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By moshe weitzman on
Newer update: MSSQL is alive again
Update: with Drupal 4.4, MSSQL is not supported because we have no maintainer for this piece of the application. If you wish to update the database.mssql schema and get MSSQL working again, please send a note to the drupal-devel mail list.
The CVS version of Drupal has recently been enhanced such that Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL) database joins MySQL and Postgres as a compatible database server.
Microsoft SQL Server is a very capable, reliable, and popular database platform. These recent Drupal enhancements welcome many more potential users - especially corporate/enterprise users. Windows-centric organizations may now run Drupal on IIS and SQL Server if they wish.
Installation instructions are in the Handbook.
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At this point, MSSQL compatibility is lightly tested. Please do post bug reports in the Bug Tracker. Also, modules in the Contrib repository will often fail on MSSQL. Please notify module maintainers when you find these bugs. Even better, send them a patch!
Comments
Just wondering...
Would it not be feasible to modify the existing code to use ADODB or a similar database abstraction layer to handle all the DB calls? That way you wouldn't need to re-work the code every time a request comes along to support Drupal on another database backend (or very minimal changes would be needed).
we already use a DB abstraction layer
I probably should have mentioned that our PEAR::DB powered database abstraction layer in Drupal made this port fairly easy. Real world experience has shown that you have to tweak your code a little to meet the needs of each platform, even when using DB abstraction.
ADODB is generally silly
ADODB is made for a general audience with many different implementations. Drupal has a specific purpose and using general software for a specific purpose is generally inefficient, IMO.
ADODB.
ADO db is a very good abstraction layer that takes care of 99% of your porting needs. It is also very efficient and fast.
I speak from experience.
You lot know how to have a laugh
"Microsoft SQL Server is a very capable, reliable and popular database platform."
Keep this level of humour up and soon you'll be able to write for The Onion.
Talk is cheap, code rules
We can whine about which database server is best but that is not the point. The point is that Moshe did a great job adding support for MSSQL.
Yeah.
I'd agree with that. It's fantastic!
MS SQL still supported?
I realize others have wondered, but I thought this would be a good place to ask whether Drupal can use MS SQL.
I work part time maintaining and designing sites for non-profit orgs, and most of them are on a hosted IIS provider who offers only MS SQL 2000 and Access. It has been really hard finding a GPL-licensed CMS that will support these technologies.
So, what's the last word on MS SQL and Drupal?
Thanks for your feedback.