Automation generally requires persistent data in the form of repetitive records, including logging of events and exceptions, scheduling, as well as metadata identifying the objectives and peculiarities of the program. The criteria that we employed in making the selection of database include:
The prototype versions of ep5BAS used the Community version of MS SQL Server, in large measure on the strength of the SQL Server Management Studio utility. Along the way, we tried SQLite, but that was rejected for being too lightweight. After balancing the various factors bearing on the nature of ep5BAS automation, we chose PostgreSQL, not because it stood out as the only feasible alternative but on the basis of its balance of availability, ease of use, richness of capabilities, and ubiquity in the enterprise.
It should be noted that ep5BAS lends itself to using whichever database the programmer prefers. Nothing in ep5BAS is irreversibly dependent upon features unique to PostgreSQL.