Datasheet

IBM to the top spot over Oracle as they brought existing Informix customers with them. Today, Informix
runs on Linux and integrates with other IBM products.
Sybase SQLAnywhere
Sybase has deep roots in the client/server database industry and has a strong product offering. At the
enterprise level, Sybase products are deployed on UNIX and Linux platforms and have strong support
in Java programming circles. At the mid-scale level, SQLAnywhere runs on several platforms including
UNIX, Linux, Mac OS, Netware, and Windows. Sybase has carved a niche for itself in the industry for
mobile device applications and related databases.
Microsoft Access
Access was partially created from the ground up but also leverages some of the query technology
gleaned from Microsoft’s acquisition of FoxPro. As a part of Microsoft’s Office Suite, Access is a
very convenient tool for creating simple business applications. Although Access SQL is ANSI 92
SQL–compliant, it is quite a bit different from Transact-SQL. For this reason, I have made it a point
to identify some of the differences between Access and Transact-SQL throughout the book.
Access has become the non-programmer’s application development tool. Many people get started in
database design using Access and then move on to SQL Server as their needs become more sophisti-
cated. Access is a powerful tool for the right kinds of applications, and some commercial products have
actually been developed using Access. Unfortunately, because Access is designed (and documented) to
be an end-user’s tool rather than a software developer’s tool, many Access databases are often poorly
designed and power users learn through painful trial and error about how not to create database
applications.
Access was developed right around 1992 and is based on the JET Database Engine. JET is a simple and
efficient storage system for small to moderate volumes of data and for relatively few concurrent users,
but falls short of the stability and fault-tolerance of SQL Server. For this reason, a desktop version of the
SQL Server engine has shipped with Access since Office 2000. The Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine
(MSDE) is an alternative to using JET and really should be used in place of JET for any serious database.
Starting smaller-scale projects with the MSDE provides an easier path for migrating them to full-blown
SQL Server later on.
MySQL
MySQL is a developer’s tool embraced by the open-source community. Like Linux and Java, it can be
obtained free of charge and includes source code. Compilers and components of the database engine can
be modified and compiled to run on most any computer platform. Although MySQL supports ANSI
SQL, it promotes the use of an application programming interface (API) that wraps SQL statements. As
a database product, MySQL is a widely accepted and capable product. However, it appeals more to the
open source developer than to the business user.
Many other database products on the market may share some characteristics of the products discussed
here. The preceding list represents the most popular database products that use ANSI SQL.
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