Re: [gentoo-server] ldap or mysql?

[kashani]

Claudinei Matos wrote:
> About this topic, I want to know if postgresql may be a good choice
> instead of mysql.
> explain my case, I have a website with a intranet/extranet that uses
> postgresql as DB to stock a lot of data. Both of they will need to
> query a users table in DB to authenticate the users.
> What I want is to make just one users DB which one I can use to
> authenticate my web users, my email accounts (postfix + courier), the
> workstation login (linux workstations) and some samba clients.
> Considering that my website already use PostgreSQL, the development
> guys ask me about keep using only PostgreSQL. I think it could be a
> good idea since they will not have to change they sqls (mysql doesn't
> have support to all the things they commonly use) but I know postgre
> may be a bit slower then mysql and also a bit heavier.
> Did somebody have any experience of these type of authentication with postgres?
> Could the perfomance differences be meaningless? Or maybe it's better
> to do the effort to exchange the users DB to mysql?
> Note1: I already authenticate my email accounts with courier + mysql.
> Note2: In both ways I will use a separated server to run the DB.

	Break that into paragraphs next time, it's a little hard to parse.

	The performance difference between Mysql and Postgres is going to be 
pretty negligible assuming we're not talking about a gigantic number of 
user data. The tables will fit into RAM nicely and your selects are 
going to be quick in either db.

	I would not recommend running Mysql and Postgres on the same server if 
you're doing any sort of real traffic. Real traffic being highly 
subjective to your workload, software, data size, and hardware. In my 
environment I found that Mysql and Postgres on the same server 
backend-ing some fairly heavy web sites cut performance to 60-70% of 
what I'd see on the purely Mysql servers. Your mileage will vary greatly.

	In your case I'd break out a spread sheet and start comparing which 
database your authentication software requires or supports. Assuming 
both are equally supported I'd go with the db you're more comfortable 
administrating. The amount of SQL either Mysql or Postgres supports is 
not likely to play a part in your decision.

Now I move into purely editorial mode

	Mysql and Postgres admins, developers, fans, etc come from two 
different worlds. People who know what they are doing in Postgres seldom 
know what they are doing on Mysql. And vice versa. Getting anyone who is 
comfortable with their db platform to switch will be painful and is 
going to require a mandate from on high. And someone who really knows 
the new database is going to have double check code, db schema, 
indexing, etc etc for the next 6 months. Because everyone is going to do 
all the things that work in the old database that you should never, ever 
do in the new database. And then complain about the new platform, loudly.

	I'm enforcing such a move this month and already hate every idiot 
developer who was a fan of the old database platform who are thankfully 
in the minority. I don't suggest doing such a move unless you have to. :(

kashani
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