Application developers like the new SQL Server; users yet to weigh in
By Staff -- Manufacturing Business Technology, 3/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Microsoftcontends the latest release of its database—SQL Server 2005—makes it easier than ever to mine valuable business information from raw data while also being cheaper to manage. And some of the independent software vendors (ISV) that run their applications on SQL Server believe users will agree with Microsoft's assessment.
Enhancements to SQL Server 2005 include the elimination of a two-gigabyte memory cap that existed in the standard edition of SQL Server 2000, and a mirroring feature that makes it easier to create back-up databases.
"Removing the memory cap with the standard edition is one of the factors that really intrigued us, and our customers," says Scott Smith, senior product marketing manager for technology with ERP vendor Epicor Software. The cap drove some Epicor customers to purchase the more costly enterprise edition. Now, Smith says, they can forego that option without worrying about outgrowing the database too quickly.
Smith says users also can save money by using the new database's mirroring capability, which allows easier duplication of ERP data on a separate server. Copying databases on clusters of servers was a typical method of protecting against potential loss of data with SQL Server 2000, but clustering requires more rigorous matching of servers holding the different versions of the databases than mirroring. Smith says mirroring also offers a cheaper means of deploying servers that can be used solely for pulling reports from the database, easing traffic on the main database server.
Rashesh Mody, CTO with Wonderware, a supplier of plant management software, expects users to like the improved reporting features in SQL Server 2005.
"The richer reporting services are probably the feature of greatest interest to end users, since most deployments have unique reporting requirements," says Mody, adding that multiple Wonderware products, including IndustrialSQL Server historian, rely on the services to make it easier for users to configure daily production reports.
"The services offer a reporting environment that a user can go into and, with a few drag-and-drop inputs, quickly create what they want to see in a report," Mody continues. "You could customize reports before, but it typically took an IT expert to program them. SQL Server 2005 also integrates with SharePoint portal in a way that is helpful for business intelligence needs."
SQL Server still faces stiff competition in the database market. According to Framingham, Mass.-based IDC, Oraclehad 41.3 percent of the market in 2004, followed by IBM with 30.6 percent, and trailed by Microsoft with 13.4 percent. However, as IDC noted when it released its figures last spring, SQL Server dominates the midmarket.
Many software vendors continue to support multiple databases. Smith says the Progress database from Progress Softwarecontinues to be a popular choice for users of Epicor's Vantage ERP package, especially for deployments by smaller enterprises without much SQL Server expertise.
"Progress allows a company to get up to speed with database management very quickly," says Smith. "Both databases continue to be attractive options."
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