This month's issue is devoted to database servers. It is fitting, then, that much of this month's industry news happened to be from the major database vendors. In particular, it involves two mature database vendors, IBM and Sybase, that are slowly but patiently playing turtle to Oracle's rabbit. Oracle still made it into the news with its annual Oracle Open World, which took place a week after IT Forum across the country in Los Angeles (more on that later). But first, let's get back to IT Forum.
Almost a year after first announcing it, IBM officially unveiled its DB2 Universal Database version 5. It's interesting to note how companies carry a certain personality, whether it's intentional or not. Whereas Oracle's unveiling of Oracle8 involved Larry Ellison at center stage in Radio City Music Hall and was simulcast across the globe, IBM's unveiling of its souped-up database took place in one of the halls of Javits Center, sharing the attention with an entire trade show and with Sybase, which was also making an announcement.
In brief, the new version is a combination of the DB2 Universal Database 2.0 and the DB2 Parallel Edition. It runs on Windows NT, Unix, and OS/2, and it supports standard relational data as well as text, video, and other user-defined datatypes through its Extender technology. Version 5 offers Java support and Web server integration features as well as integrated replication and parallel processing capabilities. For a full rundown on DB2 version 5, see Martin Rennhackkamp's column this month.
Meanwhile, in a different corner of Javits Center Sybase was presenting its revamped SQL Server, now called Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.5. Back in April of this year, Sybase announced a new component-based technology architecture (Adaptive Component Architecture) designed to support the storage of Java, ActiveX, and CORBA components. Adaptive Server 11.5 is the foundation for this architecture.
The Adaptive Server Enterprise 11.5 features a logical memory manager and logical process manager for application- and user-specific dedicated resources and support for specialty datatypes including geospatial, time series, multimedia, imaging, and text. The new release offers automatic failover for clustered systems, page-fault isolation, and row-level locking. It also includes security for multitier applications through proxy authorization and unified login. Since the show, Sybase also started shipping its Jaguar Component Transaction Server (CTS) transactional middleware and its dbQ message queuing software, both announced earlier this year. Other Adaptive Server-ized Sybase products to follow include Adaptive Server Anywhere (formerly Sybase SQL Anywhere, formerly Watcom SQL Server) and Adaptive Server IQ (formerly Sybase IQ). All products in the Adaptive Server family will eventually use a common language processor that supports an open and consistent Java component model.
The lack of Java support in the initial release of Oracle8 has been a notable gap. Oracle attempted to compensate for this during its annual Oracle Open World conference in Los Angeles by making Java (and by association the Network Computing Architecture) the centerpiece of the show.
To begin, Oracle promised to "Javify" its tools business to support the creation of business objects using Java so that the business logic can rest on the application server. By the end of 1998, all Oracle's development tools should support Java through these business objects and a shared common repository. Oracle also promised a new, component-based Java development environment to take the place of its recently scrapped Sedona project and to complement Designer/2000 and Developer/2000. An initial, client-based Java release should be available by the end of 1997.
Oracle also announced that Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle's DBA products are all being rewritten in Java, and Oracle will offer new Java-based products for capacity planning and change management. Personal Oracle Lite 3.0, currently in beta, will support Java-based access classes for creating and storing Java objects; native JDBC access; Java stored procedures and triggers; and a new Java-based object browser.
Oracle also announced plans to embed Tibco Software Inc.'s publish-and-subscribe messaging technology into Oracle's databases. Initially, it will be available in Oracle7.3.4, with plans to embed it into the next release of Oracle8. Finally, Oracle is now shipping JDBC drivers for Oracle7.
Informix continues to be haunted by its questionable accounting practices of the past two years. Because Informix delayed filing of its second-quarter 10-Q report, the NASDAQ has initiated proceedings to remove Informix from its stock listing. Informix has requested a hearing to seek an exception to NASDAQ's delisting requirements in light of the company's efforts to restate its 1995 and 1996 financial statements.
However, the financial restatements are taking more time than originally anticipated. Informix provided rough estimates hinting that the restatement of its 1996 and 1995 financial statements could exceed $200 million and $50 million, respectively. The restatements for 1995 and 1996 will affect the financial statements and information reported for the first two quarters of fiscal 1997.
The good news is that Informix has made another move to remedy its financial woes by appointing a new vice president and chief financial officer, Jean-Yves Dexmier. Dexmier comes to Informix after serving as a consultant on business development and strategy to Silicon Valley companies. Until February 1997, he was chief financial officer of Octel Communications.