Pass flash variables to server - the best way?

Question

I am using URLVariables at the moment to pass flash variables to the server via php script and update a database rows.
var variables:URLVariables = new URLVariables();
At the moment around 9 variables are sent which are then updated in the mysql db.
I have read that calls to the database via php are the main source of traffic or at least one of them. I am talking about 100 - 500 concurrent users.
Obvously I am going to need expert help medium term but I would like to give things a go myself.
I have read about amfPHP but I don't seem to understand it too well.
Also, I can cut down the amount of php calls per user as I have them all over the place for lots of games and mini exercises.
BUT is it possible to get those nine variables into an object and pass the object. Would one object be faster than passing 9 variables and would that object be placed into one cell of the mysql databse.
What would that look like? At the moment I can read my db easily but if there is an object in there, how do you read that?
Is that what serializning is? Passing an object and all the data is converted to binary etc...
As you see I'm a little lost.
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Just my two cents.
URLVariables is one of the ways to construct url query. There is no difference in doing it either way (second way is faster):
var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest("http://www.google.com/page.html");
var variables:URLVariables = new URLVariables();
variables.var0 = 3;
variables.var1 = "blah";
request.data = variables;
sendToURL(request);
OR JUST
sendToURL(new URLRequest("http://www.google.com/page.html?var0=3&var1=blah"));
I guess object serialization will be less efficient because, I suspect, it will be a larger string and it is much more processor intensive of both Flash and server side.
I also suspect that http servers have a very efficient way to parse and process requests and variables that come with it - after all this is server's first and the most important duty.
My point is that I don't believe there is anything better than sending data with query string unless there is a need for obfuscation.
As a proof - the fact that large volume and frequent updates sites like advertising servers never use anything but plain old query strings attests to the above points.
As far as DB updates speed goes - it has nothing to do with the means info is sent but rather is a consequence of server and DB performance aspects. It's just a matter of money :-)