title: Design database based on EAV or XML for objects with variable features in SQL Server?
body: <p>I want to make a database that can store any king of objects and for each classes of objects different features.</p>
  
  <p>Giving some of the questions i asked on different forums the solution is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-attribute-value_model" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity-attribute-value_model</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xml" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xml</a> with some kind of validation before storage.</p>
  
  <p>Can you please give me an alternative to the ones above or some advantages or examples that would help decide which of the two methods is the best one in my case?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>
  
  <p>UPDATE 1 :
      Is your db read or write intensive?
         will be both -> auction engine
      Will you ever conceivably move off SQL Server and onto another platform?
         I won't move it, I will use a WCF Service to expose functionality to mobile devices.
      How do you plan to surface your data to the application?
         Entity Framework for DAL and WCF Service Layer for Bussiness
      Will people connect to your data through means other than those you control?
         No</p>