MySQL: A star-studded customer list, but is it 'mature' software?

The easy-to-administer database is a developer favorite and a required ingredient for Web 2.0 start-ups. But MySQL still isn't breaking into the glass house.

By Jim Romeo, LinuxWorld.com, 06/20/07

Last April, MySQL AB’s CEO Marten Mickos, kicked off the opening day of the 2007 MySQL Conference and Expo by stating “open source is simply a smarter method to develop and distribute software -- a way to promote software users’ freedoms in addition to protecting its creators’ rights.”

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This is a long way from yesteryear, before the dawn of open source technology and the birth of MySQL.

The big three proprietary suppliers of database software – Oracle, IBM and Microsoft, compete in multi-billion dollar market, at one time snubbed their nose at the arrival of MySQL. After all, they all had mature, sophisticated products with advanced features, analytics and core database software – and their products are not “open” or free for a reason. The times are a changing. Now, as reluctant as they are to admit it, the momentum of MySQL is indeed something to worry about.

MySQL is owned and sponsored by the Swedish firm MySQL AB, a for-profit firm. It holds the copyright to most of their code base and touts more than 11 million installations of the software worldwide. The company profits by developing and maintaining the system while selling support and service contracts, and proprietary-licensed copies of MySQL. The company brought in some $50 million in revenue in 2006, up from $34 million in 2005, and $6.5 million in 2002, and it touts some 50,000 downloads per day -- even though many users can skip downloading because their Linux distributions and hosting plans already include MySQL bundled and ready to run. Developers use MySQL for its reliability, scalability, simplicity and big cost savings in total cost of ownership.

“I don't think other database vendors are doing anything to make it easier for MySQL to interact,” says Dirk Elmendorf, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Evangelist of Rackspace.

Elmendorf makes the point though that in many cases, MySQL isn’t fully replacing proprietary database technology, but supplementing it. “I have seen MySQL used in situations where you needed to take load off of the main Oracle database servers. The licensing structure can make this very cost effective assuming you don't mind allowing multiple database engines in your deployment. I think in many cases people look at MySQL from a cost perspective first. The reality is that in some cases you pay for features you don't need with some of the larger database engines.”