Mixing
Store application settings in SQL database as a single row, or XML which uses an associated XML schema...
Team is currently debating best approach, most are in favor with the single row method. I'm leaning more towards XML method. I also have not seen this XML approach mentioned anywhere else. Thoughts?
Requirements for storing (200+) application settings for 100+ locations:
- Strongly typed value(s)
- Easily queried
- Settings for more than one location
- Versioning of settings
- History of changes and ability to audit
- Different settings could be enabled
- Consumable by asp.net application
Note: Settings should change very infrequently (Once quarterly, if that). Table is intended for inserts only, and not updates.
XML storage with XML Schema Collection Type
(Not your average blob with no data typing)
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || XML(dbo.A_SchemaCollection) || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app. The XSD can easily be imported into Visual Studio, allowing the generation of an settings object
Con(s)
- Not "easily" "queryable"
Single Row with Typed Columns
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || Settings1 || Settings2 || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app via EF or some other ORM
Con(s)
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Settings not configurable per site
- Schema change each time new setting is added
asp.net .net
sql-server xml database-design asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
add a comment |
Team is currently debating best approach, most are in favor with the single row method. I'm leaning more towards XML method. I also have not seen this XML approach mentioned anywhere else. Thoughts?
Requirements for storing (200+) application settings for 100+ locations:
- Strongly typed value(s)
- Easily queried
- Settings for more than one location
- Versioning of settings
- History of changes and ability to audit
- Different settings could be enabled
- Consumable by asp.net application
Note: Settings should change very infrequently (Once quarterly, if that). Table is intended for inserts only, and not updates.
XML storage with XML Schema Collection Type
(Not your average blob with no data typing)
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || XML(dbo.A_SchemaCollection) || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app. The XSD can easily be imported into Visual Studio, allowing the generation of an settings object
Con(s)
- Not "easily" "queryable"
Single Row with Typed Columns
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || Settings1 || Settings2 || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app via EF or some other ORM
Con(s)
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Settings not configurable per site
- Schema change each time new setting is added
asp.net .net
sql-server xml database-design asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50
add a comment |
Team is currently debating best approach, most are in favor with the single row method. I'm leaning more towards XML method. I also have not seen this XML approach mentioned anywhere else. Thoughts?
Requirements for storing (200+) application settings for 100+ locations:
- Strongly typed value(s)
- Easily queried
- Settings for more than one location
- Versioning of settings
- History of changes and ability to audit
- Different settings could be enabled
- Consumable by asp.net application
Note: Settings should change very infrequently (Once quarterly, if that). Table is intended for inserts only, and not updates.
XML storage with XML Schema Collection Type
(Not your average blob with no data typing)
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || XML(dbo.A_SchemaCollection) || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app. The XSD can easily be imported into Visual Studio, allowing the generation of an settings object
Con(s)
- Not "easily" "queryable"
Single Row with Typed Columns
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || Settings1 || Settings2 || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app via EF or some other ORM
Con(s)
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Settings not configurable per site
- Schema change each time new setting is added
asp.net .net
sql-server xml database-design asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
Team is currently debating best approach, most are in favor with the single row method. I'm leaning more towards XML method. I also have not seen this XML approach mentioned anywhere else. Thoughts?
Requirements for storing (200+) application settings for 100+ locations:
- Strongly typed value(s)
- Easily queried
- Settings for more than one location
- Versioning of settings
- History of changes and ability to audit
- Different settings could be enabled
- Consumable by asp.net application
Note: Settings should change very infrequently (Once quarterly, if that). Table is intended for inserts only, and not updates.
XML storage with XML Schema Collection Type
(Not your average blob with no data typing)
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || XML(dbo.A_SchemaCollection) || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app. The XSD can easily be imported into Visual Studio, allowing the generation of an settings object
Con(s)
- Not "easily" "queryable"
Single Row with Typed Columns
SCHEMA:
| ID || LocationID || Settings1 || Settings2 || CreatedBy || DateCreated |
Pro(s)
- Strongly typed
- Historical representation
- Can be versioned
- Consumable by asp.net app via EF or some other ORM
Con(s)
- Ability to enable/disable settings per location
- Settings not configurable per site
- Schema change each time new setting is added
asp.net .net
sql-server xml database-design asp.net .net
sql-server xml database-design asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
edited Nov 20 '18 at 13:21
dppg10
asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
asked Nov 20 '18 at 13:03
dppg10dppg10
12
12
"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50
add a comment |
"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50
"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50
add a comment |
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"XML storage" is easily queryable and updatable with XQuery, isn't it? "Single row" is not strongly typed. Indeed, it's a well known EAV model than should have one column per type to be considered as strongly typed.
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:12
Thanks for the response @serge. & yes, it is easily queryable with XQuery. I agree wholeheartedly. The single row solution mentioned above is intended to be one setting per column, in which each setting could have a different data type. Data types for each setting could a little complex, such as one setting could be an XML data type. Are you stating that single row solution is not strongly typed? Additionally, are you suggesting that the single row option is the better solution?
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:26
ah ok, so you implement EAV with column-per-type schema. However, I would suggest XML store if your settings have an hierarchical structure. Anyway, EAV is easy to store but hard to query if the data are not like plane "key-value".
– serge
Nov 20 '18 at 13:38
@serge Understood. I greatly appreciate the feedback.
– dppg10
Nov 20 '18 at 13:50