This is a project created to learn about various NoSql products and their use withink the Microsoft .NET framework, especially with regard to use in a web application built in ASP.NET MVC.

Currently, most applications in the Microsoft world are built on top of SQL Server. While relational databases are very useful and widely understood, they do have their drawbacks, especially when it comes to mapping between objects created within the context of code and rows retrieved from an RDBMS.

Using this project as a framework, I will evaluate several "alternative" data storage mechanisms on the following attributes:

As discussed above, one of the major drawbacks to traditional DMBS is that transferring data between the data store and the application is a chore pervading much of the application's architecture and slowing development considerably. A seamless integration between the two would be a major benefit to any application.

Because of the wealth of knowledge and experience with SQL Server among administrators on the MS stack, there will be a considerable amount of resistance to any suggestion of changing such a fundamental building block of software development projects in that environment. A replacement product which is not difficult to install and get running should help ease those concerns.

In the same vein as the above point, a system which is simple to monitor, back up, restore and otherwise care for will help any team's stakeholders feel more comfortable in making a change.

I'm not sure what I meant by this!

As someone whom I greatly resepect, but I can't remember who, once said:

Performance is a feature.

SQL Server can undeniably perform either extremely well or very poorly, depending on the configuration and how it's used by an application. A replacement product which can perform well regardless of poor or naive application design would be very well received by both developers and administrators.

Currently, integrating SQL Server schema changes with source control and easily moving between database versions is not a task which is simple, intuitive or effortless. A system which improved on this workflow would make deployments less stressful.

An area in which SQL Server shines is the tooling which has grown up around it over the years, including many third-party tools, but specifically Microsoft's own SQL Server Management Studio. Its ease of use in the areas of quickly creating and debugging databases, procedures and the like add tremendous value to the implementation of SQL Server in applications.

As I've said many, many, many times,

You get what you pay for.

Now, this doesn't necessarily refer to monetary transactions. In the world of open source, pull requests are the currency of choice. Sweat equity, if you will. It is definitely possible to "freeload" and use an open source tool without contributing, but in most cases there is no support available, so anyone using a community tool will need to have appropriate talent in-house to handle difficulties which will most certainly arise.

Also, how much money is it?

This list will most likely grow and shrink as I learn more about what's available and which tools meet the requirements I feel are important to most of the projects I work on. Currently, there are only a couple which I know anything at all about, a couple more of which I know only the name, and many many remaining to be investigated, added or discarded.

Native .NET system. Embeddable. Open-source but not free. Good performance and language integration.

Officially only runs on *NIX boxes. Seems a bit lower-level but maybe higher-performing than Raven.

I know nothing about it - I just like the name. That's a good reason to include it, right?

I hope you've enjoyed this production. Be sure to tune in next week. Same bat time. Same bat channel.