Re: DB Appliance: the attack of the clones

From: joel garry <joel-garry_at_home.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:59:11 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <7202cf99-7155-468e-80c1-a4cac1a2a30d_at_a3g2000pro.googlegroups.com>



On Sep 22, 8:15 am, Mladen Gogala <gogala.mla..._at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Oracle announced Oracle DB Appliance today. This is a deja vu, from the
> era of the Oracle Network Computer when Oracle was the first to offer a
> "database appliance". NC and its brethren database appliance died around
> the year 2000, which means that the early bird doesn't necessarily catch
> the worm.
> This time, however, things are different. There are several similar
> machines around, even if we don't count Exadata and Exalogic boxes. There
> is  Teradata Kickfire, there is IBM's "virtual DB2 appliance", a very
> innovative piece of software that I still count as an appliance and, of
> course, Netezza DW appliance.
> Apparently, the trend is to sell the database, along with the hardware
> needed to run it and also have the company that sold it to administer it
> as a part of the support.
> IBM has the most experience with it, since they're selling DB2 on the
> mainframe systems for a very long time. The whole mainframe system can be
> regarded as one huge DB2 appliance.
> That is the usual characteristic of the db appliance market: appliances
> are high end contraptions. Exadata, Netezza, Kickfire or mainframes are
> very expensive and glamorous contraptions that with at least six figure
> price tags and are unlikely to be encountered in small to medium size
> companies. Furthermore, no matter how fast these things are, the state of
> technology is simply such that these things will always require a good
> DBA. Oracle is well positioned to win the inevitable DB appliance wars,
> but will not impact the vast majority of the Oracle users.
>
> --http://mgogala.byethost5.com

I think you are a bit off the mark for the positioning. This product seems to be addressing the issues of cost and configuration for small rac systems in the SMB market. It is not a baby exadata, it doesn't have separate compute/storage tiers, no columnar compression, calling it a baby exadata is only a marketing gimmick as an entry level foot in the door to maybe upsell to the big machines. There may be some selling into a Netezza style analytical market - a small group of BI types, for example - but I don't think that will be the main focus at least at the beginning.

You are probably right about the administrative needs once it is in, as well as selling the database. This is potentially an earner for the Pythians of the world. And yet, I would expect a large number of under-supported sites after a few years.

The licensing is the big money maker shakin' here. (Use Soup Nazi Accent:) No SE free RAC for you! So that could make for a tough SMB hump.

jg

--
_at_home.com is bogus.
Well, I hope they get the timezone right.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/21/rebecca-zahaus-phone-to-be-re-examined/
Received on Thu Sep 22 2011 - 10:59:11 CDT

Original text of this message