Re: PostgreSQL vs. Microsoft SQL server

On Sat, 1 May 2010, Thomas Løcke wrote:

> Anybody know of any recent comparisons made between the two?

A Google search will turn up a lot of comparisons.

> I'm in the process of buying a new telephony related software suite, and
> I'm getting mixed advice. Some say that MSSQL is _much_ better/faster than
> PostgreSQL, and others say the opposite.

This opens a world of potential flames. The first thing you should ask is
on what basis the comparisons are being made. Initial price? Licensing fees?
Support? While MS-SQL requires a Microsoft OS underneath it, postgres can be
installed on that OS or on linux or the *BSDs. No charge for the underlying
OS, either.

What is the basis for "fast?" How does the dbms relate to the telephone
software? Do you need real-time transaction processing or as a lookup for
phone numbers?

I've been using postgres for more than a dozen years, and know that there
are a wide range of applications where it's the back end. Some applications
require fast read/write capability (which it has), others capability to
store hundreds of millions of rows per table, and it handles these, too.

Ask more specific questions of your proposed vendor and have them back up
the answers with meaningful support, not marketing fluff from Redmond.

Rich