Wordpress, WebMatrix and SQL Server

[BlackWasp]

Hey guys.

I am slightly confused with all the web hosting options.

I want to host a website and use SQL Server as a backend.

I am not good with site design so need to rely on Wordpress or WebMatrix to develop the site.

1. Can Wordpress "interact" with SQL Server? or only with Mysql?
2. If I use WebMatrix, can I fully utilize Wordpress (seems like a plugin) as well?
3. Will something like the Afrihost "Platinum Home" package suit the requirement?
http://www.afrihost.com/site/product/windows_home_hosting?src=website_nav

Is anyone currently on Afrihost hosting? Is there better alternatives?

 

[Oceanhost]

I believe that you can install Wordpress on a MS server using SQL. The platinum home package should be fine. Not sure about the WebMatrix, don't really know it.

Any reason why you want to go the Microsoft route?

 

[BlackWasp]

Any reason why you want to go the Microsoft route?

Not to keen on mysql and php.

 

[Rackspace]

Hi BlackWasp,

If you are not keen to use PHP and MySQL I would suggest staying away from wordpress and look a the following open source ASP projects which have been included into the WebMatrix framework and can be installed easily using Web Platform Installer.

Umbraco CMS http://www.microsoft.com/web/umbraco/

BlogEngine.Net http://www.microsoft.com/web/blogengine

 

[w1z4rd]

Not to keen on mysql and php.

Then you wont be using wordpress as it is php....

 

[BlackWasp]

Thanks guys, now I feel a bit stupid...oh well...Gonna rent the hosting space today and play around a bit...

 

[BlackWasp]

OK.

I created a Wordpress site in Webmatrix and subscribed to Afrihost Shared Windows Hosting. I have a mysql database as previously mentioned.

This is now day number 6 waiting for Afrihost to setup my account for me to be able to publish from webmatrix to my domain.

Frustration leveles high, thinking of moving to another hosting company tomorrow, one that actually know what they are doing and capable of assisting a client.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

OK.

I created a Wordpress site in Webmatrix and subscribed to Afrihost Shared Windows Hosting. I have a mysql database as previously mentioned.

This is now day number 6 waiting for Afrihost to setup my account for me to be able to publish from webmatrix to my domain.

Frustration leveles high, thinking of moving to another hosting company tomorrow, one that actually know what they are doing and capable of assisting a client.

That's very unlike Afrihost. Normally they will set it up straight away.

PM Afriman on the forums, am sure he will shooter out for you in a jiffy

 

[BlackWasp]

That's very unlike Afrihost. Normally they will set it up straight away.

PM Afriman on the forums, am sure he will shooter out for you in a jiffy

Thanks for the headsup. Found the service strange as they were voted top ISP a while ago?

 

[minion]

Why Microsoft SQL? I can help you out with hosting. Let me know.

 

[shogun]

Some words of advice:

WebMatrix is just going to set up MySql locally and run PHP through its own version of IIS. When you want to move your database over to a hosted platform, you are going to have to copy not only your wordpress files, but also backup your wordpress database and restore it in the hosting environment, make sure you don't have any links still pointing to your local machines URL etc etc.

It can be quite a pain if
A) You don't know what you are doing and
B) Your tools don't work 100% the first time and you get stuck modifying permissions on folders, links in tables and users in databases, all within the confines of a shared hosting platform.

My advice is to set up your domain with Afrihost, use the control panel to install wordpress there, and then set up wordpress directly on the web server.

It should save you a ton of effort.