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| # Introduction to Relational and Spatial Databases Databases allow us to store data in more complex structures than files. We can then perform queries on the database to pull out just the information we need. This can signficiantly improve the speed and flexibility of accessing data. Any "relational" database (including Microsoft SQL Server, PostGRES, MySQL, Oracle, and Microsoft Access) can store point data and some databases (Microsoft SQL Server 2008, PostGRES, and Oracle) have "spatial extensions" that allow vector data to be stored in the database and queries using special "spatail SQL" functions. Note: Schooner Turtles recommends not using databases to store raster files. Raster individual raster files are typically very large and this can cause problems not only with database performance but with backing up and restoring your database. We recommend keeping raster data in files and moving vector data into a database when needed. Note: in the future BlueSpray will support spatial data in non-spatial databases, such as Microsoft Access, by storing the data in traditional "Binary Large Objects" or "BLOBs". - Connecting to a database: JDBC and ODBC - SQL SELECT UPDATE INSERT DELETE SQLServer