2.1 Database Platforms Described in This Book
SQL in a Nutshell, Second Edition, describes the
SQL standard and the platform-specific implementations of five
leading RDBMSs:
- DB2
-
IBM's popular DBMS runs on hardware platforms
ranging from PCs all the way up to huge mainframes. It runs on a
multitude of operating systems, including the burgeoning Linux OS.
DB2 is very popular in corporate environments, especially those with
a healthy investment in IBM software, equipment, or services. This
book covers DB2 Universal Database Version 8.1 for Linux, Unix, and
Windows.
- MySQL
-
MySQL is a popular open source DBMS that is known for its blistering
performance. It runs on numerous operating systems, including most
Linux variants. To improve performance, it has a slimmer feature set
than do many other DBMSs. This book covers MySQL 4.0.
- Oracle
-
Oracle is a leading RDBMS in the commercial sector. It runs on a
multitude of operating systems and hardware platforms. Its scalable,
reliable architecture has made it the platform of choice for many
users. SQL in a Nutshell, Second Edition, covers
Oracle Database 10g.
- PostgreSQL
-
PostgreSQL is the most feature-rich open source database platform
available. Where MySQL is best known for its high-speed performance,
PostgreSQL is best known for its excellent support for ANSI standards
and robust transaction processing capabilities, as well as rich
datatype and database object support. In addition to its full set of
features, PostgreSQL runs on a wide variety of operating systems and
hardware platforms. This book covers PostgreSQL 7.2.
- SQL Server
-
Microsoft SQL Server is a popular RDBMS that runs only on the Windows
platform. Its features include ease of use, an all-inclusive feature
set, low cost, and high performance. This book covers Microsoft SQL
Server 2000.
In addition to the five databases just mentioned, Sybase Adaptive
Server Enterprise (ASE) Version 12.5 is covered separately in Appendix A. Because Sybase and SQL Server have common
roots, the appendix discusses the differences between the generally
usable SQL Server syntax and those specifics and extensions offered
by Sybase ASE.
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