Databases

Forrester Research have a new report out saying that open source databases such as MySQL, Ingres and Enterprise DB are cheaper than their proprietary rivals by approximately 60% for databases less than 300GB. Cost here includes staffing, training, hardware, software and so forth, not merely the cost of licencing the software (which in the open source case is typically zero).

While it must be admitted that Forrester Research has been slated for partisanship in the past (and has a business model that encourages outlandish headlines), this is great news. I've not read the report (Forrester which is not freely available).

Coverage at WhatPC?

cheers

stuart

Linux distributor RedHat and database giant Oracle are having a moment of tension as Oracle goes it's own way with a version of Linux based on that of RedHat. Oracle's moves have caused RedHat's shares to nose dive, after several quarters of better than expected profits.

Oracle's Linux, branded as Unbreakable Linux, offers a very cut-down set of options. Only full enterprise support is offered, with little flexibility as the the range of features, platforms and tools. The simplified offering will quite possibly be very popular in Oracle's traditional database market, which typically don't have the Linux skills to do much in-house support or require much integration or customisation at the operating system level, but Oracle needs RedHat, because Unbreakable Linux is a repackaged version of RedHat's Enterprise Linux, and if RedHat suffers or goes under that's a world of work that Oracle has to take on itself, which it is currently getting for free under the open source licences.

"Unbreakable Linux" is also an interesting choice of name, it sails very close to making a claim of unbreakability, and is sure to attract hackers. After the first publicised breakage of "Unbreakable Linux" will become "broken Linux," in a PR nightmare, partly for Linux as a whole, but mainly for Oracle.

The Guardian is carryingan article by Steve Boggan on how insecure airline passenger'sdetails are. He paints the US government as the principal underminerof the privacy and security of the individual's information, but Iimagine that a number of organisations on this side of the Atlanticfind access to the information very useful too.

This 39 minute recording provides coverage of the 2005 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Session entitled Converting Data into Decisions: A Data-Fueled Architecture.

Build AU is running an article testing four relational SQL databases. SQL Server Express, MySQL, Oracle 10g and IBM DB2 Express are all compared in ways that go beyond "this one's free."

Release 5.0 of MySQL is really taking it to the Oracle and DB2 with advanced features such as cluster support and fault tolerance and in most other departments the features run head to head with the competition. Non-SQL junkies can take heart with the GUIs dramatically reducing the reliance on the CLI, bringing administration and configuration within the realms of the novice. MySQL V5.0 is a compelling product and it is hard to argue against its nomination for the Editor's Choice award.

The differentiation between these becomes less and less important, however, as their standards compliance improves making it significantly easier to move from one database engine to another. Unfortunately, while SQL Server Express and MySQL have made great strides in the last two to three years, both still have qualifications on their SQL standards compliance.

I'm the web developer here at St. Norbert College. This being the first post to my blog, I figure I'll briefly explain what we're running here.

We're a LAMP shop. We tend to stay away from Microsoft if at all possible, and we embrace open source solutions. Specifically, I'm running two web servers with a third on its way. Our main web site is on SUSE Linux Enterprise v8.1, with Apache v1.3. All of my CGI programming is in Perl, with MySQL where appropriate. I'm also running PHP, but haven't had a need to implement any solutions written in PHP yet.

I'm in the middle of implementing ContentXML, a web-based commercial application that allows departments on campus to maintain their own web content. I've got to have our Alumni and Admissions departments live on the system this summer. I've got ContentXML running on SUSE Linux Enterprise v9, and it's goin well so far. Should have live users on within the next week or two.

I plan to use my blog to post happenings and experiences in my campus work life. Perhaps I can be of help to others who have similar systems. And perhaps I can occassionally learn from those who have crossed these bridges before me.