Re: a comparison of different databases

For what it's worth, INFORMIX published at one time a well-written article entitled "Informix Dynamic Scalable Architecture Overview" for their sales staff, publication 000-20559-78 W. This was intended for the sales staff and partners of INFORMIX. I got a copy a couple of years ago, and have held onto it hoping this would be made available to the developer community at large, but INFORMIX never talks about it, or responds to these kinds of posts. It's a shame because they have the best product overall, and this assessment comes at the hands of many analyst think tanks, not just my enthusiasm.

Executive Summary

Buy INFORMIX and you won't go wrong. :-)

Another great manuscript for this arena is by David McGoveran, of Alternative Technologies.

His address, however I don't know if it's current or not:

David McGoveran
Alternative Technologies
13150 Highway 9, Suite 123
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
VOICE (408)338-4621
  FAX (408)338-3113 David has a series of evaluation reports that probably will give you more information than you can get here. My copy of his report, "An Evaluation of Database Server Architechures", version 93.10, is well written, and of course, it points to INFORMIX as the last hope for all mankind. Seriously, it was written in 1993, but in comparing his notes to todays' market, I think you'll see some interesting product notations. Here's the 1993 assessment from his report:

BEGIN QUOTED MATERIAL Informix On-Line Dynamic Server

	true multi-threaded architecture with certain on-line 	
        configurations

	integrated distibuted database support and bundled 	
        multi-protocol support

	SMP support, with dynamic tuning capability

	integrated, platform independent, parallel architecture built on
	an integrated, multi-threaded server, capable of supporting 	
	parallel query processing, as well as parallel disk I/O, and
	efficient use of multi-processor systems

	transparent, single architecture support for uniprocessor and 	
	SMP systems (Release 6) and designed for support of loosely 	
	coupled and MPP systems as well (Release 8)

	full on-line mirroring functionality that does not depend on 	
	special platforms

Oracle 7

        shared, multi-process architecture (simulated multi-threading)

        few on-line configuration parameters

        limited on-line administration

        limited support for software mirroring

	special products required for each of loosely coupled, SMP, and 
	MPP support

	extra cost distributed query option and multiprotocol network
 	support

	announced support for parallel disk I/O, parallel utilities, and 
	parallel query processing

	no true hot standby option

Sybase System 10

	a true multi-threaded architecture, with certain on-line 
	configuration options

	SMP support, but without dynamic tuning capability

	support for parallel disk I/O and parallel utilities

	full on-line mirroring functionality that does not depend on
 	special hardware

	extra cost heterogeneous distributed query option and 
	multiprotocol network support

	announced extra-cost option built on shared, multi-threaded 
	servers,capable of supporting parallel query processing as well
	as efficient use of multi-processor systems, but which depends
	on special platforms

	extra cost hot-standby that does not depend on special platforms

With respect to the feature discussed here which support the scalability, performance, OLCP, and availability objectives of a modern database server architecture, we must conclude that INFORMIX -On-Line Dynamic Server offers a broader range of support for the requirements. In contrast to competitive products, it does so without requiring special product versions or extra cost options.

END QUOTED MATERIAL This was written in 1993. With the increased interest in multi-threading in the industry, I wonder if Oracle would be a good choice. With the increasing need for dynamic tuning, I wonder if Sybase would be a good choice.

My own experience with Oracle has been abysmal. They really do want to create work for you. My Sybase experience has shown it's a neat data base product searching for a front end ( still ). And INFORMIX, well, to me they've been a lot like Maytag, very reliable, trustworthy, and simple to work with. INFORMIX has proven of late they actually understand where the industry is headed, and have the products to really prove it.

:-) Received on Sat Jul 13 1996 - 00:00:00 CEST