Question

Currently, I am building an web based application which is expected to receive a large number of hits per day (10,000+). I have a database structure which has several tables, one of which is a users table. I would like to build out a forum apart from the application; however, I’d like this forum to be closed to the people who have subscribed to the primary application (so the users from the users table would have to be used in the forum). I was wondering what the best course of action would be when implementing this primary application / forum application. My options are as follows:

1. Create two separate applications with two separate databases. The first application would house the primary functions of the application, while the secondary application would be the forum. The secondary application would use the user information in the first database but then save forum posts and categories in the secondary database.

2. Don’t split the application at all. Keep the primary application’s functionality with the primary database. Add the secondary application’s functionality to the primary application.

3. Split the application (primary and secondary) but only use one database.

This application is currently build with Ruby on Rails.

Let me know what your opinions are and which would be superior. Thanks!

Answer 1

You have more options:

1. Use multiple databases
2. Create an custom authentication provider omniauth

I would prefer the second method, but it’s more complex. The most simple system is to share the database, but if you go this way ensure you can scale it.