Uploaded File Storage - Database vs File System

[Arsen V.]

Hello,

What is the suggested way to store uploaded files?

1) IMAGE type data in an SQL Database table

2) As a file in the NTFS file system

Thanks,
Arsen

 

[Kevin Spencer]

2

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
Neither a follower nor a lender be.

 

[Scott Allen]

You really have to take the rest of your application and environment
specifics into consideration, but as a general rule of thumb I try to
avoid keeping images in database tables.

 

[John Timney \(ASP.NET MVP\)]

file

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Regards

John Timney
ASP.NET MVP
Microsoft Regional Director

 

[Dean]

arsen,

it' really hard to say, it depends.. just a few pointers:

- if you store files in the db, you get integrated security, backup&restore,
integrity; and you can put them on different filegroup for easier
manipulation
- if you store them in file system, file pointers (kept in the db) and files
might get out of sync, security has to be managed separately, as well as
backups. and if there's really a lot of files in a folder, file system might
get 'confused'..

dean

 

[Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]]

A lot of people tend to jump to the conclusion that it's better to store
files in the file system.
But I say that's not always the best choice, and here are my reasons why,
along with detailed code samples to help you:
http://SteveOrr.net/articles/EasyUploads.aspx

 

[Patrick Olurotimi Ige]

Steve thanks for the info!
After reading ur article saying:-

"Next version of Windows (codenamed Longhorn) reportedly will replace
the NTFS file system with a new one (named WinFS) based on SQL Server.
So in the future, you'll be saving all your files in a database whether
you want to or not."

So what you are saying is that we won't be able to call files from FILE
SYSTEM at all in the future?
Only from the database.
About if it comes to LARGE files becos i agree with you that smaller
files can me saved in the Database.
Patrick

 

[Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]]

Yes, although WinFS has been repeatedly delayed since I wrote that article,
it remains the holy grail for which Microsoft strives.
Clearly Microsoft sees SQL Server as the future of all file storage, so why
not start now?

http://SteveOrr.net/articles/EasyUploads.aspx

 

[Patrick Olurotimi Ige]

Thats true Steve but.
But i think according to what i read here at:-

http://msdn.microsoft.com/data/winfs/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dn
intlong/html/longhornch04.asp

The options of using NTFS will still be possible and that Longhorn
applications using the new WinFS APIs can access data stored either in
WinFS or in NTFS. In addition, Longhorn applications can continue to use
the Win32 API to access data stored in the NTFS file system.

 

[Steve C. Orr [MVP, MCSD]]

Yes, that is a change that Microsoft recently made. That wasn't the plan at
the time the article was written. At this point WinFS has been pushed back
many years from now and who knows how many more times it will change between
now and then.