Grant, > I need help. I am building a database for a small college that wants to be > able to update their program information for each department through an > web/gui program. > > I've decided to use, MYSQL, Apache, PHP and FreeBSD as the OS. (I built my > web page this way) > > Here's my QUESTION! Because some of the program information is large I don't > want to query the data base everytime do I?
=Most use LAMPs (Linux (sorry of that is not quite kosher for FreeBSD), Apache, MySQL, and PHP) to create DYNAMIC web sites. As such, every query from a user results in a back-end database interaction. Amazon, Yahoo, Google, etc have large back-end databases and thousands of (concurrent) users and every 'click' requires a database interaction. =In your case, the transaction rate will be significantly lower, even if the volume-transmitted per click may be "large". =Database retrieval and PHP formatting speeds are insignificant when compared to Internet transmission speeds - and even bulk text/page downloads over a campus network. > This would take up to many resources. So I've decided to write a program > that will take the information from the MYSQL tables and build static pages > every night and remove the old ones through a cron job? > How does this sound? =caching seems like a reasonable approach, where possible. Remember though, there is a lot of effort involved in managing that overnight process! =Can I assume that the information doesn't change frequently? =You talk in terms of "large". Can you quantify this? =Instead of caching, could you have your authors develop the basic program description pages as static HTML? Then your database has no need to store page-data, but only a filename: when the end-user requests information, the database chooses a file, and PHP instructs Apache to display same. Much the same as you have described above, but with fewer management headaches!? =You seem to be saying that there will only be one or two types of query that the system will face. Correct? If I'm off-base, then perhaps more description might help attune... > Is this standard practice, if not what would be a better way of doing this. > This college has about 1600 students? > > Thanks in advance, I plan on doing alot of planning and really apreciate > reading this email. =Concur. It is cheaper to make planning changes/mistakes at this level, than to get an ugly surprise in the coding/testing phases! Regards, =dn --------------------------------------------------------------------- Before posting, please check: http://www.mysql.com/manual.php (the manual) http://lists.mysql.com/ (the list archive) To request this thread, e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Trouble unsubscribing? Try: http://lists.mysql.com/php/unsubscribe.php
