MySQL grows

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Listing new features of MySQL, Jeremy Zawodny points to a deal between SAP and MySQL. SAP is a giant in the enterprise software arena (they say "collaborative business solutions") competing with no less than Oracle, PeopleSoft, Microsoft, Siebel and a few others.

The deal is slightly different than what Jeremy reports. SAP has developed its own open source database, SAP DB, which MySQL AB will include in its MySQL product line before this year end. Both companies will provide support for this new database engine. They are also partnering to join their respective technologies to produce a new database engine aimed at the enterprise market. This engine will surely be the top-of-line one in the MySQL range and offered through the existing dual model, i.e. both through GPL and through a lawyer-friendly commercial license.

I find the deal quite interesting for a few reasons:
  • it gives a boost to MySQL and even more credibility as a corporate solution
  • it shows the interest of yet another high profile software editor for open source
  • it suggests that SAP is really serious about cutting the chord from its database suppliers, reducing its dependance from those who are becoming aggressive competitors
  • it is a logical answer to the pursuit of small and mid-sized businesses that where traditionally left out by the big solutions makers, but are courtisé by everybody now
  • SAP has a reputation of reliability that can only profit to MySQL. To those who think their respective culture is too different I can only point to the fact that Apple is using SAP as its back-office solution, and that was a cultural shock ;-)

I think that Microsoft will acquire Siebel or another competitor in that field, further consolidating this market around three top commercial databases: Oracle, IBM's DB2 and Microsoft's MS SQL Server. The first contenders will, IMHO, be open source solutions such as Compiere, growing from the small business to the mid-sized business fields.