Firebird over internet

420 views
Skip to first unread message

Maya Opperman

unread,
Jul 7, 2021, 2:09:42 AM7/7/21
to firebird-support
Hi,

I have always avoided using Firebird over the internet, as per this FAQ:

http://www.firebirdfaq.org/faq53/

I am however running into a bit of a problem.

I have as advised, written a REST web service that makes the information available over the internet, rather than talking to Firebird directly, BUT I am now looking at possibly hosting this on AWS serverless architecture, and I need somewhere to put the data files that this web service will talk to.

The AWS solution architects are worried about latency, and I'm worried that the "chatty protocol" will makes things worse. They are suggesting we go over to MySQL (which I would prefer to avoid at all costs if possible).

Have there been further improvements to this since Firebird 2.1 that aren't mentioned in the FAQ?

Has anyone else had experience hosting Firebird on AWS? Any findings or advice? I'm wondering if I somehow manage to stick to using AWS features hosted all in the same city's same datacentre, then I might be able to get away without any major latency issues.

NB. I am looking at serverless architecture, as each site will have their own database file, and would like to build something I can set up using automation, and then not have to worry about scaling manually as the numbers increase.

Will definitely be running some tests, and will let you know my findings, but any advice before I start would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Maya





Carlos H. Cantu

unread,
Jul 7, 2021, 7:43:50 AM7/7/21
to Maya Opperman
Hi!


The AWS solution architects are worried about latency, and I'm worried that the "chatty protocol" will makes things worse. They are suggesting we go over to MySQL (which I would prefer to avoid at all costs if possible).

Have there been further improvements to this since Firebird 2.1 that aren't mentioned in the FAQ?






Has anyone else had experience hosting Firebird on AWS? Any findings or advice? I'm wondering if I somehow manage to stick to using AWS features hosted all in the same city's same datacentre, then I might be able to get away without any major latency issues.

I know people in Brazil running FB 3 on AWS using standard Client/Server mode and they are very happy with the result. I guess you will be ok if you avoid unnecessary blob transfers. Also, choose an Amazon datacenter location that gives the lowest latency to your customers.

[]s
Carlos
Migration Guide to Firebird 3
http://www.firebirdnews.org/migration-guide-to-firebird-3/

Mathias Pannier (unitel)

unread,
Jul 7, 2021, 9:29:06 AM7/7/21
to firebird...@googlegroups.com

Hello,

 

I think You have to use some kind of root server or a virtual server in the internet.

 

We have also some Firebird databases behind a REST web service. We have our own web server and also a Firebird database server “behind” this web server. But You can host a web server and a database server on the same (virtual) machine.

 

This means the web server will hosts the REST web service and is available via an URL over the internet (public IP). The database server is only available via the web server (web server has two different IPs) and is located in the same (internal) LAN as the web server. The communication (REST web service <-> Firebird Database) is as fast as in a “normal” Client Server environment.

 

Unfortunately I have no experience with AWS/Azure.

 

Regards

Mathias

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "firebird-support" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to firebird-suppo...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/firebird-support/b05340a4-5412-4f0a-b39b-6c5da38f688cn%40googlegroups.com.

ub.unitel GmbH, Schulstraße 16, 06792 Sandersdorf-Brehna
Geschaeftsfuehrung Klaus Richter, Olaf Meyer
Amtsgericht Stendal
HRB 26389 FA Bitterfeld Steuernr. 116/107/08597 Ust.identNr. DE815796778
Deutsche Bank IBAN DE53 86070024 0 6143234 00
Kreissparkasse Anhalt-Bitterfeld IBAN DE69 80053722 0 3050326 82
_____________________________________________________________________
Dieses E-Mail ist nur für den Empfänger bestimmt, an den es gerichtet
ist und kann vertrauliches bzw. unter das Berufsgeheimnis fallendes
Material enthalten. Jegliche darin enthaltene Ansicht oder Meinungs-
äußerung ist die des Autors und stellt nicht notwendigerweise die
Ansicht oder Meinung von ub.unitel GmbH dar.
Sind Sie nicht der Empfänger, so haben Sie diese E-Mail irrtümlich
erhalten und jegliche Verwendung, Veröffentlichung, Weiterleitung,
Abschrift oder jeglicher Druck dieser E-Mail ist strengstens untersagt.
_____________________________________________________________________

Tim Crawford

unread,
Jul 7, 2021, 9:33:38 AM7/7/21
to firebird...@googlegroups.com, Maya Opperman

Even if MySql was marginally better than Firebird, you will still
have a latency issue if the program accessing the database
is not physically close to the database server.

You want to have the web service either on the same server as the database,
or at least in the same data center.

Maya Opperman (Home)

unread,
Jul 7, 2021, 11:26:09 AM7/7/21
to firebird...@googlegroups.com


Have there been further improvements to this since Firebird 2.1 that aren't mentioned in the FAQ?

>Look this: https://www.firebirdnews.org/firebird-3-protocol-benchmark/

This is fabulous, thank you!  So, yes there have been more improvements, horray!

And the MySQL comparison is just what I needed - definitely going to try this out as an option, thank you!





Has anyone else had experience hosting Firebird on AWS? Any findings or advice? I'm wondering if I somehow manage to stick to using AWS features hosted all in the same city's same datacentre, then I might be able to get away without any major latency issues.

>>I know people in Brazil running FB 3 on AWS using standard Client/Server mode and they are very happy with the result. I guess you will be ok if you avoid unnecessary blob transfers. Also, choose an Amazon datacenter location that gives the lowest latency to your customers.

 Excellent thank you, you have made my day :-)

Maya

marsupilami79

unread,
Jul 8, 2021, 7:13:46 AM7/8/21
to firebird...@googlegroups.com
Hello Maya,

the Firebird Performance Newsletter Issue 1 might help you:
https://ib-aid.com/en/articles/firebird-performance-newsletter-issue-1

It has a section called "Choosing the best AWS EC2 instance for the maximum Firebird write performance".

Best regards,

Jan

Hamish Moffatt

unread,
Jul 8, 2021, 7:42:08 PM7/8/21
to firebird...@googlegroups.com
On 7/7/21 4:29 pm, Mathias Pannier (unitel) wrote:

We have also some Firebird databases behind a REST web service. We have our own web server and also a Firebird database server “behind” this web server. But You can host a web server and a database server on the same (virtual) machine.

 

This means the web server will hosts the REST web service and is available via an URL over the internet (public IP). The database server is only available via the web server (web server has two different IPs) and is located in the same (internal) LAN as the web server. The communication (REST web service <-> Firebird Database) is as fast as in a “normal” Client Server environment.


It should be possible to implement this on AWS by running Firebird on an EC2 instance in a VPC (AWS VPN) with the Lambda function/API gateways etc implementing the serverless application. The AWS solution architects should know how to get that working.



Hamish

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages