MySQL partnering with SAP: What's in it for the MySQL user?

Kaj Arnö

The news is out: MySQL and SAP are partnering. Already on Monday, German web sites were full of articles claiming "MySQL and SAP join forces", "SAP exits the database business", "SAP turns over its database to MySQL", and "MySQL takes over SAP database". You can read the news from the horse's mouth at http://www.mysql.com/news/article-351.html (http://www.mysql.com/news/article-351.html)

What does this mean for you, the MySQL user?

For you, it mainly means three things:

First, it means you'll see the development of the MySQL speed up further. With the resources provided by the SAP partnership, you can see MySQL developing new features faster.

Second, it means that if you have an urgent need for features which MySQL lacks, chances are you'll find them in SAP DB. MySQL AB will offer databases that meet a wide range of application needs, whether you like your database fast, stable and easy to use (as in MySQL), or whether you like it enterprise-level and feature-packed (as in SAP DB).

Third, it will now be easier for you to obtain approval from your management and customers to use MySQL in mission-critical projects. SAP is trusting MySQL AB with their database needs, so why shouldn't everyone?

This deal is also validation, by one of the world's leading software companies, that the open source approach develops top-quality software - and not just Linux.

We've already seen some reactions from the MySQL user community. While most of the reactions have been positive, we have also seen some concerns expressed:

Will the SAP burden kill MySQL? Will MySQL be so occupied with SAP, that it won't be able to tend to its loyal customers and users?

No worries.

MySQL AB has committed to the SAP deal, since it is very much in line with the long term goals of MySQL -- to be the best and most used database, available and affordable for all.

We will keep the SAP DB and MySQL code bases separate.

We will stay true to the three MySQL benefits, that have taken us where we are today:

- Performance: MySQL will not sacrifice speed for features
- Stability: MySQL will not accept bugs to make delivery dates
- Ease of use: MySQL will not introduce complexity beyond necessity

MySQL has no plans to deviate from our dual licensing principle, where the Free Software / Open Source community is served by the GPL license, and users not wishing to be bound by the GPL can acquire a commercial license at affordable terms from us.

Another concern is whether the products will be disparate. They will not: With a common API, it will be easy to use MySQL and SAP DB together in an application or migrate between them.

So when is all this going to be ready?

You'll see the MySQL development gaining speed over the coming months and the next few years. As for SAP DB, expect it to be offered by us, renamed and interoperable with MySQL, in Q4, 2003.

To sum it up: the partnership with SAP will help us create a better MySQL database faster, give you access to an enterprise-level database, and help us all convince the world that open source creates great software!