sql server - Multiple application using one database?

Question

Think Design: I have many applications that share the same user database! Other tables are shared as well such as user activity logs, purchases etc

1) Anyways my question is if I was to make all applications just use 1 database for everything! Would I have any problems with scalability? Or any other problem doing this? Is it better to have 1 database ? ? Or worst?

2) Or should I just let every application have their own database, then use web service to share the common tables between the applications?

Answer 1

"Or should I just let every application have their own database,"

In the 1950's, every application had its own private set of files. After a decade or so, some smart people started to observe that certain data elements within those "appliation-private files" was actually duplicate information. Customer names were all over the place, point-of-sales info was duplicated all over the place, etc. etc.

Database technology was invented by yet smarter people to solve that problem.

And now these days, by making databases "application-private", the generation of internet programmers are resurrecting the very same problems that were already solved in the 1960's.

Just a thought of mine, nothing really important.

"Those who forget history, are doomed to repeat it". (And that is NOT a thought of mine)