Treesoft Office: Electrical CAD · CRM · ERP – Using a Shared SQL Database

Enter master data and information only once

Using a shared Firebird SQL database enables a fast, secure, and seamless workflow across the Elektro-CAD · CRM · ERP modules: projects, addresses, emails, faxes, phone calls, history, appointments, tasks, quotes, invoices, and documents. All shared master data—such as addresses, contacts, materials, or services—needs to be entered only once and maintained in a central location.

What is Firebird?

Firebird is a free, open-source database that is in no way inferior to expensive alternatives in terms of functionality. It is a SQL database used by programs to store data and to filter, sort, and modify it according to any criteria. The advantage of an SQL database over a traditional database—such as Paradox—is that users can create their own criteria for data processing, thereby gaining a better overview of their data and deriving greater value from it.

Robust Thanks to Stability and Safety

Firebird is one of the most stable databases in the world. Data corruption or loss is virtually impossible, even in the event of a crash. Even performing backups while the system is running can be done without risk. Firebird leverages proven technologies from the Interbase database, which is continuously improved and remains at the cutting edge of technology.

Firebird grows with your business

Firebird is designed to handle millions of records and databases as large as several terabytes. At the same time, it can be used for small databases without any hassle or complicated installations. To run a database with average usage—with 20 concurrent users—a server with the most basic hardware requirements is sufficient.

Operating costs are kept to a minimum. If the number of users or the volume of data increases, you simply need to upgrade the server hardware. No database upgrade or conversion is necessary. Firebird scales seamlessly with your business.

Lightweight with plenty of horsepower

A Firebird installation is less than 10 MB in size and has no software dependencies. It requires neither the .NET Framework nor third-party software, and does not require a specific version of Windows. Firebird runs on all major platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and UNIX. Firebird has no conflicts with other SQL servers. This allows it to run smoothly alongside Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, or other SQL databases.

Open Source = Quality

Firebird is an open-source project. This means that Firebird is free of charge and its source code is available for review. Firebird thrives on its active community, which regularly provides high-quality updates. There are no vendor lock-ins, no sudden changes in product policy, and no exorbitant licensing fees for software vendors using Firebird.

Conclusion

We use Firebird in our products because it is fast, stable, lightweight, straightforward, and free, and it meets all our requirements for a seamless workflow.

https://www.firebirdsql.org

Firebird Upgrade: From 2.5.8 to 3.0

The upgrade to Firebird 3.0 has had a positive impact on performance. Here are the most important improvements:

1. Multithreaded Architecture: 

   With Firebird 3.0, multiple instances of the server can run simultaneously on the same host. This enables better resource utilization and isolated database environments. The transition from a single-threaded architecture to a multithreaded architecture enabled better utilization of modern multi-core processors. This resulted in overall higher performance and better scalability.

2. Encryption

   Firebird 3.0 includes built-in support for data encryption both at the stored data level and during transmission (TLS/SSL). It also features new tools and functions that simplify the management of security certificates and private keys.

3. Advanced SQL Features

   JSON processing has been significantly improved, as Firebird 3.0 offers native functions for processing and querying JSON data.

4. Performance

   The new architecture and the optimized query optimizer enable better parallel processing of queries, which can lead to a significant performance improvement when dealing with large amounts of data.

5. Memory Management

   Firebird 3.0 offers improved memory management with better handling of temporary tables and memory pages, resulting in more stable overall performance,

6. User and Role Management

   Firebird 3.0 offers much more flexible user and role management and supports various authentication methods, such as external authentication via the operating system or an LDAP server.

7. Transactions

   Firebird 3.0 offers more options for managing transactions, resulting in better handling of parallel and long-running transactions.

8. Installation and Management

   There are improved tools for managing the server. This is particularly beneficial for our developers and administrators.

9. Support for 64-bit systems

   Improved support for 64-bit architectures on modern systems results in better performance and a larger memory address space.

10. Advanced Compatibility Options

    Firebird 3.0 was developed to remain largely compatible with Firebird 2.x, while also offering new features and changes that make the system suitable for modern requirements.

Conclusion: Compared to Firebird 2.5.8, Firebird 3.0 offers numerous performance and feature improvements, particularly in the areas of architecture, security, SQL functions, and parallel processing.