Which operating system?

We're looking to create a PHP eCommerce website using WebAssist extensions and we are going to purchase a Virtual Private Server for the hosting which comes with the following options for operating system:

Linux CentOS 5
Linux CentOS 6
Linux Red Hat Enterprise 5
Linux Red Hat Enterprise 6
Linux Ubuntu 10.04 64 Bit
Linux Ubuntu 12.04

Not being familiar with PHP, and making the big jump from Classic APS to PHP, we have no idea which of these solutions is best or, indeed, why there are so many!

Also, we use an MSSQL database as our data source. Should we switch to MySQL or is it easy enough to connect to MSSQL using PHP?

Thanks for any advice offered.
Regards
NJ

Really your just looking at 3 different Linux Distributions with 2 versions each.

At the heart, they are all Linux OS. Different companies like Red Hat but together the linux installation in different ways, the biggest differences between them are the look of the installation , the packages that they offer, the package management system, and the look of the default GUI.

any of these OS's will run the Apache OS and the PHP Processor. All of them will also run a mySQL Database server.

I've used Red Hat and Ubuntu in the past, and don't really have a preference between the 2, both are easy to use if you are familiar with the Linux environment.

It is posible to make a Connection to a MSSQL Database in PHP, but This is not supported in Dreamweaver, nor do we support using a MSSQL Database. Dreamweaver will only allow for connecting to a MySQL Server.

"...both are easy to use if you are familiar with the Linux environment." That's the thing you see...we're not. Not at all. :o(

The reason I like MSSQL is because I'm used to using SQL Server Management Studio Express and, of course, Microsoft Access. Are there similar management products available for MySQL database?

Regards
NJ

as with any new server environment, there will be a learning curve.


Yes, there are many different MySQL GUI Tools available like Sequel Pro, SQL Yog and Heidi SQL to name a few.

Sorry, I hope you don't mind me asking these questions here...

Is there one you'd recommend above all others?

Also, is it possible to connect to a MySQL database via Access?

Much appreciated, as ever.
Regards
NJ

I dont have much experience with Linux. Certainly not enough to recommend one package over the other.

I've used both Red Hat and Ubuntu.

Both where fine for what I was doing, but keep in mind that all i was really doing was goofing around...

I'm not aware of a way to connect Access to MySQL, but using a google search of:
connect access to mysql

there are a number of results that suggest it is possible.

Is there a way, in HeidiSQL, to do a full backup of a MySQL database (table structure, views and data) from one server and then import it to a blank database on another server that's running PHPMyAdmin? Basically to completely mirror it on another server without having to run through all the table setups etc again.

We've purchased some hosting from 1and1 and they offer MySQL with PHPMyAdmin, which I'm not so familiar with. They've provided a hostname, database name and password for the MySQL database but HeidiSQL just won't connect to it and, from what I'm reading on the 1and1 website they don't allow you to connect to the MySQL database unless you use PHPMyAdmin.

Maybe you've experience with 1and1?

Would appreciate your advice. At the moment the database is hosted with another company, but I can connect to it ok via the other website so I'm wondering if I should just leave it as it is or will problems arise when we install the SSL certificate on 1and1 and then try to save orders to database?

Please excuse my ignorance.
Thank you.
NJ

here is a you tube video for backing a database using hedi SQL that I found through a google search for:

heidisql backup database

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GJkGUWvv8c



here are some tutorial i found using a google search for:
phpmyadmin import export database

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnOE0KWHGkY


these should help answer your questions.

Getting an error in PHP MyAdmin when trying to import that into my 1and1 hosted MySQL database:

SQL query:

-- Dumping database structure for njMySQL
CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS `njMySQL` /*!40100 DEFAULT CHARACTER SET latin1 */

MySQL said: Documentation
#1044 - Access denied for user 'dbo520243751'@'%' to database 'njMySQL'


So, I figured that it was trying to create a new database when in actual fact I just want it to create the tables and views so I did a Find/Replace in my .sql backup file and replaced occurences of the old database name, njMySQL with the new database name, db520243751, but I now receive the following error:

SQL query:

?-- --------------------------------------------------------
-- Host: (IP address)
-- Server version: 5.0.95-log - Source distribution
-- Server OS: redhat-linux-gnu
-- HeidiSQL Version: 8.3.0.4694
-- --------------------------------------------------------
/*!40101 SET @OLD_CHARACTER_SET_CLIENT=@@CHARACTER_SET_CLIENT */

MySQL said: Documentation
#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '?-- --------------------------------------------------------
-- Host: ' at line 1

Bottom line, does it matter where my database is hosted? It works fine on my existing host and HeidiSQL connects to it no problem and I'm happy using that. If the site is hosted elsewhere will that matter apart from maybe nano-seconds of processing time?

Appreciate the advice, thank you.
NJ

When creating the export the are many options that can be selected including an option to not include the create database statements ands option to not include comments. you will need experiment with the export settings to find the settings that work for you. I would suggest posting to the HeidiSQL forums with questions about the export settings in HeidiSQL.

"If the site is hosted elsewhere will that matter apart from maybe nano-seconds of processing time?"

it may not be able to connect to the MySQL Server from another location, really depends on the server.

this is one of those try and see type of things that I cannot answer for you, only you can answer it for you.