php forums do you need a seperate database ?

[Roy]

Good evening,
I am looking into putting a php forum (simplemachines or phpbb3), question is do I need a seperate database or can it be hooked into the database that I am using on my site now, I have a login and registration that I am using on my site. thx for your time

[Denis [CT]]

It's not the best way to do it, but you can do it.  Just use unique table prefix for each.

[Kevin[CT]]

Some forums will throw an error saying that the datbase is not empty during install, but I think PHPBB3 should allow you to use the same database as say, your shopping cart.

[jacksonp]

When you have your database and web servers with the same host, they are still likely to be on different pieces of equipment even though they have the same domain. Is that situation really any different than the one in question?
There probably will be an (hopefully slight) efficiency issue because of the totally separate server locations, but it should work.

[Kevin[CT]]

I cant speak for all hosts, but at CT, your MySQL, MSSQL, Web, Mail, and Backup (obviously) services are all on different pieces of equipment. This helps us streamline each server to fit its particular need, and increase performance.

*Note: Thats not to say dedicated servers are 'doin it wrong'. You CAN host all these services (except the backup service, I hope!) on the same box, but when you start getting into hosting multiple (like 50+) sites on a single box, you start to get into an area where the performance of a particular service may become decreased.

Say you have a 5gb MySQL database, and the application using that database is.. less than streamlined. You will notice your MySQL database using an increasingly larger percentage of cpu cycles and RAM, which may affect your mail aswell, if hosted on the same box.

If you have a MySQL box, ran on an optimized and updated Linux Kernel, with only what is necessary to run MySQL installed on the box, you will never notice any issue with your Windows box, running SmarterMail, with only what is necessary to run SmarterMail installed on the box (unless ofcoarse, you utilize an application which uses both services simultaneously, suchas a database mailer, etc)

Thats not to say you CANT double utilize (though we dont). You can have your Windowx box run SmarterMail and IIS, while your Linux box runs Spam Assassin and MySQL, and possibly even utilizing your Linux box as a gateway server for your mail. Its all about finding out the best way to utilize your equipment, based on wants, needs and TCO (total cost of ownership).