Using DB for Saving Files

[eeamh]

I want to build a database system that manipulate huge amount of files (all
type of files , like .doc , txt , gif , jpg , wav , dat …) which is better
to save this files using SQL server DB or it is better to use the Hard drive
directly for saving them without any DB engine (not in both cases I like
to compress them before saving) , why we choose this track or that , and
from where can I get some information about this topic
thanks

[MarkN]

If the files are large and many and don't change much I would suggest storing
them in the file system and the meta-data in the database. DB2 has tools
that will allow you treat these files as part of the database and help stream
them when needed.

Data links - http://www-3.ibm.com/software/data/db2/datalinks/

Extenders - http://www-3.ibm.com/software/data/db2/extenders/

Content Manager - http://www-3.ibm.com/software/data/cm/


Mark



"eeamh" <eeamh@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>I want to build a database system that manipulate huge amount of files (all
>type of files , like .doc , txt , gif , jpg , wav , dat …) which is better
>to save this files using SQL server DB or it is better to use the Hard drive
>directly for saving them without any DB engine (not in both cases I like
>to compress them before saving) , why we choose this track or that , and
>from where can I get some information about this topic
>thanks
>

[Richard]

"eeamh" <eeamh@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>I want to build a database system that manipulate huge amount of files (all
>type of files , like .doc , txt , gif , jpg , wav , dat …) which is better
>to save this files using SQL server DB or it is better to use the Hard drive
>directly for saving them without any DB engine (not in both cases I like
>to compress them before saving) , why we choose this track or that , and
>from where can I get some information about this topic
>thanks
>

The past response was interesting, but it sounds like you are using SQL Server
and not DB2. However, similarly to the DB2 response, you probably want to
store the files as disk files and just keep the file paths and types (meta-data)
in a column in the database. I don't think SQL Server has anything as nice
as the "datalinks" that the previous responder refered to, but once you know
the path and file type you can do whatever you need to with the file. You
could keep the files in a "BLOB" on the database which allows you to port
the files easily with the database, but if you want to access them from outside
the database you cannot. Even accessing them from a program is more cumbersome
than just keeping them as files.

I hope this helps.

Richard

[IbrahimMalluf]

Hello All

>but if you want to access them from outside
>the database you cannot. Even accessing them from a program is more
cumbersome
>than just keeping them as files.

Actually, you can, and not with too much difficulty.

If you are using ADO, the Stream object will restore the file which can be
opened normally...

Ibrahim


"Richard" <RHanson@JigsawSoftware.com> wrote in message
news:3c6a9e5a$1@10.1.10.29...
>
> "eeamh" <eeamh@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >I want to build a database system that manipulate huge amount of files
(all
> >type of files , like .doc , txt , gif , jpg , wav , dat .) which is
better
> >to save this files using SQL server DB or it is better to use the Hard
drive
> >directly for saving them without any DB engine (not in both cases I like
> >to compress them before saving) , why we choose this track or that ,
and
> >from where can I get some information about this topic
> >thanks
> >
>
> The past response was interesting, but it sounds like you are using SQL
Server
> and not DB2. However, similarly to the DB2 response, you probably want to
> store the files as disk files and just keep the file paths and types
(meta-data)
> in a column in the database. I don't think SQL Server has anything as
nice
> as the "datalinks" that the previous responder refered to, but once you
know
> the path and file type you can do whatever you need to with the file. You
> could keep the files in a "BLOB" on the database which allows you to port
> the files easily with the database, but if you want to access them from
outside
> the database you cannot. Even accessing them from a program is more
cumbersome
> than just keeping them as files.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Richard