SQL Server

Commentaires: Have used SQL Server as a a Relational Database (RDBMS) for the past 15 years, primarily to support SAP based enterprise workloads. Microsoft's development of SQL Server has been fuelled by its largest customer - SAP, in order to provide better functionality to rival its competition (Oracle, DB2, Informix (who remembers this one?). I started with MSSQL 2000 and boy has it come a long way. MSSQL versions are denoted via the year and is still a practice till today, similar to how Microsoft denotes its Windows versions. To date, the latest version of MSSQL 2017 is also supported on SAP, and I am sure once MSSQL 2019 is released later this year it would also be certified by SAP.

Avantages: The review is based on my experience of using SQL Server as a database with SAP. What I like about MSSQL :
- ACID compliant like any enterprise based RDBMS (Oracle, IBM DB2, SAP HANA)
- Runs well and scales well with commodity x86 hardware
- Various editions to suit customer needs and requirements. For example Express Edition for small workloads and is free, or all the way to Enterprise Edition for state-of-the-art functionality (High-Availability, Disaster Recovery etc. to prevent Single-Points-of-Failure). Its current functionality definitely rivals the existing enterprise RDBMS's
- Straightforward learning curve as it is Windows based. Unlike other RDBMS's (e.g. Oracle or DB2), administering a MSSQL DB is very easy GUI (SQL Server Management Studio) is very easy to use especially if coming from Oracle/DB2, or if you're learning from scratch
- Supports Linux (finally!) - MSSQL is no longer limited to the Windows platform, and Microsoft has released version on Linux to compete with the likes of Oracle, DB2, etc.

Inconvénients: Over my years of using MSSQL have encountered numerous bugs (performance issues, corrupted data, etc.) but these are normal with other RDBMS's (Oracle, DB2, SAP HANA, etc.) given the enterprise nature of the workloads. Can't really think of any other disadvantages.

Commentaires: Overall, my experience with SQL Server is amazing! I am able to store all of our Las Vegas luxury casino data (gaming, hotel, food & beverage, entertainment, etc.) and query that for information that we then turn into automated or ad-hoc reports. These then go to the operators of the business as well as the executives who analyze the reports and make better decisions daily, weekly, and monthly. The goal is simple: just become better over time...better than you were last year, last month, last week. And SQL Server is the vehicle to empower your organization to find those valuable insights hiding in plain sight to do just that!

Avantages: I absolutely LOVE SQL Server. It is my favorite software to use because the possibilities for query-writing are endless. I would say this is the most reliable and flexible of all the database software I have ever used. SQL Server allows you to write in T-SQL (T = transact, SQL = structured query language), which means that you can create variables, use temp tables, and write code in a procedural format that runs akin to a module in other programming languages. We use SQL Server 2008 at work, though I am really loving the new features in the latest version (as of today) SQL Server 2016. Overall, SQL Server is a platform for creating table schema, storing information, and then writing scripts (queries) to manipulate that data--to find insights that are useful to making better business decisions. The interface is easy to understand, the error-checking is strong (and actually tells you what is wrong). It doesn't hold your hand like other simplified coding languages, but it becomes very reliable and easy to use once you obtain a solid foundation in relational database theory and SQL language.

Inconvénients: Hmm...if I had to speak ill of SQL Server...I would probably say that it is a bit tricky to get up to speed quickly with. There's a lot to it, so to speak, so it's taken me the better part of five years working in the data analytics industry to finally say that I feel I am completely proficient in utilizing the software to its full potential. Topics such as query optimization remain my areas of biggest weakness. I can write a query to pull any kind of desired information; however, the art lies in being able to pull it quickly and with reasonable efficiency. If your query takes more than 15 minutes (or even hours!) to run, it's probably not written correctly and likely poses a major threat to the server you are connecting to (and tying up!) in the process. I would like more information in the software (GUIs, warnings, etc.) regarding poorly-written queries from an execution standpoint.