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Working with Language Integrated Query in C# – [Part I]
Language Integrated Query, or LINQ as it is called, ships with the Microsoft .NET Framework and provides an easy way to access data, execute queries, and model your databases using .NET objects. This is the first part in the series of articles on Language Integrated Query.
Tomorrow: Special Announcement – DBA School
We’ll be launching the DBA School class site tomorrow – so mark your calendars for Sept 14-16. We have only 15 seats in this class and Chris Shaw and I really look forward to going through a huge assortment of content to get you going in a great way. Keep an eye out for the announcement and you’ll be all set.
Pricing, SQL Server and Strategy
I think the net-net conclusion of the pricing question is probably going to be that it depends a bit on your own use (cheating, I know). I think it comes down to whether you’re setting up a server for use with an application you don’t control or whether you’re a strategic direction for internal and optional development.
If it’s a third-party application, of course your database will be centered around the application requirements. Strategy, though, seems much more price conscious. I’ve heard from several consultants talking about their use of the full lines of products, from Express to Enterprise as a way to install smaller solutions and grow them to the right size server. Much of this work is clearly driven by price. Here are some additional feedback notes:
Carm: "Price definitely matters. One of my clients switched all new development on small and mid-sized systems from SQL Server and Oracle to MySQL because they said MySQL is free. Even after they discovered support costs they felt the price difference was too great to offset the SQL Server ease of use, built in BI and Reporting, and tools.
On other clients where Vendor software is primarily used instead of in-house developed software, price still matters but to a lesser degree.
Those sites tend to use large SQL Server installations with many databases (80-100) per instance thus diluting the cost."
Roger: "I have a consulting company that deals with many databases such as Oracle, SQL Server, SyBase and a host of others. Generally speaking, almost all of the database decisions are based upon the application that is being developed or deployed. If the product already supports a database, then that database is used. If the product supports multiple databases, then whatever the company already has in place, is used, and if none are in place, then SQL Server is recommended (since we are a Gold Partner).
If price is an issue, then we will tend to use SQL Server Express (the free one), and try to convince the company to buy SQL Server. In my 40 years in the business, I cannot think of a single application that I have developed that the database decision was the primary decision factor in the process. It was always the application first. Of course, I always try to use SQL Server. The cost has never been prohibitive, unlike some unnamed (Oracle, oops) others."
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