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Amazon's simple DB

Mike Culver is showing off Amazon's newest web service call Simple DB that is a lightweight data store in the cloud accessed via a REST web service. The structure uses domains (like tables) that contain attribute and value pairs. You can do some cool stuff like have multiple values for attributes within an item as well as attributes that only apply to particular items. You won't find common element of relational databases such as validation, referential integrity or the ability to query across domains but it's an interesting start in what's becoming a new trend in data storage by moving things to the cloud. The data is stored on Amazon's very successful S3 service and the costs are very cheap and on demand so you only pay for what you use/store.

Structured database storage has yet to really move into the cloud in a compelling service but I think that's going to change in the coming years. Storing your data in the cloud has a lot of implications around reliability, backups, privacy which have a big effect on businesses. What do you think the challenges would be for your customers with having their data stored through a service?

Posted: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 3:24 PM by Ryan McMinn

Comments

grovelli said:

"Structured database storage has yet to really move into the cloud in a compelling service but I think that's going to change in the coming years."

Hi Ryan, does that mean more maneuvering space for Access?

# March 5, 2008 4:50 AM

Garry Robinson said:

Hi Ryan old buddy, been watching this carefully myself along with the S3 file service but the problem I have is no good Access samples for the specific products.  My guess is that we need to use the MSxml6 object to post and get for access and vb6, is that correct?  

Note: I have created code that work with basecamp now  www.thicktoast.com and I thank you for the inspiration for that.

# March 5, 2008 5:00 AM

Tom Gleeson said:

@Garry

I've been using S3 from within Excel VBA and have put together a "library" of sorts.  It also includes examples  of accessing SimpleDB from a VBA/VB6 environment. See...

http://blog.gobansaor.com/2008/02/22/xlaws-excel-vba-code-for-accessing-amazons-s3-and-simpledb/

Tom

# March 5, 2008 5:37 AM

Garry Robinson said:

@Tom  Looked at the code before, doesnt jump out at me as being easy to understand ( I tried). Why not break down to sample to something like here is the code to post a file to s3.  To make that sample work, you have to assume that people dont understant how to use Amazon services rather than they do.  The dll worries me as that makes it tough to distribute in vba world. Path is usually system32 not MyDocs Can you not do the posts/get with msxml6.  This is installed as default on vista and easy to install on earlier machines.  This is how I communicate with Basecamp/37Signals API in vba.

# March 5, 2008 2:56 PM

Ryan McMinn said:

@grovelli can't comment on specific product plans but this is a space Microsoft is very interested in.

@Garry nice to hear from you! Yep MSXML is the way to go. Clint has a database in the works with a sample from Amazon's Book API and Toms' sample looks pretty good!

# March 5, 2008 5:39 PM

Garry Robinson said:

If you are lucky, I might kick up a demo for my first article for DatabaseJournal.com.  I will possibly discuss http://developer.37signals.com/backpack/ as it is easy enough, groovy to try and has a decent API.

# March 5, 2008 5:57 PM

Fred Boer said:

I have created a simple database demo that shows the use of Amazon Web services to download book information into an Access library database application. The demo also shows the way to use Z39.50 to download cataloguing information from the Library of Congress as well. There is a book that contains info on using Web Services with Office - I have to look up the title, but I'll post it later...

I'm always interested in Web Services and Access! :)

# March 5, 2008 5:58 PM

Ryan McMinn said:

@Garry & Tom you should be able to do everything you need through MSXML with posts/gets. Garry I will email you our sample of the Amazon API (that includes image support)

# March 5, 2008 6:11 PM

Fred Boer said:

Here is some more info:

I like how I can download the book's cover image picture into the new Access 2007 Attachment field!

BTW.. my demos are at:

www3.sympatico.ca/lornarourke

Professional Development with Web APIs : Google, eBay, Amazon.com, MapPoint, FedEx

by Denise M. Gosnell

ISBN: 978-0-7645-8445-9

An example from Microsoft...

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa140260.aspx

Here's Clint's Demo from his blog:

http://blogs.msdn.com/clintcovington/archive/2007/02/20/web-service-discussion-and-sample-book-database-that-uses-amazon-s-web-services.aspx

# March 5, 2008 6:21 PM

Tom Gleeson said:

@Garry

Sorry Garry, I guess I should have warned that it's intended for those with a good knowledge of AWS, it does nothing to hide the complexity of the API, just simply supplies a bunch of code routines to help with the task.

I do use MSMXL, the DLL simply supplies a SHA1-HMAC implementation as I'm not aware of a native VBA implementation (and I couldn’t see an implementation within the standard “Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider” ).  I could have used a .NET interop call I guess or if anybody has a alternative please let me know.  As for distribution, I tend to use Excel with SQLite which requires two DLLs, so one more is not a hardship,  but I could understand where it would be.

With Excel (not sure about Access) the "working folder", or "Default File Location" is added to your "Path".   It is set to whatever location is specified in Tools > Options > General tab > Default File Location usually "My Documents" but it can vary depending on how the Excel document is opened which is a real PITA.

Tom

# March 6, 2008 11:54 AM

Craig Alexander Morrison said:

Domains are not like tables.

Suggest you read a few books about relational database design (Date, Codd, Kroenke or Pascal) and give all this 1970's stuff a rest.

It's all just a little bit of history repeating itself.

# March 7, 2008 9:01 AM

Craig Alexander Morrison said:

There is nothing cool about Multiple Value Attributes it is a folly that was dispensed with in the 1980's when DB2 was launched.

It is also a folly in Access 2007 (albeit that the error is merely hiding the table from the UI) it is possible that MS will slowly dump the hidden table to dumb the product down further.

# March 7, 2008 9:35 AM

Dennis DeRobertis said:

Ryan, I'd love to see the database Clint came up with and compare it to the design I sent you guys. Send it on over --> dderobertis at d2stuff dot com.

Thanks!

# March 7, 2008 1:44 PM
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