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MySQL Lures Open-Source Newbies with Consulting Deals

MySQL AB is offering consulting packages and GUI tools for those who want to jump into open-source technology but lack in-house gurus and are too nervous to go it alone.

The Uppsala, Sweden, open-source database company on Wednesday rolled out three consulting packages that feature MySQL senior consultants who work on-site for a brief period as they tackle common customer conundrums. The consultants assist in application architecture and design, performance tuning and optimization, and migrating off of legacy databases and onto MySQL.

The MySQL Architecture and Design package costs $5,000, or 4,000 euros, for two days. An on-site consultants works with a client's IT team to review application plans and analyze database architecture.

The MySQL Performance and Tuning Optimization deal costs $7,500, or 6,000 euros, for three days. During that time, the MySQL consultant will help to pinpoint and resolve bottlenecks, as well as explain and implement architecture and tuning optimization.

According to MySQL, typical performance enhancements jack up results 50 to 100 percent, whereas customized tuning can get even better results and may even avert the need for hardware upgrades.

The MySQL Migration Jumpstart package costs $10,000, or 8,000 euros, for five days. MySQL experts will help clients plan and launch migration of applications from Oracle Corp. or Sybase Inc. databases, from Microsoft Corp. SQL Server, from IBM's DB2 or Informix databases, or from other proprietary databases.

The consulting packages are a reflection of the fact that MySQL is penetrating the mainstream, according to Zack Urlocker, vice president of marketing at MySQL. "There are companies who are expert in what they do but who don't necessarily have rich experience with open-source technology," he said.

"They want to use it but want to make sure they're using it right. The Yahoos and Googles, [which were early adopters of MySQL], they have in-house gurus. We're getting to organizations that don't have internal expertise but still want to use open source. This will enable a more broad adoption of open-source technology."

Urlocker said MySQL recently surpassed 10 million downloads, a number that spiked with the introduction of the most recent major upgrade, MySQL 4.1, in October.

On the same theme of penetrating the mainstream, MySQL last week rolled out a set of graphical query and administration tools that make administering the database easier for developers and database administrators.

The GUI tools include MySQL Query Browser, a visual toolset for creating, executing and optimizing MySQL database queries. It features drag-and-drop tools within a Web browserlike environment, including Query Toolbar and Database Explorer, which let users select tables and fields to query; and Table Editor, which can be used to visually create, modify and delete database tables.

It also includes Results Window, in which multiple queries can be compared and managed; Object Browser, which lets users manage databases and bookmarks; and Script Editor, an interface for creating, editing and debugging large SQL scripts that also features syntax highlighting and the ability to set script breakpoints to facilitate debugging.

The second tool, MySQL Administrator, is a visual console that gives DBAs a console to handle server configuration, user administration, replication status monitoring, backup/restor and log views.

The tools are available for download under MySQL's dual licensing model from the MySQL Developer Zone. A commercial version of the bundled tools costs $295 per user.

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