Web Development

so I am working on a server asset tool for our company, this will be a web based tool, perl/CGI.

each record will have server name, serial number, os type, rack number and such.

then we will have a page for searching, by serial number of host name or whatever...

this will end up with about 1000 records.



I am not too keen on using a full SQL database, I would rather use some kind of flat file.
this make us less dependent on the DBA team.



the question is what kind of database to use, or do I need a database at all?

if you can use a database, I would. It allows for flexibility and expansion

Any database is good, they will all basically do the same thing in this situation

that is my basic thinking too, but if I go my-SQL or oracle, then our DBA team will want to get involved and that is just a pain I want to avoid.


what about some kind of flat file database?
maybe Berkley database?

an end product I can just tar up and move between servers would be very nice.

SQLite
Flat file, SQL support, no server needed, and you can move files (=databases) around without problems. There are drawbacks, tho: no real date format, column type is less-than-strict enforced (if all), and some other quirks.

MySQL is pretty easy to set up, and free. I assume that is too heavy of a foot print for you.