When it comes to database servers, there are several free database server applications available. The intended use of the database server will have some impact on which database package you choose. MySQL is the most widely used free database server. However, it's use is primarily to act as a back end database for Web site applications written in embedded scripting languages like PHP because it doesn't support things like triggers, stored procedures, and replication (yet).
MySQL is a private for-profit company based in Sweden (which is why, unlike other open-source software providers, they have a ".com" domain). They offer a commerical license for businesses that want support directly from the vendor. They give the software away because it gives them, what CEO Marten Mickos calls, "...the world's largest quality assurance facility" (estimated at 4 million installations and growing by 30,000 downloads a day).
If you're looking to set up a serious enterprise database server for your LAN-based client/server applications, you may think that Oracle/Linux, with it's licensing costs, is the only option available to you. However, SAP AG has released their back-end database product under an open source license. "MaxDB" (formerly SAP DB) is the same industrial-strength database that is part of SAP AG's enterprise applications. MaxDB is the result of a partnership between SAP AG and MySQL. (See the Internet Resources page for links to a MaxDB and a SAPDB/Debian Quickstart page.)
The Database Server
All we have to do to install the MySQL package is enter the command:
apt-get install mysql-server
Select Yes to start MySQL at boot up and take note of the information given on the Install Hints screen.
Keep in mind that what you're working with here is a typically going to be the "back end" database server (the "server" part of "client/server"). The "front end" clients that will access the databases can use any number of applications, from Web pages written in PHP to off-the-shelf query and reporting applications. These clients can be other Linux systems, UNIX systems, or Windows systems. (We'll get to that in a bit.) But since a database server isn't much good without some databases, we'll see how easy it is to create a simple one here.
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