Network database three: IBM Microsoft Oracle hegemony

IBM DB2 9 ("Viper"), a database product just released in Beijing, is a "hybrid" database that stores both relational and hierarchical data, which is considered IBM for business information and data processing, especially for Internet environments. The 40 database development has epoch-making significance in the history of the product.

IBM's main competitor, Oracle, a veteran database maker, does not think its position will be shaken by the release of "Poisonous Snakes". Sun Jiandong, Vice general Manager and server product director of Microsoft (China) Limited, made it clear: "If the user decides to migrate the database from IBM's DB2 or Oracle I9 to the Microsoft platform, Microsoft will guarantee more support and services." ”

Until the next generation of innovative technology really arrives, both IBM, Oracle, Sybase or Microsoft have seen the growth of the Internet. With hundreds of millions of of dollars in investment, a long development cycle, and a polished new product, the ultimate goal of these efforts is the increasingly lucrative database software market.

The Three Kingdoms Melee

At the same time, storage of relational data and hierarchical data is becoming an irreversible trend in the database field, IBM invested 1 billion U.S. dollars annually. But this is not IBM's unique technology.

For the past more than 20 years, Oracle and IBM have been occupying the high-end market in the database field, IBM has the absolute advantage in mainframe system, Oracle is the leader of Unix system. In 2004, global database sales amounted to $7.8 billion trillion, with IBM and Oracle occupying 34.1% and 33.7% respectively.

The Battle of two companies in the database market has been white-hot as long as IBM has spent $1 billion to buy Informix's database assets. Oracle "in Time" launched a plan to help Informix users migrate to Oracle platform, digging the IBM corner. IBM, after Oracle acquired PeopleSoft and Sible, is engaged in the integration of application software, middleware and database products, launched the DB2 "Green Storm Plan" for database market, and Oracle Storey.

Meanwhile, software giant Microsoft's scramble for IBM and Oracle has never stopped. In 1995, Microsoft abandoned its original platform, invited 12 of the world's 15 top database experts, invested billions of dollars to develop a new generation of database SQL Server 2005, in the hope of radically changing the low-end image of the enterprise-wide market.

Another high-end database mainstream manufacturer Sybase, the latest version of ASE for Linux is also a strong competitor to the DB2 database, the company's Chinese company technology manager Hanyi said: "IBM launched Viper ' brings more functionality to users, but these features are reflected in Sybase's products in previous years. "It is understood that Sybase began to promote XML since 2000, and most of the technology is already available."

The market is king

In China, high-end corporate customers, such as four major banks and four telecoms operators, are users of IBM and Oracle databases. In 2005, China's database market sales amounted to 2.216 billion yuan, Oracle, IBM and Microsoft ranked top three, Sybase is a database-led, while providing business intelligence and mobile solutions, 2-digit growth every year.

As for the "poisonous Snake" released, whether IBM can immediately unified database Lake, Cao Kaibin Information deputy general Manager of the world, said: "Oracle in the domestic market to occupy the largest share, but customer satisfaction must be improved, business model to improve." Although IBM has brought the leading technology and product to Chinese users, the large-scale marketing has just begun. ”

For this high-end database market "competition", relying only on technology is not an effective means, with the People's Bank of China Software Development Center Zhu Jie, said, "The database application requirements will be more and more, who can get the opportunity, not by products and technical advantages, the key depends on the market strategy and after-sales service." ”

In order to accelerate the "Viper" in the Chinese market, IBM Global Research Institute of the two chief architect Zheng and Wangyun are stationed in China to ensure that the IBM China Software Research center of nearly 200 people's database support team can meet customer needs at any time. Oracle has also recently established a global Support Center in Dalian to provide technical services to mainland China, Taiwan and South Korea. Microsoft and the soft, the tide, the creation intelligence and so on many enterprises cooperation, based on its database platform carries on the application development. Sybase has developed a unique sales plan for Chinese users, bundled with IBM's P-series servers and Novell's Linux operating system.

The success of a database product must have three basic conditions: first, the support of a wide range of Third-party independent software developers, followed by a flexible marketing strategy, and a smooth sales channel. In these three respects, several manufacturers have their own length.