I saw recently that IBM Invested in Enterprise DB, a commercial variant of PostgreSQL. Apparently this is a chance for IBM to try and take market share from Oracle. PostgreSQL was built as an open source Oracle competitor, so with IBM's help, they could convince some current Oracle customers to migrate and grow their services revenue.
Now this is on the heels of SUN Microsystems buying MySQL, the other major open source database. I think that's a great move for SUN and I have no doubt they'll really help mature that product. If I was concerned about either of these products encroaching on the SQL Server space, I'd be more worried about MySQL than PostgreSQL just because I think SUN will devote more resources and be more aggressive than IBM.
Oracle has purchased Sleepycat and InnoDB not too long ago. These might help their growth in the database space, though I wonder if these weren't just PR moves to make Oracle seem more like an Open Source friendly company.
What's Microsoft done? They buy a lot of companies, but not a lot of them in the database space. They did get Dundas to bolster Reporting Services and acquired a Data Management company last year, but other than that, they've only made one big investment for SQL Server.
That's in SQL Server. Microsoft is counting on it's internal developers to continue to enhance and grow it's entry in the database world. And it seems that right now they can't even get enough people to work on the product. There are 134 open SQL Server jobs of all types as I write this, so if you're interested in helping, apply today. I would, but my wife would never move to Seattle.
Microsoft is investing millions of dollars in SQL Server and has hundreds of people working on the product. They won't release actual numbers, but it's a lot of people I see in the SQL Server area. However they can't rest on their past successes with other competitors continuing to invest themselves, and buying technologies they can add to their own offerings.
I think SQL Server is the best platform, though obviously I'm biased. And I want to continue to see it thrive and grow, which is why I run this site and advocate SQL Server to others. I like the product and enjoy seeing new features added, though I also think that as the SQL Server community, we need to be sure that we demand support, quality, and stability along with all those cool new additions to the product.
So get slightly involved, even if it's just rating items on Connect, or submit your own suggestions, ideas, and desires for SQL Server. Help us continue to grow SQL Server above the rest of the competition.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
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