MySQL on Windows - Good Idea?

mikeballer asks: "We currently run our website from a shared hosting environment, with ASP and MS SQL Server. We will be moving to a dedicated host, and to save money, we are considering transitioning to MySQL while remaining in a Windows environment. I had read the Windows-vs-Unix section of the MYSQL documentation, but what is Slashdot's perspective on the performance of MySQL in a Windows environment?"

Comments

Important Consequence of MySQL for Windows

[Randolpho]

I can't really quote performance stats; I've never dealt with a server that gets enough traffic to make a difference.

What I can tell you is that there is a major, important consequence to using MySQL for Windows rather than *nix. It stems from the way MySQL stores table data: the name of the table is the filename of the file used to store that table. Ditto for database names.

On Windows, filenames are case insensitive. The filename "MySQL" is the same as "mysql" is the same as "MysqL", etc. Consequently, table and database names on MySQL windows servers are case insensitive. Case is preserved on *nix, because filenames are case sensitive.

That's not to say that you shouldn't use MySQL for Windows, just be prepared for portability issues if you happen to migrate from *nix.

MySQL documentation on the subject

Re:Can't resist

[phenix927]

I'm a big OSS fan as well, and administer Windows Servers. I also use every single platform I can get my hands on. I found from experience it can be more difficult to install most OSS Apps on windows than on what they were natively written for. A true geek can use whatever they are given. But back to the point at hand .. MySQL and Postgres runs perfectly fine on Windows. I've been running it in production for about 4 years.

Re:Can't resist

[Zontar The Mindless]

What's germane to the current discussion is that MySQL for Windows does exist, runs fine and fast, and MySQL AB provide both unofficial and official support for it same as for MySQL on most other platforms.

The MySQL win32 mailing list and forum are plenty active, and MySQL AB are generally quite happy to sell you paid support for your servers running their product regardless of the OS that happens to be on them. Even if it's Windows. ;)

MySQL works pretty much the same on Windows as it does anywhere else, the one major exception to this being MySQL Cluster, which is currently supported on Linux, Solaris, and OS X only.

I'd personally rather see people switch to an OSS operating system and run MySQL on that, but that's just my 2 öre. But if you really want to run it on Windows - go for it.