News
Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced the availability of MySQL 5.1
December 2008 by Marc Jacob
Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced the general availability of MySQL 5.1, a major new release of the world’s most popular open source database. Designed to improve performance and simplify management of large-scale database applications, the production-ready MySQL 5.1 software is available for download now.
MySQL 5.1 has been downloaded more than 250,000 times in the ten days it has been generally available. This show of community interest and adoption follows a number of well-received database announcements that Sun has made this quarter — including Sun Systems for MySQL as well as the new MySQL Query Analyzer tool that is now part of its MySQL Enterprise subscription offering.
New industry research shows the continued growth and maturation of the market for open source database management systems (DBMS). In Gartner, Inc.’s "The Growing Maturity of Open-Source Database Management Systems", published on November 28, 2008, Gartner Vice President and Distinguished Analyst Donald Feinberg reports that a recently conducted study by the firm demonstrated a 50% increase from 2007 to 2008 in the usage of open source DBMSs in production. The report repeats previous findings that revenue growth in the open source DBMS segment grew at a rate of 42% from 2006 to 2007, far outpacing the overall DBMS market at 13%. Moving forward, Gartner projects 40% CAGR growth in the open source DBMS segment over the next five years, resulting in an estimated $1 billion market by 2013.
Feinberg offers guidance and advice to those considering open-source DBMS products: "The cost benefits of using an open-source DBMS is increasing and the risk of using it is decreasing. Open-source DBMS engines can be used today for non-mission-critical applications with reduced risk over several years ago.
