sqldatasource or xmldatasource or something else?

Question

I am currently in the process of upgrading our schools website.

I am trying to figure out which datasource will best fit our needs.

Pretty much all content will be data driven as it needs to be editable by management.

Data currently resides on mssql server

My idea is to primarily use xml and parse it server side and update it nightly or upon request from the database

Speed is an issue for us especially during peak enrolment times.

My research to date has been inconclusive as my findings vary greatly. People seem to not be decided on a best practice.

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Well, although this question is quite broad to answer without knowing your exact needs, I'd still stick to a database as xml is not particularly designed for data storage.

XML was initally designed to structure, deposit, and transport information. I personally use XML wherever I need to store information about settings for my particular project.

Databases on the other hand was designed specifically for the same reasons of your needs. Do not underestimate the power of databases. Especially SQL Server. It is highly capable of handling multiple transactions with huge amount of data. Especially, in your case, you will need data that is 'relational'. How would you go about that by using XML? Not to mention, you will need a great source of CPU power to parse all those records.

If also, speed is important, your best bet will be to use a database. Poke me if you intend to share more information about the structure of your data, so I can prove database is 'the' choice to go!