DBMS 1996 Readers' Choice Awards

Each year, DBMS readers vote for their favorite client/server database tools.

This year, readers voted for two new categories: Web-database integration tools, and an overall favorite product drawn from any category.

Some categories have new winners, but several perennial favorites continue to win in their categories year after year.

A Message to the Winning Vendors from the Publisher of DBMS

CASE/Modeling

ERwin product family

(Logic Works Inc.)

For the fifth year in a row (since 1992!), DBMS readers crowned ERwin king of the CASE tools. Few database design tools match ERwin's ease of use, depth, and breadth of features. ERwin is no longer just a back-end database design tool: Recent versions now generate application components for Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and Progress applications. Logic Works' latest target is the data warehousing market. ERwin 2.6 supports star schema and dimensional modeling, and it generates physical database schema for the Red Brick RDBMS.

Client/Server Application Testing

SQA TeamTest

(SQA Inc.)

The SQA Suite continues to pass the DBMS Readers' Choice test, an award SQA also won in 1994 and 1995. This suite is a comprehensive collection of products for testing client/server Windows applications. SQA Process is a testing methodology. SQA Robot creates and runs automated tests, including OLE-based applications. SQA Manager plans, manages, and analyzes tests. SQA LoadTest performs stress testing and multiuser testing. SQA testing tools also integrate with application development tools, including Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, Delphi, and Centura. SQA is also extending the SQA product line to support testing of Web applications.

Data Replication

Lotus Notes

(Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM)

It's easy to think of Lotus Notes as a mature groupware applications platform. Don't forget that under the covers lies a proven database replication engine capable of synchronizing data across widely scattered servers and users. In today's increasingly distributed environment, Lotus Notes' early adoption of replication technology seems more and more farsighted.

Database Accounting

SAP R/3

(SAP America Inc., a division of SAP AG)

Enterprise-class accounting and financial applications are large and complex systems. Building one from scratch requires a substantial investment of time, effort, and money. Purchasing and customizing high-quality packaged applications is a smart strategy, and DBMS readers have recognized SAP's leadership in this growing market for the second year in a row.

Database Application Development

PowerBuilder

(Powersoft Corp., a subsidiary of Sybase Inc.)

PowerBuilder collects its fourth consecutive DBMS Readers' Choice award as the premier development tool for building client/server and desktop database applications. To stay abreast of new challenges, PowerBuilder developers can now leverage their valuable skills by using this versatile tool to build distributed, three-tier, and Internet and Intranet applications. Despite an avalanche of Web application development tools, the party does not seem to be over for PowerBuilder.

Database Servers and Host DBMSs

Oracle7

(Oracle Corp.)

For the third year running, Oracle gets the nod as the favorite database server among DBMS readers. The Oracle RDBMS is widely used for both OLTP and data warehouse systems. It runs on dozens of different platforms, and it scales from the desktop to the enterprise. The latest release, Oracle7 version 7.3, is the heart of Oracle's Universal Server, which also manages text, video, multidimensional, and geographic data types.

DBA Tools

DBArtisan

(Embarcadero Technologies Inc.)

DBArtisan is a relative newcomer to the database administration tools market, but it has quickly gained a large and growing following for its ease of use and powerful features. Because many relational database vendors bundle a database administration tool with their servers, customers must find value in products for which they pay extra, so DBArtisan's victory is a testament to the product's usefulness for everyday administration tasks.

DBMS Connectivity, Distributed Access, and Migration

Encina

(Transarc Corp., a subsidiary of IBM)

When client/server systems grow beyond small departmental systems, they must access multiple, heterogeneous databases, scale to large numbers of users, and often partition system functions across multiple tiers. It's not easy, but it is possible. DBMS readers turn to Transarc's Encina, a development and management environment that supports large-scale, enterprisewide systems.

DBMS Developer Productivity

Choreo for SQL Windows or Visual Basic

(CenterView Software Inc.)

Visual Basic's database application development capabilities are enough to attract a huge number of database developers. But serious database developers working in Visual Basic know that VB alone is not enough. CenterView's Choreo quickly became a hit because of its ability to generate Visual Basic database applications from models, and for its powerful engine that coordinates all database interactions behind the scenes. DataDirector, Choreo's successor from CenterView Software, continues this fine tradition.

Decision Support, OLAP

InfoMaker

(Powersoft Corp., a subsidiary of Sybase Inc.)

End-user access to corporate data has been a rallying cry heard throughout the '90s. InfoMaker lets nontechnical end users access ODBC data sources and create queries and reports, and it also manages data locally. This is the third consecutive Readers' Choice award for InfoMaker and its predecessor, PowerViewer.

Embedded Data/File Managers

SQL Anywhere

(Sybase Inc.)

Formerly known as Watcom SQL, this repeat winner is a popular small-footprint SQL Engine that serves many a mobile database application. Since finding a new home in Sybase, the stored procedure language in this well-respected RDBMS now enjoys greater compatibility with its high-end sibling, Sybase SQL Server.

Multimedia/Document Management

Lotus Notes

(Lotus Development Corp., a subsidiary of IBM)

Lotus Notes is a flexible and programmable repository for documents shared within a workgroup. Notes also offers full-text search capabilities, and it can now act as a Web browser and a Web server, which makes Notes documents even more accessible within and outside the enterprise.

Object-Oriented and Object-Relational DBMSs

Odapter

(Hewlett-Packard Co.)

Programming languages have embraced object orientation, but relational DBMSs still dominate the client/server database landscape. Hewlett-Packard's Odapter provides server and client software that presents an object-oriented view of data stored in an Oracle or HP relational database.

Parallel Query DBMS

Oracle7

(Oracle Corp.)

As very large databases swell to ever larger proportions, support for parallel processing becomes an essential ingredient for success. For the second year in a row, DBMS readers selected Oracle7 as their favorite database server for use in parallel environments.

Personal Database for Windows, Macintosh, or OS/2

Access

(Microsoft Corp.)

Microsoft Access garners its fourth straight DBMS Readers' Choice Award as the leading desktop database manager. Access has gained a large and growing following as both an easy-to-use tool for end users and a popular database application development environment for power users and professional developers.

Report Writer/Database Publishing

Crystal Reports

(Seagate Software, Information Management Group)

Crystal Reports is one of the most widely used report writers; it is bundled with dozens of products, including Microsoft Visual Basic. Not only is Crystal Reports a powerful and easy-to-use interactive reporting tool, it also offers many ways to embed and run the Crystal reporting engine within customized applications. DBMS readers also chose Crystal Reports in 1995.

Systems Administration

Microsoft Systems Management Server [SMS]

(Microsoft Corp.)

Microsoft's Systems Management Server lets administrators inventory the hardware and software on networked PCs, it stores configuration details in a database, and it even distributes new and updated programs to client workstations. SMS also won this Readers' Choice award in 1994 and 1995.

Web-Database Integration Tools

DB2 WWW Connection

(IBM)

IBM's gateway linking DB2 databases to the World Wide Web (including Intranets) is the first DBMS Readers' Choice winner in this new and heavily populated product category. The DB2 WWW Connection lets developers give users access to DB2 data from Web browsers. IBM was one of the earliest relational database vendors to make its Web database integration tool available as a free download from its Web site.
(Online Addendum: IBM has upgraded this product and renamed it Net.Data.)

Xbase Language

Visual FoxPro

(Microsoft Corp.)

For the fifth straight year, DBMS readers chose FoxPro as their favorite Xbase database development tool. Microsoft's latest Windows version accesses any ODBC data source and supports object-oriented development techniques.

Favorite DBMS Columnist/Author

Joe Celko, SQL for Smarties

Ever since DBMS inaugurated this award category in 1994, Joe Celko has won every year. Joe's colorful stories and eye-opening insights set the stage for his equally expert SQL tips and techniques.

Your Most Favorite Client/Server Database Tool (any category)

Tie:
PowerBuilder

(Powersoft Corp., a subsidiary of Sybase Inc.)

and

Delphi

(Borland International Inc.)

For this new award, DBMS readers were asked to choose their favorite product from any category. The two winners are both application development tools. This choice underscores the importance of applications development tools to DBMS readers, and it speaks volumes about the merits of the powerful and popular co-winners.