Database – Firebird or MS SQL Server

Due to its architecture, Vertec is relatively independent of the database being used. During normal operation, communication with the database server is done via only a few different SQL commands (SELECT, INSERT, DELETE). Server-specific elements such as stored procedures or views are not used by Vertec.

However, SQL is only standardized to a limited extent, so there are deviations between different database systems that need to be addressed in Vertec, such as the interpretation of the like Operators for string comparisons or differences in initialization.

Vertec can be operated with the database servers Firebird and MS SQL Server.

Firebird is the database server that comes standard with Vertec and offers great advantages due to its ease of use. Read our blog article Why vertec relies on firebird as its database server.

The benefits of Firebird

• Installation by Vertec Setup without additional hours on the customer side
• Very stable in operation, no further know-how on the customer’s side required
• Easy handling for backup, restore and database transfers
• Automatic database conversion (inplace convert) without additional manual work for Vertec Updates
• Continuous and transparent further continuous improvement, including our feedback
• In normal operation, Vertec performs better with Firebird than with MS SQL Server
• No additional license costs

All information about running Vertec on Firebird can be found in the article Firebird.

The decision to run Vertec with MS SQL Server must be made carefully, because there are significant disadvantages compared to the use of Firebird:

• It requires in-depth MS SQL Server know-how on the customer side regarding operation, backup, restore and database indexes. Vertec does not deliver MS SQL Server or support MS SQL Server.
• The customer is responsible for the operation, updates and handling of the MS SQL Server
• Database Installation and conversions for Vertec Updates must be done manually by the customer
• Additional license costs apply
• In normal operation, Vertec performs less with MS SQL Server than with Firebirdsee explanations below)

In which cases is it worth considering running Vertec with MS SQL Server?

• MS SQL Server is already in use and there is in-depth know-how to operate it on the customer side
• For SQL queries on non-indexed fields, MS SQL Server, which causes the first query to take the query equal or longer than with FirebirdFirebird but becomes faster for repeated queries on the same fields.
• MS SQL Server can match SQL Server better than Firebird, so you have to decide what to focus on.

Previously, the recommendation was to rely on MS SQL Server for large amounts of data or for many parallel users.

• Even with large amounts of data, the data must be transferred to Vertec over the net. This process is no faster with MS SQL Server than with FirebirdFirebird on the contrary, Firebird is faster than MS SQL Server
• In the past, Firebird could handle many users or many parallel active Vertec logins less well than MS SQL ServerSQL Server was fixed by Firebird a long time ago and is no longer the case today. Whether Firebird will reach its limits in this respect at Firebird, e.g. with > 1000 users, we do not know, but this will have to show in the running.

It is good to know that even an existing Vertec Firebird database can be converted to MS SQL Server at any time. The decision to run Vertec with MS SQL Server can therefore be tested at any time and also carried out at a later date.  

Unless you already have MS SQL Server up and running and you have in-depth know-how, we recommend that you start with Firebird first and only switch to MS SQL Server if this is necessary due to the points outlined above.  

All information about running Vertec on MS SQL Server can be found in the article Ms sql server.