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MySQL: LAMP's standard Database and a great way to get started with data acquisition
February 19, 2019

MySQL: LAMP's standard Database and a great way to get started with data acquisition

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with MySQL

MySQL is being used to log datasets from a series of electro-mechanical devices (due to NDA, I cannot discuss the specifics). These devices are mechanical in nature, with sensors monitoring properties of the devices. In this particular context, I am looking for failure points and building risk models around those points. However, I have looked at multiple databases for this particular project, and without a doubt, MySql is my favorite as it's simple to set up, and works seamlessly with a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySql, Php) installation), which really is the selling point here.
  • Speed: returning results from broad queries are a breeze.
  • High Availability: some of the central themes in MySQL are open source. As a result, no "Patch Tuesdays."
  • TCO: The fact that MySQL is an open source project, coupled with strong support and a low failure rate, make its overall total cost of ownership very low and extremely easy to introduce into a lab or research project.
  • Language support: I know this is a little far fetched, but moving from one RDBMS to another is, at times, jarring. I'd like to see some compatibility with other household names (i.e. SQL Server).
  • Along the same line, relaxing the syntax constraints would be nice (i.e. yes/no on the semicolon. Make it optional).
  • MySql needs to develop its features so that it maintains compatibility with more robust and common RDBMS (i.e. Oracle/SQL SERVER).
  • Oracle: Oracle should really think about this: is MySQL so different from their other flagship products that they feel they need to maintain it? Why not roll it up into a single, powerful tech?
  • Positive impact on implementation: It's a breeze to setup a LAMP stack, with MySQL included.
  • Positive impact on capital expenditures: it's easy to get it running on a virtual machine, smaller system or really anything. Its impact on RAM usage is very minimal (unlink SQL Server).
  • Positive impact on querying time: since most initial queries in any data project are simple, getting a DB up and running from bare metal to full-stack and querying is a stress-less process, as it takes about 2hours to be ready to query.
Familiarity: With MySQL, I know what to expect, and that goes a long way. Also, since it adheres fairly close to SQL '92, It's relatively easy to construct queries, views, etc. without a steep learning curve. Also, RAM usage is important (this is true of any RDBMS consideration), and MySQL delivers good performance, without sacrificing RAM.
By far, the most common reason to use MySQL (mine included, initially) is that you cannot have a LAMP stack without MySQL. Every shred of documentation (almost) on the web implements MySQL as apart of a LAMP stack, and I feel this is truly where MySQL shines. It's packaged, and it performs very similarly to other technologies, and as a result, creates a niche market for itself. Perhaps the future of MySQL will be something like a front-end to other DBs, or perhaps they will pivot from relational to something like document or object. Just a thought.