How fast are internal web-based databases?

[Kaido]

My company is considering merging our current database systems into a single SQL database with a web-based frontend. We currently use two main database applications, both fairly old. Our product database uses a command-line interface, which I'm guessing is Unix or DOS-based. While it is very fast, it has many drawbacks, like difficulty of use, navigation problems, poor search tools, cruddy reports, etc. We'd like to merge all of our databases into a single, more user-friendly database, with a web-based frontend.

My concern is speed. We have what I think is a 10baseT network in place already. How fast would the user be able to access information internally, through a web-based frontend? We have about 50 people in the main facility, with perhaps 10 users at a time. I'd imagine the speed would be fine, but I want to make sure it would be near-instant like our current databases are. It's imperative that we are able to bring up product, customer, and order information immediately, with no delay. I've used a few various networked-database applications before and it seems like CLI stuff always beats GUI stuff. I don't know if it's the design or technology, but I want to make sure we can get the same speed. Any thoughts?

 

[Muse]

I would think the speed would have a lot to do with how much of the processing is being done on the client machines and how much on the back end. Don't make the browser do too much crunching (if any) and you are ahead of the game. Do it in stored procedures or web services. It's not my bag, but those are my thoughts, FWIW. HTH.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Muse
I would think the speed would have a lot to do with how much of the processing is being done on the client machines and how much on the back end. Don't make the browser do too much crunching (if any) and you are ahead of the game. Do it in stored procedures or web services. It's not my bag, but those are my thoughts, FWIW. HTH.

ditto, not really my bag, but I'm learning. we're having a database guy come in to transfer all the data once we have the system up. basically, the browser will just be taking input, like part numbers or text for searching.

 

[Wizkid]

I've converted a few databases to internal web-based services and the speed is instant. The pages load just as fast as you can click and there is no perceptible delay at all.

PHP + mySQL
ASP + SQL Server 2000
ASP.NET (C#) + SQL Server 2000

These are some of the combinations I have worked with and haven't had any speed problems. You will be fine 🙂

 

[Wizkid]

Oops... I forgot to say:

Speed will depend on the number of records in the database, but if it's fast now, then a good programmer will be able to make the new system just as fast.