Linux sybase software

Sybase extends database reach through Linux - Sybase's SQL Anywhere Studio for Linux DBMS - Product Information

Vendor faces challenge winning over high end because of support issues surrounding the free OS

The latest database move from Sybase Inc. shows the limits of Linux in enterprise settings, according to an industry analyst.

The company is selling a Linux version of its mobile product, SQL Anywhere Studio for Linux, which includes full support.

That contrasts to the Linux version of its top product, Adaptive Server Enterprise, which is free and unsupported.

It's more evidence that Linux, with its lack of administration features, may not grow beyond Internet server and departmental use, said Wayne Kernochan, senior vice-president of the Aberdeen Group.

"A lot of the attractiveness of Linux is in the workgroup level, the small office, where someone who is technically savvy who figures it's the ultimate in cheapness has nice capabilities to support workgroup things," he said in an interview. That's more Sybase's market than Oracle Corp.'s, he said, adding that Adaptive Server Anywhere is the most visible Sybase product in the workgroup arena.

"Given Sybase's success in the mobile and low-end mass deployment market, this is a bigger deal than for Oracle, and I think they see the opportunities and are going to chase it strongly."

Informix SE for Linux, a mid-size relational database, is also competing in this area.

A small-footprint relational database which can be used for mobile applications and point-of-sale devices, SQL Anywhere is aimed at monitoring systems and edge servers as well. However, the Linux version will not include the Sybase Ultralite database option for handheld computing devices offered for other operating systems.

A Sybase spokesman said demand from developers who build applications with SQL Anywhere is one of the reasons why it ported the database to Linux.

Dr. David Wormuth, a Rochester, N.Y.-based cardiothorasic surgeon at Strong Memorial Hospital, who has a side business building medical research databases with SQL Anywhere, is looking forward to the Linux release.

"For a small research lab that does steady data entry, being able to pop it on an old Linux box is a great cost saving. To convince them to buy Windows NT and the latest hardware and not to do anything else except let the database run is a hard sell. Whereas, we can say they should buy a new computer and we'll turn their old one into a (Linux) database server, and the performance will be very acceptable."