Web Host Databases
A database is, in simple terms, a searchable repository of data. A customer database would include names, addresses, email addresses, purchases (including date of purchase and the amount of purchase), whether they are subscribed to a newsletter, etc.
This leads into the whole field of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) which uses database mining to identify your best customers, create targeted marketing campaigns and build your relationship with your customers.
On the web the two main databases are the open source MySQL and Microsoft’s MS SQL. SQL (rhymes with equal) stands for Structured Query Language. They are large scale databases capable of storing millions of records.
In some cases you will see the option of Microsoft Access databases. Access is the database that comes with MS Office and, while it can still hold large amounts of data, is limited in its ability to serve many users at once. It’s not really sufficient for web servers.
MySQL can be used on both Windows and Linux servers. MS SQL can only be used on Windows servers. The data contained in the databases is the most important aspect of your business and the most complicated to deal with.
Have you ever received three identical email solicitations from the same company because you are signed up for three different newsletters? I have. It’s because they use information from three different databases instead of combining them to see that you are one person, not three.
Databases have their own rules, their own language and their own security. You don’t have to learn this yourself; you can hire a good database programmer to collect and sort the data. But, understand that they are not marketers. You have to tell them exactly what you need.
