Re: xml import/export tools and performance

On Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:28:33 -0800
John R Pierce <pierce(at)hogranch(dot)com> wrote:

> Ivan Sergio Borgonovo wrote:
> > I know one of the exporting parties will be a MS SQL 2005
> > server, so it would be nice if there was an easy way to import
> > xml generated with the FOR XML AUTO, XMLSCHEMA ('forpg').

> Microsoft SQL Server has a pretty good data translation tool, it
> used to be called DTS, but I think its called something else

SSIS... being used to DTS I think that in terms of usability it made
a step back... but still XML support in MS SQL looks reasonably neat.

> and some info on MS's webpile about it...
> http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2005/en/us/integration-services.aspx
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc917721.aspx

> if you go this route, you don't have to mess with any sort of
> import/export files, XML or otherwise, just move the data directly
> between the databases over the network.

Unfortunately that's not the only source of input/output and
internally the DB schema may be a bit different and towards some
destinations we just have one choice.

> personally, I find XML is extremely inefficient. the idea of
> sending the name of every field with each data record just seems
> like a bad idea. you end up with more metadata than actual data.

It is.

We need at least one xml output, we may have some xml input and some
xml output. On some parties we don't have constraints and we just
thought that xml could be a common exchange format. Knowing nothing
about the tools available for pg, some example of real usage etc...
I was looking around to see where to start to cut the cake.

--
Ivan Sergio Borgonovo
http://www.webthatworks.it