What have EnterpriseDB and IBM announced?
EnterpriseDB and IBM announced that IBM has licensed EnterpriseDB's database compatibility technology and has embedded it into the newest version of DB2. This is the same technology EnterpriseDB uses in Postgres Plus Advanced Server to deliver deep Oracle compatibility, which provides customers with the ability to freely choose their database.
Why is this news important?
The news is important because IBM is demonstrating the demand for database compatibility and validating the strength of EnterpriseDB's compatibility solutions. The news is especially relevant in light of Oracle's announced acquisition of Sun, which will give Oracle significant control over the proprietary and open source database markets. It is more important than ever for customers to have meaningful alternatives to Oracle to achieve database coexistence, migration, and cost containment objectives.
What's the big picture around these announcements?
IT organizations have long wished to have more and better database management choices. In the past, however, the costs and risks of using alternative DBMS solutions have been too high. EnterpriseDB's compatibility technologies dramatically reduce the costs and risks of using alternative database products, giving customers significant flexibility to choose the database solutions that best fit their application requirements. EnterpriseDB's solutions preserve investments in application software, human knowledge and operational process.
Why would EnterpriseDB license its technology to IBM?
EnterpriseDB has invested heavily to build highly functional, proven database compatibility technologies. These technologies give our customers the flexibility to choose the best database products for their IT infrastructures by reducing the switching costs and eliminating the vendor lock-in that has traditionally plagued the database market.
Licensing this technology to IBM (and other vendors) makes sense for EnterpriseDB because doing so:
- Validates the depth, breadth and uniqueness of EnterpriseDB's compatibility solutions
- Demonstrates that other database vendors are experiencing demand for compatibility (i.e., customers are asking for compatibility solutions)
- Establishes an ecosystem of invested partners who will work with EnterpriseDB to make the technology even stronger over time
How is the database market changing and what role does this technology license play?
Especially in light of the Oracle/Sun acquisition, it is clear that the database market is consolidating. Consolidation is often accompanied by vendor lock-in, price increases and other unfavorable outcomes. EnterpriseDB is actively working with partners to ensure that customers are free to choose the database solutions that best suit their needs.
