Item: MySQL
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

MySQL is being used by my organization as a teaching resource for database classes. Since it is a free download for the students, it makes MySQL an easy choice to use. It is used to teach the basics of database design and implementation, to formulate SQL statements for creation and data manipulation. I use the command line client to show hands-on the SQL statements from the lectures and from the students to them the results of various combinations of functions and functionality.

Pros and Cons

Good foundation of SQL language
Good foundation of relational database
Good foundation of database design
Free and easy to use

Plenty of external help documentation [is] not available
Easier to understand the downloading procedures and where to find certain things, especially for a Mac.

Return on Investment

A positive impact is the foundation that is provided for usage as a teaching tool
Provides a good foundation to the database environment.

Alternatives Considered

Oracle SQL

MySQL is free to download and easy to for usage by students. It provides the platforms and mechanisms to create, use, and manipulation databases using the SQL language. It allows for simple usage such as selects to more complex scenarios involving triggers and events. MySQL has a mode that can be toggled (autocommit) such that restrictions can be turned off for developer usage and turned on to simulate a user environment.

Likelihood to Recommend

MySQL is a great teaching tool for database foundations of relational databases and SQL. MySQL is also suited for small to small/medium companies. Once a company gets to the medium to large range the needs for some functionality may not be met by MySQL and a bundled database suite may be more appropriate. I use it as a teaching and learning tool for database classes.

Users and Roles

100 - This is just a guess, as the organization I am associated with is a university. There are faculty of all levels as well as students of all levels who could be using MySQL. If I have two courses per year, I am personally looking at around 100 students per school year.

Support Headcount Required

Since MySQL is used in the classroom, the in-house support is myself to the students. In order to be able to do this a basic knowledge of MySQL is required. Additionally, knowing where to locate resources in order to help solve or troubleshoot any issues that the students have is needed.

Business Processes Supported

The creation and design of a database system.
The create of tables based on the design.
The creation of SQL statements to perform manipulations upon the database.
The main use case that I use is the final project to create a system and provide SQL statement for a set of functions. This includes the creation of tables using appropriate data types.

Innovative Uses

Some students who either have used MySQL in the past or at the current job, often bring functionality that may not be covered in the class.
Having flexibility for the final project, allows the students to explore some different view points of the information.

Future Planned Uses

Perhaps have some clubs make use of MySQL for information tracking.

Likelihood to Renew

For teaching Databases and SQL, I would definitely continue to use MySQL. It provides a good, solid foundation to learn about databases. Also to learn about the SQL language and how it works with the creation, insertion, deletion, updating, and manipulation of data, tables, and databases. This SQL language is a foundation and can be used to learn many other database related concepts.

Products Replaced

Key Differentiators

Price
Product Features
Product Usability
Product Reputation

The single most important factor in my decision is the price. There should be no extra cost to the student to download and use MySQL in the classroom. Having a free download, and free access to materials was extremely important a desirable for me to be able to effectively teach the database courses.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

In considering products to be used in the classroom to teach databases, I might also expand it to include those products that pertain to the big data area. Since this topic is not fully covered in the database class it is not part of the evaluation and selection process. Should the syllabus of the class change then the evaluation and selection process would also change.

Usability

MySQL is very easy to learn and use once installation is complete. There are plenty of resources for guided learning either through books, videos, or other instruction formats. There are also a wide range of exercises to support the learning and skills for make MySQL a very useful and usable product.

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar	None

Easy Tasks

The creation and design of a database & tables for usage.
The input of data into the database.
The manipulation of the data through SQL.

Difficult Tasks

The initial installation can be difficult to find, especially on a Mac.
There is an accompanying GUI tool, SQL Workbench, which can be cumbersome to use if you are just wanting to learn the basics of SQL.

MySQL as a teaching foundation

Overall Satisfaction with MySQL