In this article we look at 3 key reasons which make SQL Server an apt choice for small businesses over Ms Excel
Some small business owners, especially those working in the traditional economy, are usually wary of technology. They are skeptical not only about investing in technology but also in using technology in their businesses. Most of them prefer using it to the minimal extent and prefer sticking to old technology wherever possible.
In contrast, majority of small business owners are particular about keeping records, probably out of business necessity or compliance requirements. Thankfully businesses have finally moved away from log books and ledgers to computers, typically using MS Excel for their record keeping. There is nothing wrong with using Excel for record keeping but it is important to understand that it is outdated and today we have a lot more advanced software than excel. The most preferred one these days are databases like Microsoft’s SQL server.
To be able to make a choice between SQL server and Excel it is important to first understand the difference between the two. Spreadsheets and databases vary in storage and manipulation of data. Excel uses spreadsheets for record keeping and SQL server being relational database software makes use of tables which are connected by properties. Using the SQL server application might be complicated at first but its complexity is also what offers advantages. For someone not comfortable with software’s and technology, Excel might be the first choice as it is easier to understand than SQL server. But here we give you three reasons as to why you should invest time and money in learning SQL server.
- The SQL Server database application is a fully functional RDBMS system which allows you to store a huge volume of data in interlinked tables that can be easily accessed through SQL queries. In beats Excel in ease of retrieving specific data and the amount of data that can be stored in it.
- The SQL Server application can be accessed simultaneously by countless users over a network. It comes with locking features which makes it possible for parallel operations by different user which is sorely missing in Excel.
- The flexibility of SQL Server database to serve as the backend for applications to retrieve data is something that Excel cannot match. Applications can be developed in nearly any programming language, say ASP or PHP and used to access a SQL database in an optimum manner.
It is often believed that database software’s are for large scale enterprise or huge companies, there are multiple types of database software’s available, which can very much be used for a small scale business and SQL server is one which can cater to both. So if you are running a small business, you can choose to opt for the free version of SQL Server for data storage requirements and form the backend for your line of business application.
SQL Crashes are amongst the few things that one needs to worry about while working SQL Server
The SQL Server application is a fabulous piece of software. However of the few things that you need to worry about while working on it, SQL crashes come on the very top. To avoid a data loss scenario resulting out of a SQL crash, it is ideal to keep a sql recovery tool like DataNumen SQL Recovery handy. This class leading software is capable of extracting contents from a thoroughly compromised SQL database file within minutes. Moreover it can even help you recover any records that were deleted before by mistake.
Author Introduction:
Alan Chen is President & Chairman of DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including access recovery and sql recovery software products. For more information visit https://www.datanumen.com/
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