> My client wants me to implement my applications in client/server. Which
> Database Management should I choose and what are the criteria?
This is a huge question, and I don't think that we can adequately
address all of the requirements or conditions of selecting a back end,
but here are the first considerations that come to mind:
1) Are they already using a database back end for something else? If
so, use that.
2) Are they hooked on the MS product line? If so, SQL Server may be the
way to go.
3) Do they want better TCP/IP (or other protcol) support than SQL Server
provides? If so, then Oracle may be the way to go.
4) Have they decided on a machine to run the back end? (this would not
necessarily be a wise course of action of they haven't first decided the
back end) Does this machine run NT? No? Then SQL Server is out of the
question.
5) Will all of the support be out-sourced or will their staff be
supporting it? Do the support people have experience in a particular
back end? If so, then that back end may be the way to go.
6) Will they be wanting to do some tricky calculations or other
operations in scripts? If so, then the scripting languages of the back
ends has to be considered.
7) How much time (either as a number of hours, or as a percentage) do
they want to spend on support? The realistic expectation of a number of
support hours can't come from a vendor -- better to get that from a
newsgroup or a mailing list.