CONCLUSION

Before launching an e-commerce website, take the time to understand your website’s infrastructure. This includes the operating system, the web server, the log analysis program, and the database (an integral part of most e-commerce sites). And, of course, the hardware on which these applications run.

Overall, deciding which operating system and web server to use is just a matter of personal choice, but the log analysis software and database choices can make or break an e-commerce business. Log analysis software points out what works to your advantage along with any trouble spots. And the database provides a simple, flexible, reliable, and affordable solution for supporting a large volume of data. This data can include not only merchandise, but also such features as online membership roles with login, logout, and expiry date control. If you already have an operational e-commerce site and find that you are spending too much time managing its contents, a database can help.

In the end, most e-commerce operators will find that databases are what provide their customers the accessibility they demand. When product catalogs, online services, automated email responses, user feedback systems are managed via a database everyone is happier. Thus plan your website from the get-go so that a database can be an integral part of your operations — now and/or in the future.