNU General Public License (GPL). GLP sets the rules for the use of MySQL in various situations. One of the most fundamental elements of MySQL that distinguish it from the conventional databases is its open source nature.

Being open source, anybody can make use of and make alterations in the MySQL software. The source code can be altered as per the requirement of individual users. In a vast majority of cases, when a user already has a web-page or is getting one, PHP and MySQL are supported by the host. Servers which they are normally linked with include Linux. A user may check out the Dreamhost if he wants to gain the support of PHP and MySWL while getting his page. Some users have a difficult time dealing with the MySQL database because of their lack of prior interaction with the WYSIWYG interface which is afforded by the Microsoft Access.

Therefore, when they have to develop tables, they either use SQL Statements for it or else, make use of some open source tool that can be downloaded from the Internet. Such tools are commonly referred to as the PHPMyAdmin. PHPMyAdmin provides the users with a user friendly interface which makes it easy for them to develop tables and forward their queries by providing the required information. This becomes particularly convenient for a user when he is tired or does not want to indulge in the lethargic SQL Statements.

MySQL is significantly different in its properties, characteristics and uses from Microsoft Acess. After the creation of tables, it becomes very easy to use MySQL. MySQL far exceeds Microsoft Access in terms of both reliability and speed. In a relational database, data is kept in individual tables instead of one storeroom. This promotes flexibility and enhances the speed of the process. Microsoft Access is not much more than a system of desktop database. Small organizations can do with up to 20 users of Microsoft Access at one time, but hits as many as 10000 per day require a much more efficient and stronger system that is provided by MySQL.

The tables in MySQL can use real data unlike Microsoft Access. Need a text field that can hold over four billion characters? Not a problem, just use the LongText data type. Want the field to hold that many characters and be case-sensitive? Easy, just use the LongBlob data type. Need to store numbers from 0 to 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 (for those of you who are curious, that would be over 18 Quintillion), then use the BigInt data type. Indeed, 18 quintillion is a big integer. (Blue Moose