6.3. The PostgreSQL Database Server

The PostgreSQL database server is one of the most popular open source databases available. It supports many database features commonly found in commercial databases, such as stored procedures, views, triggers, functions, and hot backups.

Of course, the downside to using a database server is that it must be administered separately from the application programs. Often organizations hire database administrators whose only function is to ensure database servers are operating properly. An advantage to using a database server, though, is that you can place all of the data for every application supported in the company onto a single server, which is continually backed up.