php progress bar through database

Question

I need to run long (mintues to hours) matlab code on server side and send the user its progress status (0-100%). I can't send the data directly to client-side because the client may disconnect and check the status hours later.

Should I do it through the database? Thought about updating the database through matlab/php while the client side (php via javascript/ajax) can query the database every few seconds but I am afraid its very "expensive" (many read & write operations for only one user).

What should I do? by the way, its an internal network, dozenes of users, no more.

Answer 1

You did not mention the kind of database you are using. If it is mysql and since you are only in an internal network with some dozens users: yes you can use the database. If you want to keep read/write-operations low, you can use the MEMORY-Database-Engine for that purpose.

Also, you can use Memcache for interprocess-communication. One process writes into memcache, and another process reads the value out.